29-06-2025
Down lift All-Ireland U23 camogie title: ‘We didn't feel under pressure'
The Mayobridge forward acknowledged afterwards that her team entered the game as favourites but they were never going to take the Royals for granted.
'We played Meath a few weeks ago and beat them comfortably,' said Cunningham.
'But we didn't feel we were under pressure coming into the final. We knew they would be a different team in the final. Like ourselves, they had some seniors to come in and our management team kept telling us we couldn't be complacent, that it would be a much tougher game this time. We had to go into the game with a fresh mind.
'We played against our senior team on Thursday knowing that we needed to up our game for the final. That game definitely helped us. Today Meath's backs were phenomenal. We forwards got no room at all. It was only when I was moved out to half-forward that the game seemed to open up for me.'
That positional move came at half-time and Down stepped on the after-burners during the third quarter. Nine of Down's 14 points came from the stick of Daire O'Shea, eight of those from frees and five in that crucial third quarter.
'Daire's free-taking was brilliant. She's one of the up and coming free-takers in the county and she's still a minor. We know how important free-takers are in games. We have them with our seniors – players like Sara Louise (Graffin) and Paula O'Hagan.'
Cunningham is also part of the senior panel, playing alongside Griffin and O'Hagan. They face Meath again next Saturday in Clonduff in the All-Ireland intermediate championship.
'We'll be going into that match in the same way we went into today's… new game, fresh mind.'
Graffin is part of the U23 management team along with Andrew McGivern, Domhnall Nugent and Noel Sands and she gave her reaction to the under 23 success after the game.
'Every final is nervy for players, particularly when teams aren't used to being in them,' the Mourne legend declared.
'We felt along the line that we were doing okay during the first half. We saw that a couple of positional switches were needed. We made those and they started to take their chances in the third quarter and pulled away.
'At half-time then it was just about telling them not to panic, that chances would come and then the game would open up. And that's what happened really.'
It's been a while since Down has featured in All-Ireland finals. Last year they reached the U16 decider against Carlow. A couple of months ago the minors lost a decider to Armagh.
'There is a push at the moment to develop at underage level in Down. We have been getting teams to finals in the last couple of years and it's been a long time since that happened in Down camogie.
'These U23s have been a great addition to the senior set-up. They have really added to senior training and they have worked hard. We need to be bringing young players through to the senior set-up to freshen things up and a competition like this gives them the type of experience they need to take that step forward.
'This is a very young U23 team. There are a lot of minors in the group, but they are mature for their age and they have taken everything in their stride so far.'
Scorers, Down: D O'Shea 0-9(8fs); S McGrath 1-1; G Cunningham 0-3; S Fettes 1-0; N McConville 0-1
Meath: E Hanifin 0-5(fs); A Boyle 1-1; L Woods 0-2; E Regan 0-1
DOWN: C Kelly, O Brown, E Fitzpatrick, K Morgan, E Daly, D Coleman, D Shields, N McConville, O McCusker, D O'Shea, S McGrath, N Savage, G Cunningham, N McGrath, S Fettes. Subs: E McCabe for N McGrath (43); K Quinn for S McGrath (47); T Cowan for Coleman (52); C Dorrian for McCusker, C Kelly for Fitzpatrick (both 60+1)
MEATH: S Deegan, K Mulchrone, H O'Reilly-Higgins, R Horan, S Brien, R O'Neill, G Connolly, A Donoghue, I O'Connor, E Hanifin, L Wood., A Boyle, K Connolly, E Regan, L Lawless. Subs: C Flanagan for Lawless (25); B Hughes for Donoghue (42); C Mulligan for Mulchrone (55); M McCann for Horan (60+1)
