Tara Maher
In October, Crosshaven Camogie achieved a significant milestone by winning its first county final. This victory, thirteen years in the making, marks the beginning of a new era for the Club, showcasing the power of perseverance and dedication.
This time last year, Crosshaven Camogie Club was on the verge of losing its u14 side. Fast-forward twelve months, and the team has made history as the Club's first-ever County Champions squad. They overcame Laochra Og in the final at the iconic Castle Road grounds, and Fae Barry lifted the cup.
"A very special word of thanks needs to go to Adrian Glossop, who assumed the head coach role with our U14's this year and has made an evolutionary jump in the team and the club,” Donagh Murphy, Chairman of Crosshaven Camogie Club told The Carrigdhoun. "Supported by his team, of, Padraig Kelly, Meave Hurley and Donal Kissane, we are riding a wave of positivity with this team standing up and being role models for the entire club under Adrian's leadership.”
The U14's success was just one of many accolades for the Club. The U13s beat Tracton in the plate final and overcame Sliabh Rua and Carrigaline to win the first-ever ‘Samhain Cup’.
The U12s had a very strong showing in their league, moving up the grades in every round and finishing in the top grade. Across all age groups, the Club played more blitzes than ever before and is showing a serious depth of talent coming through.
This year, the Club sent their biggest contingent of players to The Carrigdhoun hub. Alice Riordain was selected to play with the Carrigdhoun team last year and went forward to participate in the Cork Development Hubs, where she was selected to the U14 Panel. This was an excellent achievement for the player and the Club. "It is so important for our young players coming through to see the pathway to expand and develop further and set goals like playing for your county because players from the Club like Alice have shown it is possible. We have an U13 and U14 player currently taking part in development hubs for Carrigdhoun, so hopefully, we can replicate this year's success again next year."
Success on the pitch has mirrored the hard work and dedication undertaken by its committee, coaches, parents, and volunteers off the field.
Donagh Murphy, the Chairman of Crosshaven Camogie Club, emphasised the Club's primary goal of keeping girls playing and providing them with a safe, encouraging, and enjoyable environment. This commitment reassures the community about the Club's values and priorities.
Donagh took over as Chairperson of Crosshaven Camogie Club two years ago. Originally from Knocknagree, "a football country, hurleys were alien" to him. He first got involved in the Club when his eldest daughter started school in Scoil Bhríde. "All her classmates were joining the camogie club, so I brought her up, and it was great fun; the volunteers were great, and all the girls seemed to really love it. Obviously, hanging around the sidelines every week, it wasn't too long before I had to pick up a hurley and get involved," Donagh said.
With a background in business, Donagh revealed he is very used to goal setting and organisation. When he took over as Chairperson of Crosshaven Camogie Club two years ago, he set out to create a 5-year plan with some lofty goals. One of the primary goals was to keep girls playing sports. It seemed that camogie was viewed as something you did in primary school, and once you went to secondary school, it wasn't for you. This was never an intention, but rather a consequence of not having enough players. Any girls who wanted to play needed to go and join another club. So he needed to understand more about the why and how he could change this.
The committee took proactive steps to engage with the U13s team, asking a few simple questions to understand their needs and preferences. This initiative made the players feel valued and heard, fostering a sense of belonging within the Club.
Crosshaven Camogie club traditionally wore a purple jersey accompanied by a white skort, which proved popular among younger girls but wasn't as popular among teenagers. The Club decided to change its colours to black and red to align with the black and red of the boys of Crosshaven GAA, making our GAA colours in the village of Crosshaven the same for the first time.
But also to remove some of the barriers inhibiting girls from playing camogie as they grow older. The new kit, complete with a black skort replacing the traditional white skort, does just that.
"The colouring and styling have been selected to make sure that all our players can play with both comfort and confidence across all our age groups," Cara Murphy, the PRO for 2023, told The Carrigdhoun following the jersey's launch in September last year.
The next challenge was coaching. "We are fortunate to have great volunteers in our parent group, who will coach and train their daughters' teams, but transitioning into the competitive age groups of 13 and 14, we needed to add something new."
Adrian Glossop, who had experience as both a player and a coach, took over as coach for the U14s and had a greater impact than anyone could have imagined. "Suddenly, the girls could see they had a coach not from the parent group, who was invested in them and wanted to win, and they responded so positively. Training in wind and rain in mid-January demonstrates great commitment. I'm certain all those girls on that panel would tell you that their fitness and skill levels are better than ever before now."
Keeping girls in sports is a challenge for many clubs in various sports across the country. "We are passionate about Camogie, but even more passionate about keeping the girls involved and playing camogie for as long as we can.”
"Winning the U14 county is a huge step in the evolution of the Club. It has been an injection of energy that will sustain itself to propel it even further. We plan to field both a U15 and U16 team next season. Putting out an U16 team is significant in that we can welcome back players who had to move when we didn't have a team for them, which means we are ever closer to fielding a minor team."
Crosshaven Camogie Club is passionate about its players' well-being and is committed to promoting positive mental and physical health.
The organisation is committed to recognising the potential in every player, with the goal of providing every girl the opportunity to play camogie in a supportive environment that fosters their development both on and off the field.
Looking ahead, the spotlight is not just on winning titles but also on fostering a love for the game, developing character and resilience, and empowering girls through sport. With each passing day, Crosshaven Camogie is set to inspire more young athletes, ensuring that future generations will have a place to call home on the field. The path ahead is bright, and with continued teamwork and dedication, the Club's next chapter is bound to be an exciting one.
Crosshaven U14 team: Fae Barry, Aoibheann Behan, Aine Buckley, Lucy Drennan, Lucy Emery, Erin Farr, Isobel Frawley, Daisy Howard, Fiona Hurley, Saoirse Kane, Caoimhe Kelly, Niamh Kennefick, Ciara Kissane, Morgan McClean, Tara Monks, Lia O’Toole, Alice Riordan, Abbie Ronan, Sarah Rose, Lauren Ryan, Juno Foran, Lauren Delaney
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