Munster v Scarlets - Fourth Round Heineken Cup Match Report

MUNSTER stood firm against a spirited Scarlets fightback to take the spoils in their fourth Heineken Cup pool game, and emerging with their fourth consecutive win in the competition.

It took a second half try from Munster’s James Coughlan to bring Thomond Park in an otherwise relatively lacklustre game, with the Scarlets providing stiff opposition for the men in red.

Ronan O’Gara was first on target for the Munster men, slotting over two penalties, with Stephen Jones replying with a well-taken penalty for the Scarlets. The Munster defence were kept busy, with surging runs from Gareth Davies and Matthew Rees keeping the defence on their toes.

The first forty minutes were dull, with only three scores registered. The atmosphere in Thomond Park was one of frustration, with Munster unable to push further ahead. At half time it read 6-3 in favour of Munster.

Thankfully, the game burst to life in the second half. Scarlets’ Johnathan Edwards was sent to the sin-bin early in the second half, and Munster duly took advantage of their numerical advantage, with Coughlan crashing over the try-line. O’Gara converted with aplomb, leaving Munster leading 16-3.

However, all was not lost for the Scarlets, and replacement Ken Owens replied with a try in the 66th minute, and Rhys Priestland, now operating at fly-half following Jones’s substitution at half time, had the Welsh side back in contention following his successful conversion – the score line now read 16-10, with Munster still edging ahead.

Priestland and O’Gara again swopped penalties, but Munster’s defence again stood firm, despite strong runs from again from Davies, who impressed overall for Scarlets. However, it wasn’t to be for the Welsh side, with Munster deservedly winning on a final score of 19-13.

Conor Murray was simply outstanding for Munster, and was duly awarded the Man of the Match accolade at the final whistle, much to the delight of the Munster faithful.

Munster: Hurley; Murphy, Earls, Mafi, Zebo; O’Gara, Murray (O’Leary, 63); Du Preez (Horan, 71), Varley, Botha, O’Callaghan, O’Connell (capt), Leamy (Ryan, 63), Ronan, Coughlan (O’Donnell, 77).

Try: Coughlan

Con: O’Gara

Pens: O’Gara 4

Scarlets: Priestland; L Williams (Maule, 63), S Williams, J Davies, Lamont; S Jones (Longi, halftime), G Davies (Knoyle, 67); R Jones (John, 67), Rees (Owens, 63), R Thomas, Reed, Welch (Timani, 67), McCusker, Edwards (Murphy, 71), Morgan.

Try: Owens

Con: Priestland

Pens: S Jones, Priestland

Referee: Dave Pearson (England)

Attendance: 26,500

What must female athletes do in Ireland and the UK to get more recognition?

SOMETHING very interesting struck me whilst I glanced at this year’s RTE Personality of the Year show that was broadcast earlier this month. Out of the ten nominees, only ONE female was represented on the list. Justifiable? I don’t think so.

What must female sports stars to do, in order to gain more recognition from their peers? To be fair, Katie Taylor was recognised for her fantastic results in boxing again this year, but what about her fellow females in their sports? One team that immediately springs to mind is the Cork Ladies Football team. They have now won six All Ireland titles in seven titles. This is simply remarkable. It got me thinking though...if this feat was won by a male team, then I could guarantee you that it would not just slip by, with the vast majority of people not even realising what an unbelievable feat that the girls had achieved.

Look at the response that the Dublin senior footballers received when they brought the Sam Maguire home for the first time in years. Their memorable, last-gasp win over Kerry in September saw them receive national media attention, as well as a slot on the Late Late Show. I’m not taking away from their success, but why couldn’t the Cork ladies have received similar attention? I honestly don’t know what female athletes have to do nowadays to be given the respect they deserve.

The lack of respect given to female sports stars isn’t just confined to Ireland though – the BBC Sports Personality of the Year was shown just last week on BBC One, and again the lack of female representation was the first thing I spotted. This time it was worse though. Not ONE female athlete was nominated onto the shortlist. In a country as big as the United Kingdom, to have no female representation was scandalous, in my opinion. However, the issue was noticed by more than I.

