A former Waterford defender is calling for the Déise public to get behind the panel and backroom team going forward. Waterford's All-Ireland Camogie Championship campaign came to an end in Croke Park on Saturday afternoon last (July 24th) as Cork emerged winners in the last four clash by 0-15 to 0-10.
Cork booked their place in the final with a stunning second-half performance...#RTEgaa https://t.co/Zdeuf3Xq8X
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 23, 2022
The Déise started brightly and raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 score lead holding Cork scoreless in the opening 24 minutes. The Leesiders gradually found their feet and finished the game strongly to set up a decider with Kilkenny on August 7th (Kilkenny overcoming defending champions, Galway in the second semi by 1-13 to 0-12).
The girls have put in a savage effort all season and former player Claire Whyte who featured on Monday's "On The Ball" programme says they deserved to be supported and encouraged on all fronts; "They had a small panel but they also had a small backroom team and set-up as a whole, and that's kind of a theme within Waterford camogie and camogie across the board for maybe the average smaller counties but you cannot underestimate the importance of having your correct access to physios, team doctors, nutrition, S&C, that's what everyone needs. You see it with the men's set-up now, like Limerick - they have probably access to absolutely everything and it's telling, they're at the top and seem to remain there, it all has to tie in together".
A devastated Déise camogie boss Derek Lyons felt that his side gave it everything in Croke Park today #WLRSport @deisecamogie @DeiseInDub @IamClubDeise https://t.co/xJz901kMWL
— WLR (@wlrfm) July 23, 2022
The St. Anne's player is hoping that the girls can be supported financially heading into next season given the brilliant progress made this year reaching a first All-Ireland semi-final since 1959; "I suppose Waterford Co. Board have been trying the last few years to try and get a substantial sponsor on board and unfortunately haven't been able to secure something to date. They were the last team standing within the county this year, they can be massively proud of that and you'd just really hope that someone would take an interest and back the girls going forward and what they'll give back, they'll return the investment ten-fold. You'd just really hope someone who has the ability to do it would take a closer look at the ladies sports and ladies teams and get behind them in the very near future".
Waterford have given us great entertainment throughout the summer recording wins over Wexford, Tipperary and Clare in the group stages before defeating Limerick and getting past the All-Ireland Quarter-Final hurdle which has eluded them the past four seasons. We're already looking forward to 2023 where another exiting year lies in prospect, for now though it's back the club scene.
You can listen back to our chat with Claire Whyte by clicking on the following link where Tony Grey and Kate Hickey also featured on Monday evening's Sports show; https://www.wlrfm.com/listenback?date=25-07-2022.
