Camogie: Gavin Cummiskey talks to Mary O'Connor abouts her 'dream job'

Every day Mary O'Connor slips into her jeep for a new destination. And yet she always ends up at The Farm, the UCC training pitches utilised by both Cork's camogie and women's football panels.

As a regional development co-ordinator for the camogie association, O'Connor has been spreading the gospel through Munster these past six months. The establishment of four clubs in Kerry came on her watch. Three are in the hurling region of the north but Laune Rangers camogie club is mid-Kerry, football territory.

"One of our main aims is to try and get camogie going in Kerry because it is such a fantastic sporting county. We're not trying to compete with the ladies' football, we're just offering another opportunity for women to play sport.

"It's going very well, we have four clubs set up already. Three of the four have been set up in north Kerry, which already has strong hurling roots. We are also planning to set up a camogie club in Tralee town."

O'Connor hails from Killeagh GAA club, also the home base of master craftsman Joe Deane, and she plays her football for Inch Rovers.

The championship starts on Saturday week when the defending champions are out against Wexford in Páirc Uí Rinn. O'Connor, of course, is one of five players who will attempt to repeat the magnificent achievements of 2005.

Imagine it: A double, double. She cites a rising Kilkenny as the main obstacle this time.

"It does make it easier to play when you are winning. There were a lot of years when Cork hurling and football were being regularly beaten. I think when we won last year the fact that we had experienced so many defeats made it all the more sweeter."

Regina Curtin and Elaine O'Riordan won All-Ireland medals in football last year but they join the other five camogie players on dual status. It is an extinct endeavour at the elite end of the men's game but the women of Cork are willing to sacrifice for a few years yet.

"Everything revolves around football and hurling," explains O'Connor. "You miss out on family occasions like christenings, holy communions, weddings, but that is the priority in the lives of the seven Cork players at the moment.

"But it is difficult. You are training six nights a week and you've got to try and get your club in as well. As I said, when you are winning it makes it easier."

Although the marketing of camogie is a daunting task and four hours of driving can sometimes be clocked up when she rolls into The Farm, it is a dream job.

"I have my office in Limerick Institute of Technology but I'm dealing with people from every county, and because we are dealing with people who work on a voluntary basis most of time you have to meet them in the evening time."

She took a detour yesterday to come up to Dublin for the Gala All-Ireland camogie championship launch at Croke Park. Then training at The Farm. Then home, sleep before starting all over again. It's that time of year again.

Senior championship gets first sponsor

The camogie association yesterday announced its first sponsor of the All-Ireland senior championship when it signed a two-year deal, worth a six-figure sum, with retailer Gala.

"This joint venture between the camogie association and Gala heralds a new era in terms of commercial sponsorship for our association," said camogie president Liz Howard.