One of the hosts on the night, Jake Humphrey stated while speaking to BBC Breakfast that the absence of women shouldn’t overshadow the achievements of those on the list.
“We’ve got some amazing women, it’s disappointing but it is the way it is. It’s not a sexist competition.”

But how is it not sexist? It’s bad enough to have only one female representative on the Irish shortlist, but to have no female representative on the UK shortlist is just unbelievable, for all the wrong reasons.

It’s about time females were duly recognised for their achievements in their respective fields of sport. Here’s hoping the 2012 Olympics will pave the way for this.

We are young people graduating into an economy that was screwed by the people before us..

It’s extremely difficult for one to be anyway optimistic about job prospects in the aftermath of my four years of college. When I started college back in 2008, I guess I was somewhat naive about what lay ahead of me – I was of the belief of taking each day as it came, and that I’d have a job following my graduation. But how wrong was I.

Now I’m facing into the grim likelihood of unemployment after college, a thought that is constantly playing on my mind. It’s nothing short of disheartening. To know that you worked hard for four years in university and to be rewarded with unemployment is simply frustrating. And who do we have to blame? Our pathetic attempt of a government, that’s who. What have they done? In simplistic terms, they have screwed every Irish citizen over, in the space of a couple of years.

I stupidly tried to convince myself earlier this year that the financial situation would have improved somewhat when I graduate next August, but I was foolish to waste my time in doing so. It’s almost certain that our current economic climate will be close to the same as what it is now – in complete disarray. The hot topic at the moment is the fact that it is rumoured that the post-graduate grants will now be demolished, yet another disastrous decision from our shambolic government.

Throughout my college years, up to the last few months, the thought of applying for a post-graduate course was the last thing to enter my mind. Now, it’s becoming more and more likely, but if the grant is affected, then I’m afraid that it won’t be an option. How are the government not realising the financial stress that every family is suffering as a result of giving their children an opportunity of enhancing their futures by studying for a degree? But then again, when have our government showed any sign of compassion.

The prospect of forking out thousands of euro for a post-graduate course and to not be somewhat guaranteed a job is daunting, and indeed risky. Already, my parents have had to cope with the costs of putting myself and my twin brother through college, so how can I turn around and suggest the possibility of pursuing my studies even further? Don’t get me wrong, I know that my parents would be fully supportive of my decision, but I wouldn’t help but feel guilty, knowing how much further expense it would bring.

I’m a journalism student, and we’ve already been reminded on countless occasions that the employment prospects for us after college are slim to none – how kind of our government to let such a thing become a possibility. Some would say that it’s unfair to point the blame at the men in shiny suits that are usually to be found in the Dail, but who else can honestly be blamed for this? Look at how much they have ruined our country in the last few years...with the upcoming Budget next week, people are anxiously awaiting what’s to come. Being realistic, it’s not going to be pretty.

Speculation is rife that child benefit and dole allowances are to be reduced by €10 and €8 respectively, another shocking decision by the government. Why pick on those who are already suffering the consequences already? Yet again, this will become another unanswered question, primarily due to the government’s sheer inability to answer the most important questions.

Naturally enough, Fianna Fail seemed to suffer the brunt of Irish anger in recent times, and their party took a huge hit in the general elections last year. Somewhat justified, don’t you think? However, I don’t fully think that it was solely their fault that the country is now in huge financial difficulty. But something needs to be done, and it needs to be done rapidly; otherwise, this country will suffer even more. Look at how many young people are emigrating after college – if one was to speculate a few years ago, in the height of the boom that this would happen, a chorus of giggles and smart comments would ensue. Now fast forward to late 2011, and sadly it is quite realistic that I may have to take the same route.

So many friends from my hometown and indeed all over the country have emigrated in the last year or so, and are now enjoying full-time employment in countries like Australia and Canada, to name but a few. Let’s be realistic – how can that not be tempting to someone? The fact that if one was willing to emigrate, that employment would be so much easier to secure than in this country? It’s hugely upsetting that people now have to go to these lengths in order to secure employment. Sadly though, this is what our government has forced us to do, and the upcoming Budget is going to do us no favours, with the wrong groups of people again rumoured to suffer.

