Heffernan proud of players resilience

Clonoulty/Rossmore manager James Heffernan was very proud of his players after they finally won the Tipperary Senior Camogie championship after defeating Thurles Sarsfields.

By Joe Scully

Heffernan spoke of the pride he felt in his players for coming back year after year and finally getting over the line.

“It’s very hard to describe,” he began.

“It’s more like pure joy for the players who have been putting it in, year after year after year, and have been in the last five finals now, and have been getting closer every year.

“Last year we lost by just a point, and so unbelievably proud for the girls to have the heart to come back again particularly after last year which was really gutting.

“The girls had been nervous in the last couple of days, but the performance they gave in the second-half in particular, with the defence really stepping up their game and our full forward lone of Cait (Devane), Sarah (Fryday) and Eimear (Bourke) really clicked and opened up and the work rate of our half forward line was incredible.”

Heffernan also said it was mainly the girls themselves at half-time who did most of the talking, before coming out for the second half and bringing extra intensity to their game.

“The girls themselves, they kind of managed half-time themselves, they do that a lot,” he revealed.

“They kind of figure it out there is a lot of experience in that dressing room and the younger girls have really stepped up this year too.

“We didn’t really say a whole lot, just keep trying to do the simple things, what we are doing is very simple really, just trying to get the ball inside, and you knew by watching them at half-time, that they were ging to get over the lone today and that was it.”

Heffernan was also very proud with how his side reacted to the double blow of having a player sent off and conceding a goal late on, which got Thurles back into the game.

“We responded so well there at the end,” he added.

“Which is unreal because like it would have been panic stations, because we hadn’t been over the line, so it was a new experience for us as well, but the girls showed great character and heart to get over the line in the end.”

Clonoulty/Rossmore are quickly into action in the first round of the Munster Club Championship when they take on Cork's best St Finbarr's at the Dillon Quirke Grounds, Clonoulty this Saturday at 2.00pm.