Áine Keane focused on camogie comeback

By Cian O'Connell

Three weeks after a surgery on an ACL injury, Áine Keane is upbeat.

Undoubtedly, it is cruel to be missing out on Sunday's Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final for Galway. A match against Cork at the Jones Road venue is precisely the environment in which Keane relishes.

Nonetheless, Keane remains optimistic. Challenges exist. "You can always park things, but they do resurface, at times," Keane says.

"It has obviously been tough and, on Sunday, it will be tough, but it is about putting me to the back of it. Really, it isn't about me on Sunday, it is about the girls. I've always said that to them. From my perspective, I'm just trying to do whatever I can for them on the day.

"Obviously, I can't help them on the pitch, so it is about trying to do as much off the pitch as I can to help as best I can."

The journey to recovery has commenced. "I'm three weeks post op now, so I'll be another six to nine months out," Keane responds.

"It is a long term injury for me, and I'm done for this year. You accept it in one sense. At this stage, it is about getting to the four months, and then seeing how long it takes to get back."

Keane accepts that it is both physically and mentally demanding, dealing with an injury, considering sport occupies such a central role in her life. "Of course it is," Keane says.

"Camogie is everything to me, and to anyone who plays it, to be fair, especially at inter-county level. It means everything to represent your county, to pull on the jersey. To not be able to do that in any shape or form for the next while is a tough one. Even for the club too, it is tough to see them each week, and to think I won't be able to help them on the pitch this year.

"If you have a positive outlook, it might make things a bit easier. I'm trying to keep that positivity going as long as I can. If the girls win on Sunday, I'll be a lot more positive, and make things a lot more easier for me. It is tough. It is about trying to cope with it, and manage it, as best as possible."

The fact that Galway have been serious contenders for much of the past decade is a source of encouragement. "There is a good buzz around the place," Keane remarks.

"Being in an All-Ireland final, there is always going to be that extra bit of buzz around the camp and around the county. In fairness, the lead up has gone well, and the girls are training well. So, we're happy enough."

Keane is eager that standards are maintained so Galway remain relevant on the national stage. "We've been in good positions for a couple of years at this stage," she says.

"Each year you go out, you try to hold the jersey to the highest standard, like the person who held it before you. It is important for us, as a group, to keep driving standards within our group in order to get Galway back on the map, and get Galway playing in All-Ireland finals.

"We're a very lucky county in that we're competitive in all four categories - hurling, football, ladies football, and camogie.

"We're lucky in that sense, but we hope to keep striving for more, bringing Galway camogie to new heights over the next few years, reaching a new height, and setting new standards."