Emigration isn’t the most daunting thought for me, as I spent five months on Erasmus in Prague this year. Erasmus was probably one of the best things that I could have done, as it gave me the opportunity to “fend for my own”, so to speak, and almost gave me a taste of what life after college could really be like. For countries like the Czech Republic, it would be somewhat easy for a college graduate to gain employment, if they were willing to teach English as a foreign language, for example.

People in this profession in Prague were very positive about the whole situation – they choose their own hours, relax at the weekends, and the pay is good. It’s always something that has stayed in my mind since I studied in Prague, and I do think that it can indeed be an option. But how depressing is it that it’s almost inevitable that emigration will be my only way to secure full-time employment?

To sum it up, it’s so difficult to stay positive in terms of employment after college, and we all know who is to blame. Thanks to the Government for that, I really owe ye one.

Oh the mighty men of Munster!

I was one of the lucky ones to witness first-hand Munster’s unbelievable last-gasp finish in last weekend’s Heineken Cup first round encounter with Northampton Saints. It can only be described in one word...UNREAL! Honestly, it was probably one of the most nerve-wracking games that I have ever witnessed in the flesh. I have never gotten so excited and indeed scared in my life when the legend that is ROG moved back into position for that drop-kick. The reaction in the ground was nothing short of amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it! The stadium erupted into a chorus of cheers, screams and indeed tears were also shed.

For a first round game, the atmosphere was unforgettable. It was my first time at Thomond Park, and what a game to be at! Luckily my friend was able to get my friends and I tickets, so there was a nice group of us together. The buzz was certainly building when we found our spot in the North End terrace soon after 5.30pm (kick-off was 6pm). The stadium burst into song when Munster marched onto the pitch, and there was a sea of red everywhere, though there was a little sprinkling of the green of Northampton.

I have always been a rugby fan, but it was my first time being at a proper, competitive game, so I didn’t know what to expect. Needless to say, my echoing “COME ON MUNSTER” blended in perfectly throughout the game, sometimes deafening my friends! It was a fantastic evening though, and it was the perfect ending to a phenomenally exciting game!

The buzz around the city before and after the game was also brilliant to see. Limerick city, it has to be said, has really been struggling in recent times. Anyone who is a frequent visitor to the city has seen the clusters of dormant shops and houses all over the city. But whenever the Heineken Cup games are in town, the city comes to life. Pubs and restaurants are thronged with rugby fanatics, all eager to soak up either the pre- or post-match buzz. If only Limerick was as busy as that more often, it would be fantastic for everyone connected with the city.

Limerick isn’t the worst city in the world. I know it has a fairly dodgy reputation (Stab City will always be a tag related to the city) but it’s actually quite a nice place. It’s a real pity to see such a flurry of shops closed down though, especially with the run-up to Christmas. Hopefully in the near future, these businesses will get the kick-start they need, and bring some much-needed vitality and life back into the city.

I would highly recommend everyone studying in Limerick to get to Thomond Park before you finish your studies in the city. Whether it be a Heineken Cup game, or even a league game, get down to a game! Honestly, the atmosphere has to be seen and witnessed to be believed..simply unbelievable! If anyone is interested in getting tickets for games in future, visit the Munster rugby site on www.munsterrugby.ie, or alternatively you can visit www.munsterrugbysales.com. Don’t regret it, book your ticket!!

Spreading some Christmas cheer...not...

Am I the only person who isn’t looking forward to Christmas? Every person I have chatted to in the last few days has nicknamed me ‘Scrooge’ or ‘The Grinch’ due to my lack of enthusiasm for the festive season. But what’s the big fuss?

To me, Christmas is so superficial. Why go to the bother of being nice to everyone just for one day? Why can’t you be nice every day anyway? Christmas is all about the presents for a lot people, in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t exactly turn my nose up at being showered with gifts either, but it’s all relating to how much money people spend on gifts. Why not put extra effort in and make that someone special in your life a home-made gift, or even a little package of small, practical gifts? Instead of spending needless amounts of cash on overly-priced items, be sensible!

