Pat Collier: 'It has been a long journey'

By Daragh Ó Conchúir

Pat Collier and Rob Jones sat in the same seats as last year but their faces painted a very different picture.

Twelve months on from losing the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland premier junior camogie final by a point, having led by four at the interval, their Laois panel, which included daughters Aimee and Shona, was basking in the glory of a redemptive triumph over a valiant Armagh, by 2-15 to 0-12.

The margin was perhaps a little unreflective of how the game tilted and turned, but the most significant and sustained period of dominance was the last one, and in the end, there was no doubting the merit of the blue and whites’ victory.

A goal from player of the match, Gráinne Delaney after 54 seconds sent them on their way but Armagh were the better side for much of the first half, Eimear Hayes proving very influential as a sweeper and Rachael Merry and Sinéad Quinn dangerous up front.

It was level, 0-8 to 1-5 at half-time and Armagh went two clear within a few minutes of the restart, with points from Quinn and a scorcher by Corinna Doyle.

But by the time they scored again, they were seven points in arrears, Aimee Collier unerring from frees and having a hand in the 50th minute goal by sub and this year’s minor, Amy Daly. Delaney made the crucial run and pass before the teenager provided the match-deciding conclusive strike.

“It’s been a long journey,” said Pat Collier. “Last year we were here and were interviewed, we lost by a point. This year, it’s just marvellous, the change in feelings.

“It’s all about the panel. Laois camogie weren’t in a great place but them girls have really stood up to the plate and I’m just thrilled for them as a group. They train as hard as any men’s team I ever had anywhere and I’m privileged and honoured to be over them with Rob.”

Rob takes up the baton.

“I would look at the first half we were in top possession-wise. We just weren’t taking opportunities, you know? So look, we went in at half-time, in a good place. We told them to not panic. And in the third and fourth quarter, we pushed on.

“And I think it was up to our subs that came on too, and we got a goal at a crucial time. I say to the girls all the time, the whole panel, it always takes 20 girls to win it and it showed today.”

They paid more attention to the breaking ball in the second half but away from this day and this match, Collier pointed to a hurling hero of yore, giving the players a speech at the start of the year that infused them with belief.

“For me, huge credit goes to a man called Brian Cody, who is a good friend of mine. We brought him up the first night we met, in January 28. I won’t forget it, he came up and he gave a speech.

“There’s a selector of ours, he is a character. And he said to us after, if you were in the graveyard, you’d get up and hurl. The girls really bought into what he spoke about, unity and all that. And it had a huge bearing on us getting the ball rolling.”

PJ O’Mullan had experienced the joys of All-Ireland success as manager of Derry in the intermediate final a couple of years ago. He had a big impact on Armagh, as they blooded a lot of young players this term.

He had no arguments about Laois’ superiority, was proud of his players but just disappointed that they were unable to produce their best on the most important day.

“We’re disappointed as much as they kept going to the end and died with their boots on,” said O’Mullan. “I am so proud of them but we didn’t play the way we can play. We gave the ball away too much and you can’t do that when you’re in Croke Park. You have to use the ball better and take your chances, and we probably had as many chances as they had, but we couldn’t score. And if you don’t score, you don’t win.

“It’s a very young team and people don’t realise that. The two corner-back that started today were 19, we brought on three 18-year-olds. They’re good enough but it’s going to be a learning curve.

“We had our homework done. We trained well. Our preparations were good. We had plenty of support from the county board. But we were beaten by the better team. There’s plenty of players coming through though from minor and U16 so we will take the learnings.

“We had a great start the second half, we come out and really went for it, and we were two up, and missed two or three easy chances. And if you get one or two more, if you get five or six or four or five in front… but they go up he field the first two shots, point, point. But they were the better team.”

How Laois came back can surely motivate Armagh. But they must wait until next year. To the winners the spoils and on this day, those spoils went to Laois.