Cathal Murray has spent the best part of a decade trying to make Galway camogie better. The remarkable thing is that, nine seasons on, he still talks about the job with the enthusiasm of someone in his first year.
When I put to him the question of what keeps him coming back, even in the demanding job of inter-county management, with countless nights spent on training fields, selection meetings, video analysis session and much, much more, the Galway manager's answer arrives without a moment's thought.
“The players, to be honest with you.”
It is a simple response, but one that perhaps explains why Murray is preparing to lead Galway into his sixth All-Ireland senior camogie final since taking charge in 2018 and their third decider in succession.
For many managers, nearly a decade at the helm can bring fatigue. The emotional toll of inter-county management becomes increasingly difficult to carry. Yet there is little sense of a man whose enthusiasm has waned.
“It's a really good bunch and they give everything to the jersey. They give everything at training and they work incredibly hard. They're really, really motivated and embrace everything that needs to be done to be an inter-county team.
“I always say it's a big job. It's a massive job. It's the biggest job I'll ever have, to be honest with you. And the best group I will ever work with. So, it's very, very hard to step away from that.”
Those words perhaps explain why Galway have remained camogie's model of consistency under Murray. Sunday's showdown with Cork will be another chapter in one of the county's most successful managerial reigns, but there is a temptation to view Galway's sustained success as inevitable.
The squad preparing for Croke Park bears little resemblance to the one that first captured the O'Duffy Cup under Murray in 2019. Retirements and departures have forced Galway to evolve once again, with another generation now carrying the county's ambitions. In many ways, that may be the achievement Murray values most.
Huge consistency
“It's brilliant,” he says of reaching another final. “To be in your third final in-a-row, it shows huge consistency. It was a big challenge this year when we were missing a lot of players from last year and a lot of our starting team. It's great to see young players coming through and developing and playing so well.
“I suppose in the semi-final we were maybe apprehensive because a lot of players were starting in their first All-Ireland semi-final or coming on in their first All-Ireland semi-final. It was great to see them pass that challenge with flying colours.”
There is a quiet pride in Murray's voice when he begins listing the names who have come through the Galway camogie development pathway. Rachel Hanniffy. Áine Keane. Katie-Anna Porter. Ally Hesnan. Katie Manning. Players who once featured in Galway’s successful; intermediate and under-23 teams are now preparing for the biggest game of their careers. For Murray, those successes are measured over years rather than months.
“I talked to the lads [national media] earlier about the intermediate team in 2019. Rachel Hanniffy was only a sub that time. Look at the way she's developed.
“We had a really good intermediate team in 2021 and lost an All-Ireland semi-final by a couple of points to Antrim. We got Rachel Hanniffy and Áine Keane through from there. We got a huge amount through from the 2022 intermediate team and last year's U23 campaign.
“It's brilliant to see those players develop. Katie-Anna Porter, Ally Hesnan and Katie Manning didn't get hardly any time last year. They've all come now and are claiming starting places."
Crossroads
Every successful inter-county side eventually reaches a crossroads. Experienced players move on, familiar faces disappear and questions inevitably arise over whether the next generation is ready. Galway have arrived at that point before.
Under Murray, they have repeatedly found the answers.
The build-up to Sunday's final, however, has been far from straightforward.
Unlike Galway’s successful 2019 campaign, when there was a three-week lead-in to the decider, this year's finalists have had only a fortnight to prepare.
Ordinarily, that would be demanding enough. Combined with a lengthy injury list, it has tested Murray and his management team unlike any previous season.
“It was a three-week lead-in that time and it makes an awful difference,” says the Sarsfields clubman. “You say it's only a week but two weeks is very, very short. It's very tight to even get injuries right.
“We trained here on Tuesday night and we were probably missing a number of our starting team from the weekend. We have a long injury list. It's not something we're used to.”
The cruellest blow is the loss of Sabina Rabbitte.
After battling back from an injury sustained during her club’s run to All-Ireland glory, the attacker put herself back in contention for selection. However, Rabbitte underwent surgery last week and will miss the final as a result.
“It's gutting for her,” Murray says. “Especially when she worked so hard to get back. It's her second big injury of the year. “She had a big impact when she came on in last year's All-Ireland final. She's going to be a huge loss. We're all gutted for her."
Those disappointments are part of management. So too are the conversations no manager enjoys.
“Speaking to players and telling players they're not playing is the hard part," Murray admits. “We have 37 or 38 on the panel and they've all trained incredibly hard. They're all massive parts of it. But only 15 can go out and represent that group."
What still excites him, however, is the contest itself.
“The challenge is to go after a team and get the tactics right and get the match-ups right. That's something you're really invested in and something I find a huge personal challenge. When you get that right, there's nothing more satisfying."
Away from camogie, Murray knows his commitment comes at a cost. His wife, Aisling, and children, Aodhán and Síomha, have shared that journey with him throughout his tenure.
“I'm probably asking my family to make sacrifices at home,” he says. “I owe an awful lot to my wife Aisling. Aodhán and Síomha probably don't see as much of me as they should. But I know I'm following a dream here and I love what I do."
Then comes the line that perhaps explains everything.
“I don't know if being greedy is the right word. You just want to do it for as long as you can."
Whatever happens against Cork, Galway's place among the elite of camogie has been secured. Silverware will always define careers, but Murray's lasting legacy may be something far more enduring. He has built a team that expects to compete on the biggest stage every year and that’s where they’ll return to this weekend.