Obviously, I, as much as everyone else, love spending time with my family and extended family during the Christmas period. But as harsh as it sounds, the interest does wear off when you’ve visited your third cousin’s brother’s aunt’s sister (okay, slight exaggeration there, but you get what I mean). I love just throwing myself on the couch whilst slowly digesting the monstrous feed that my Mam cooks for Christmas, watching a cheesy festive film and doing sweet feck all! What’s wrong with that?

All this malarkey with putting up Christmas decorations and lights even before Halloween is over...are you actually serious like?! What the hell is the rush?! As I’m writing this, it’s the evening of Tuesday, November 8...That still leaves something like 47 days to Christmas..plenty of time for putting the decorations anyway, I think! People need to chillax about things like that!

Admittedly, this is already portraying me as a complete Scrooge..but I’m not, I swear! I don’t mind Christmas at all, but I just feel that it is just so fabricated! Why can’t it be like any other day? All this fuss about decorating the house, getting the best presents, preparing an absolute feast..Why can’t it be toned back?

What about the thousands of families that won’t be able to afford Christmas this year? How do you think they will feel when they have to tell their children that Santa isn’t able to bring the presents they want? Again, it comes down to money..However, this stupid country isn’t exactly flourishing en ce moment when it comes to our financial situation...obviously, this poses huge problems with many families countrywide. So maybe this year, why not think of these families when you’re shopping for your new iPhone 4 or whatever new gadget is popular at the time..Be sensible with your money!

I honestly can’t wait to just relax for a little bit this Christmas. College has been ridiculously busy and indeed stressful this semester, so I’m really looking forward to catching up on some well-needed sleep..for a few days at least! Then it’ll be back to the grindstone to tackle that dreaded three-letter word..FYP..the bane of most fourth year’s lives..

‘Til next time..over and out from Scrooge..I’m known as Sharon sometimes, too...

Life can hit you with a suckerpunch sometimes...

Some things really do happen too close to home. Early this morning, an 18-year-old girl was killed in a single vehicle accident down near Clonakilty at 5am, only a matter of minutes from my house. I was oblivious to this news until 8.30am this morning, when Mam informed me of the accident. She had received calls from family members wondering if she had heard the news. Since it was so close to home, everyone is always concerned as to whether our own children and/or relations were safe and well.

After a few minutes, word was beginning to filter in that it was a Fleming girl from the Timoleague direction..Instantly, Kate Fleming’s name sprung to mind. “Please don’t say it’s Kate”, was the one thought circling around my head. I wouldn’t be very good friends with Kate, but any time we were both out with friends, we’d say hi and we’d chat. She was also a fresher in UL, a Law and Psychology student. Sher I was only chatting to her the other day outside the Spar shop on campus, she was giving me an awful slagging for heading to the library when I should have been heading out in town! Kate was that kind of girl, always friendly, bubbly, and always had a smile on her face.

It’s now a few hours since I heard the tragic news, and I still can’t believe it. When Mam told me it was believed to be Kate, the first thing I did was cry. That’s all you can do sometimes, and even then it doesn’t help. My first cousin was in the same class as Kate, and they’re all in bits, which is, of course, completely understandable. Everyone that knew Kate just seems to be numb with shock, myself included. The only way I could think of expressing my emotions was through this particular blog entry. How does one come to terms with such a tragic loss? Their family must be truly heartbroken.

From what I gather, Kate was out with friends last night and she was giving some of those friends a spin home last night. That’s testament to Kate’s character though, and it really shows her kind and caring nature. This is just tragic, and it’s going to take some time for people to get over this devastating news..For now, all we can do is stay strong and support one another..

RIP Kate Fleming x

More Axe Factor than X Factor?

SO it seems that this year’s X Factor isn’t attracting the hype that was anticipated. As you all probably know by now, three new judges were introduced to the show – Gary Barlow (Take That), Kelly Rowland (formerly of Destiny’s Child) and Tulisa Contostavlos (N’Dubz), with the ever reliable Louis Walsh also invited back for yet another year.

