Low-key O'Brien an ace in the Déise pack

Irish Examiner

31-05-2025

Ask your general camogie supporter to name Waterford players and names will trip off the tongue.
Beth Carton, Niamh Rockett, Lorraine Bray, Brianna O'Regan. High calibre operators, the first three All-Stars, the latter an annual nominee somehow still awaiting the coveted individual recognition.
It is no reflection on Mairéad O'Brien's talent or influence that she seems to fly under the radar. Nor does it bother her one iota. It takes a lot more to knock the laidback Modeligo sharpshooter out of her equilibrium.
The 22-year-old's feat of concluding the National League as the leading scorer from play in Division 1A with 3-4 escaped the attention of many. Given Waterford only won two games, it was a notable achievement.
It is particularly so when O'Brien is such a team player, powerful in the air and over the sliotar, happy to get down and dirty to supply those around her. But the nose for a goal has been showcased ever since Derek Lyons called her into the senior panel.
Despite her youth, she nabbed three goals in the group stages alone as Waterford moved onto a first All-Ireland senior final in 78 years in 2023. That knack has continued unabated.
Today, the Suirsiders get their Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Championship Group 2 campaign under way against neighbours Kilkenny, who already have a win under their belt, at UPMC Nowlan Park (12.30pm) and O'Brien cannot wait.
She hit the Cats for a brace of goals on the way to defeat in the League in March, so Tommy Shefflin and co will be forewarned about her threat. Even if they weren't, the likes of Caoimhe Keher Murtagh would inform them. Keher Murtagh was a colleague of O'Brien's as UL retained the Ashbourne Cup and both were named in the third level team of the year.
It has been a period of upheaval for Waterford since the conclusion of the League, with manager Jerry Wallace departing and Mick Boland stepping in.
There was the entire skorts discourse, with Waterford playing a brave and central role in the campaign that included the postponement of their Munster final with Cork and ultimately led to the alteration of the rule.
"We were definitely delighted," says O'Brien. "We got the news at training, and we were just about to do our running block. I swear we've never run so fast all year!
'It is a massive step. There was an issue with comfort levels but the players was listened to, and the results were pretty significant. And any step forward for keeping younger girls involved is great.
'It was frustrating to have the Munster final postponed 16 hours before when all the preparations had been made to optimise our performance. We had been training well and had a good win over Tipp to get there.
'There was a change (of manager), but all the rest of the management are still on board. And suppose as a group, we're just driving it forward and just focusing on the championship now. And I think the management team we have currently is phenomenal.
"The commitment they've shown is as much as the girls'. We're all just kind of working together and pushing forward as a group and trying to get the best out of each other.'
A former dual operator, O'Brien stepped away from Waterford's ladies football squad this year as she was completing her final year at UL in physio. She is looking forward to getting the professional phase of her life under way, perhaps in the autumn.
Everything right now is zoned in on Waterford camogie and this date with the Stripeywomen.
'They beat us in the League but we would be looking to improve our performance from then. We got off to a good start but in the second half we didn't maintain it. I don't think we've ever actually beaten them in championship so hopefully we will put that right this time.
'We've got quite a competitive group (completed by Galway, Dublin and so it's definitely going to be a challenge to get out of it, but at the end of the day, it's a challenge we're looking forward to as well.'