All Stars All Around Us

There’s been plenty of talk about hurling in the last few weeks, but if you’re keeping half an eye on camogie and ladies’ football, you’ll know that Waterford women are flying the flag better than most right now.

Nine All-Star nominations between the two codes – six in camogie, three in ladies’ football. That’s not a token gesture, that’s not patting us on the head – that’s serious recognition.

And it’s about time too.

Let’s start with the camogie, because six is no small number. Brianna O’Regan in goal – there’s no safer pair of hands in the country right now. She’s been pulling off saves that would make a highlight reel on their own. Vikki Falconer has been one of those defenders nobody wants to get near – sticky, fierce, and not giving an inch. Lorraine Bray, well, she’s been the engine room for years, and still somehow covers every blade of grass going. If there’s a breaking ball, she’ll be there before you’ve even spotted it. Beth Carton hardly needs me to tell you what she brings. She’s the one name opposition managers circle in red marker the week before, but the funny thing is – they still can’t stop her. Then you’ve Niamh Rockett – captain, leader, scorer of crucial goals – and Abby Flynn, who’s been stepping up with points when it matters most.

That’s six women right there, all nominated for All-Stars, and every single one of them would walk into any team in the country. That’s the standard Waterford are at now.

On the ladies’ football side, it’s been quieter, maybe not as many headlines – but the progress is just as real. Emma Murray is the heartbeat of the team, pulling strings in midfield, while Brid McMaugh gives you the sort of power and reliability that every serious side needs. Lauren McGregor has been making the net bulge in ways that win matches – simple as that. Three nominations in ladies’ football, six in camogie. Nine Déise women getting national recognition in the one year. That tells you where we’re at.

And here’s the important bit: we’re not plucky little Waterford punching above our weight anymore. We belong at this table. We’re not gate-crashing the party, we’re making ourselves at home. Ten years ago, 2015 was the breakthrough – winning intermediate titles in both codes, climbing back into senior, proving we could still mix it. That was special at the time. But let’s be honest – nobody hangs their hat on intermediate medals. The big talk now is about competing at senior, properly competing, not just making up the numbers. That’s where the Déise women are now. These nominations are proof.

Now, let’s not get carried away. The one big question that’s hung over Waterford for years still hasn’t gone away: depth. We all know the top-end talent is there – the names I’ve just reeled off are as good as any in the country. But it’s not just about the first 15. At senior level, you need 25. You need game-changers coming off the bench, you need to be able to absorb an injury or two without it feeling like the sky is falling in.

Too often in the past, we’ve had days where the legs go with 15 minutes left and there’s nothing in reserve to stop the slide. That’s the gap we need to bridge. That’s the next step.

What makes this moment sweeter is that some of the same players were there ten years ago when we were fighting our way back up. They’ve carried the jersey through lean years and heavy defeats, and they’re still central to the cause. Think about that. A decade of slog, of near misses, of semi-finals that slipped away. That’s not easy.

It takes character, and it says everything about the pride these women have in the Déise jersey. When you see them on an All-Star shortlist now, it’s not just about this season – it’s about everything they’ve put in along the way.

You can feel the lift it’s giving too. Clubhouses are talking about it, young players are noticing it. You can’t overstate the importance of having genuine stars to look up to. A ten-year-old girl in Tramore or Ardmore doesn’t have to look to Cork or Kilkenny for heroes anymore – she can look to Carton, Rockett, Bray, O’Regan and co. That matters.

It’s the same with the ladies’ football side – Murray, McMaugh, McGregor. They’re proving that Waterford football isn’t just surviving in senior, it’s making noise.

The obvious question – can we turn individual nominations into collective medals? That’s the real currency. Recognition is great, but an All-Ireland would change everything. Is it realistic? Why not. We’ve been at the semi-final stage in camogie often enough to know we’re not miles off. One big day, one bit of luck, one game where everything clicks – it could happen. It’s not pie in the sky anymore.

Ladies’ football’s road might be a little longer, but the same principle applies and it could also happen just as quick. Keep putting players in the shop window, keep building, keep getting stronger off the bench. The gap will close.

For too long, Waterford’s story in Gaelic games has been about the men – about hurling, mostly, with football as a footnote. But right now, it’s the women’s teams who are pushing hardest, who are putting Waterford back on the map, and who are making the rest of the country sit up and take notice. That deserves to be shouted about.

Ten years ago, we were clinging to intermediate titles, desperate for a way back up. Ten years on, we’ve nine All-Star nominations at senior level. That’s progress you can measure, and it’s progress you can be proud of. The talent is there, the belief is there. Depth is the final piece. And when that clicks, don’t be surprised if an All-Ireland trophy of some sort is heading back down the Suir.

The Déise women are ready. The door’s rattling on its hinges. And if you ask me, it won’t be long before they kick it down.

We won’t get nine All Stars but for the nine that are nominated - they’re all worthy of their place. It’s a situation symbolic of progress, and progress is far more important than that recognition itself.