Everyone thought that these three new faces would inject some life, vibrancy and indeed passion to the show – however, the ratings don’t reflect this. Since the show began airing this season, it has seen a dramatic drop in viewership figures. According to the Daily Mail, the first live show this year was watched by a peak audience of 12.7million on the Saturday night – a huge drop on the 13.5million who tuned in for the first live show of last year’s series.

To add insult to injury, the Guardian newspaper reported that last Saturday night’s edition of The X Factor pulled in 9.8million viewers (a 38 percent share) between 8pm and 9.55pm, more than two million viewers down on the 12.01million who tuned in at the same stage of the series last year.

As well as that, in the 15 minutes when the show went head-to-head with Strictly Come Dancing between 8pm and 8.15pm, the ITV singing competition averaged a mere 8.3million, in comparison to the 9.5million viewers that the BBC dancing show attracted.

I think that the problem with The X Factor is that it is becoming utterly predictable. Week after week, one can be almost certain that one of the judges (usually either Tulisa or Kelly) will break down after another “truly emotional” performance, or bickering and bitching will ensue between Gary and Louis, or Louis and someone...typical Irish!

This year, I don’t think there are any particularly outstanding contestants..fair enough, Misha B and Craig have impressed thus far, but they don’t have as much of an impact as Matt Cardle, Rebecca Ferguson, One Direction or even Mary Byrne had on viewers last year.

Why’s this? I think the bickering and constant media attention on the judges have turned viewers off, if I’m being honest. It’s not about the contestants anymore..People tune in to see what Kelly and Tulisa are wearing, or what ridiculous comments Louis will blurt out – last year, it was based all on talent.

Plus of course, we had the added attraction of the sharp and cruelly honest tongue of one Simon Cowell, who is now overseeing procedures in The X Factor USA.
So where does this leave The X Factor? In not such a good position, I’m afraid. It seems to be going from bad to worse for the ITV show, which was up to this year, the only reason to stay in on a Saturday night..Now it’s competition time, and I’m not just talking about the contestants..

Let the battle commence..

The Presidential Race - is it all just a waste of time?

The upcoming Presidential campaign has turned into nothing but a complete farce, if you ask me. The seven candidates – Michael D Higgins, Sean Gallagher, Martin McGuinness, David Norris, Gay Mitchell, Dana Rosemary Scallon and Mary Davis – don’t stand out as outstanding frontrunners at all, and I don’t have the intention of voting in two week’s time. That said though, that’s not really my fault either – I think it’s a bit ridiculous scheduling the election on a Thursday – what about the thousands of students that live away from home during the semester? A bit silly, if you ask me.

Anyway, this campaign, in my opinion, has developed from what should be a very serious matter, to a constant bickering between the seven candidates. Each is trying to frequently belittle their fellow candidates, whether it is in relation to past experiences, or current issues, or their future ideas.

The constant sniping and bitching has culminated, I think, into what is now a very childish campaign, with a lot of people stating that they wouldn’t like to see any of the seven candidates elected as President. I agree. If it’s not the candidates fighting like little schoolchildren, it’s the constant attacks from the media – ie Dana’s US citizenship, or the now infamous issue with David Norris and his ex-partner. I know that it’s the media’s role to bring out this information to the public, but at the same time, it’s becoming increasingly pettier as the campaign draws to a close, thus leading to many people questioning why they should even bother to vote.

Why can’t they act as mature adults for once? Fair enough, the whole issue with David Norris was probably justified (what I mean is that the media coverage was justified) but it’s time to forget about that now, and to stop dragging it up in media debates. The same can be said about the other candidates – what does it matter if Dana had US citizenship? Jesus, just get over it like!

The recent polls make for interesting reading though. Before the whole Norris debacle came to light, he would have probably gotten my vote. However, his performances on the recent televised debates were far from impressive and his general demeanour hasn’t really appealed to me. I do think it’s going to go down to the wire with Higgins and Gallagher.

