“She is like Santy with the sliotars after the matches!"
Waterford's Rachel Walsh signing autographs at full-time in Walsh park on Saturday.
Déise captain Lorraine Bray was delighted to be swamped by autograph hunters after Saturday’s big win over Limerick.
“It’s fantastic to see. The support that came down today was brilliant. That’s what you want when you have these home games in Walsh Park. It’s brilliant to see, especially the young girls and all that got to play at half time.”
She was pleased with how they put the Shannonsiders to the sword. “It was an all-round team performance. We got our game going, passing the ball through the hands and it paid off.” The skipper sang the praises of Modeligo goal machine Mairéad O’Brien. Four goals in two championship games. “Unbelievable. She wasn’t even happy with her performance the last day! By god, she’s a brilliant camogie player and she showed that again today.”
Maggie Gostl marked her senior debut with a goal. A welcome addition to the squad. “She is a very down to earth girl and we’re delighted to have those young girls from the minor panel. You want all those girls coming up through the ranks. It was fantastic for her.” Niamh Rockett was also mobbed by young Waterford supporters. “It was mad. They were all running down to Brianna in the goal. She is like Santy with the sliotars after the matches! It’s great to have so many young people here supporting camogie. It’s a testament to the county board and everyone involved to get the people here and get the crowd here.”
A total of 5-15 and nine different scorers from play were welcome statistics. Rockett was unmarkable in the first half. “It’s never the same team that goes out every week, it’s a very competitive environment. It’s great to get those scores on the board because we weren’t firing on all cylinders during the year and it’s great to get a spread of scorers.”
There was an unusual incident after fifteen minutes where the All Star attacker removed a watch she was wearing and gave it to a member of the backroom team. “Andy Larkin doesn’t like the WHOOPs anyway! Everyone has to get rid of them on the sly or else you’re yellow carded! I think the men are allowed to wear them but we don’t get away with it. You see the men wearing them and they just tape them up. Men are allowed to wear the jewellery and women aren’t allowed to wear the jewellery!” A trip to Kilkenny lies ahead next weekend. A team that Rockett and her team mates have never beaten at senior level. “Massive step-up with their physicality and their scoring ability. They’re a team that know how to win games and how to tire teams out. It will be our fourth week on the go so hopefully, it will be a right aul battle between the two of us next Saturday.”