Gallagher has the advantage of being known to the younger voting population through his involvement with RTE’s Dragon’s Den, while Higgins is looked at being too old, to put it simply. Michael D spoke here in UL a few weeks ago though, and he did impress me. Though a seasoned campaigner, he has a lot of political experience and that could sway it, particularly with the older voters.

It’s going to come down to transfers I think, and I’m going to say that Michael D could win it. Don’t rule McGuinness out either though..he won’t be too far from Gallagher and Higgins, but I don’t think that he is as popular as the aforementioned duo. My fiver would be thrown on Higgins to win. With odds only a few days ago of Higgins at 4/9 to win, and Gallagher of 9/4 to win, there’s not much between the two. One thing’s for sure though - it’s going to come down to the very wire.

Who’s getting your vote?

Me and the Glucksman..we've got a thing going on..

LIBRARY...the one word that I have never used or mentioned very often up to this year, but sadly my life now revolves around the Glucksman Library in UL. Up to this, I reckon that I was doing very well to be in the library a few times per semester to study for exams, or to get assignments done and dusted. This semester however, is a completely different ball game already.

It’s only Week 5, and already I’ve been stuck in this dreaded building for hours on end. Before, once I finished my lectures or tutorials for the day, my first thought was “Hmm..what to do now?”...Now, it’s a case of “Right, home for lunch/dinner, and back to the grindstone for another couple of hours of work”. That’s if I haven’t gone straight from my lectures to the library. Ugh, I’m even typing this blog in the library at 10pm on a Tuesday night. Any other year and I would be drinking with my friends in preparation of a great night out. So far, I’ve been out three times since the semester started...Pathetic, to be fair. But sher, who wouldn’t be able to resist the sweaty, uncomfortable atmosphere and continuous tip-tapping from the cluster of surrounding keyboards in the library? Yeah, you got me.

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will be spending pretty much all of my free time in this dreaded place, and I’m embarrassed to say that after less than a week of daily visits to the library, I now have a “usual spot”..Lord Jesus, what’s wrong with me! I was never like this. Before, I never questioned what I would do once I finished college for the day..there were always a multitude of options..Maybe watch TV, chill with friends, go for a run..Now, the good old Glucksman Library is, and will be, paramount to my forthcoming plans this semester, and indeed college year.

I guess that’s the joys of fourth year, but it’s only week five and already the library is pretty busy on a daily basis. One can only imagine how chaotic it will be, come exam time. Excited first years desperate to nail down a decent QCA will come up against stressed fourth years, seeking to further push up their QCA to seek the grade they want. It’s all ahead of me.

In first year, when we were encouraged to read the recommended weekly readings, one might glance over the introduction, main body and conclusion from time to time. Nowadays, it’s your loss if you don’t keep up to speed with the weekly readings, as they are really the basis to many assignments and/or presentations. If only they were slightly shorter...the thought of facing into pages upon pages of politics on a weekly basis isn’t the most enticing feeling, I’ll be the first to admit that.

But it has to be done..I just hope it’s all worth it come next summer. But for now, we’ll battle on and try and get through it. The thoughts of sitting in this bloody spot for the foreseeable future is making me slightly queasy though..Stupid fourth year..Ugh.

Do women really get the recognition they deserve in sport?

So this really is it...My final year in college....(deep breath)..

Back in first year, I thought this year would never arrive.. But here it is, and boy is it going to be tough! After 15 months of placement and Erasmus, coming back to UL for my final year was a big shock to the system, and to be honest I'm probably still trying to adjust to regular college work, and even finding some rooms on campus is proving to be quite the arduous task! But it's all part of it, and it's very clear that this year is going to be extremely busy, and there'll most likely be a few stressful moments here and there...but it's all part of it :)

Now to more pressing matters..Last Sunday, the Cork ladies football team beat Monaghan in an extremely tense All-Ireland final to bring home the Brendan Martin Cup..as good as that was, it's important to note that this was Cork's sixth All-Ireland victory in seven years...a remarkable feat. After the final, it was lovely to see manager Eamonn Ryan interacting so well with the panel - all those familiar with the Senior girls will know the close bond that has been formed between Eamonn and the panel, and that was evident for all to see at the final whistle - he is a father figure to those girls.

To be honest though, I really feel that ladies football, and indeed camogie for that matter, really dont get the recognition that they sometimes deserve. I actively participate in ladies sports, having played camogie and ladies football for a number of years. However, I have noticed on numerous occasions that the ladies teams are nearly always overlooked in favour of the lads teams..fair enough some might say, but it's not the nicest thing for us to experience..

For example, the Cork ladies have won six of the last seven All-Ireland titles..a fantastic achievement, or am I wrong? Now imagine if that was the Kilkenny hurlers, or the Dublin footballers..picture the fuss, the celebrations, the media frenzy that would surround them if it was that case..Fair enough, the girls will get their few days in the papers, but in a matter of weeks, it will be forgotten about, and that's fairly safe to say..But male domination in GAA has always been the way, and I cant see it changing..It's a real shame because ladies football and camogie has really improved in the last number of years, and the members of both codes has increased drastically, which is obviously great...but I cant help but feel that us ladies will never really get the recognition that we really do deserve sometimes..

This can even be traced back to club level, not just intercounty...I can guarantee you that if our senior club camogie team wanted to train in the main pitch before a championship game, and our senior men's footballers needed to do the same, we wouldn't have a chance of getting the pitch before them..But I guess that this is the price you have to pay sometimes.. Don't get me wrong, our clubs are very supportive of each other, but sometimes I just wish that we were more equal..

When we won the All-Ireland club final in 2009, we were given a rousing reception by everyone at home when we arrived back..I will admit that this was one of the best moments in my sporting career.. To see "Welcome to the All-Ireland Champions" on our scoreboard as we entered the GAA pitch was unreal! But the same year, our senior lads won the county final, and I'd nearly be confident to say that nearly the whole town travelled up to Pairc Ui Chaoimh to support them on the day, myself included...to compare that to our All-Ireland final, there was a much smaller crowd supporting us on the day..of course, a number of factors had to be taken into account..our final was on a number of hours away, whereas the lads were only playing in Cork city.. We were strong favourites to take the title, whereas the lads were the underdogs on the day..

Still though, taking those factors out of the equation, it was very safe to say that the lads were always going to be supported a lot more than we were..However, this is the luck of the draw.. We've just got to keep winning in order to earn that recognition and respect, but it's not easy..Understandably, people think that the standard of ladies football and camogie isn't good at the best of times, but you couldnt be further from the truth. I have witnessed some of the most pulsating and nail-biting camogie and ladies football games in the past couple of years, whether it be just as a spectator, or indeed being part of one of these thrilling games. And to come out victorious after one of those pulsating games..Well, there's no better feeling really.

But when you walk off the pitch and see the same few dedicated and loyal supporters facing you, I will admit that the feeling of disappointment really does hit home. Why cant we have hundreds of supporters at our games, instead of the typical ten or twenty? Why cant people realise that our games are just as entertaining as some of the men's games? It's about time that people opened their eyes and see that ladies football and camogie are worthy sports, and should be given the respect and recognition that they truly deserve.

To conclude, how does one looking in from the outside think that this blatant discrimination, if you like, feels? To be blunt, its not nice. To burst your ass all year, to attend hundreds of training sessions and countless practice and competitive games, and to be pretty much not appreciated for a lot of time, is very, very tough. One would think that winning an All-Ireland would be enough to gain enough respect or recognition, but it doesn't. However, if you were male, then it would be more than enough to gain pages of media exposure, or just general congratulations. Why cant us females get the recognition that we actually deserve, just for once?

On a sad note though, it was tough to see Cork captain Amy O'Shea suffering yet another knee injury on Sunday last..This girl has been plagued with cruciate injuries in the last number of years. I was lucky enough to get to play with her on the Cork Senior B team back in 2008, and she just oozes class. Here's hoping the curse of the cruciate hasn't hit her again..

But well done to the Cork ladies - it was a dogged performance, but to bring the Brendan Martin Cup back to Leeside for the sixth time in seven years is nothing short of unbelievable! Well done to all involved..

'Til next time..