Laura Treacy embraces role of experienced campaigner

Laura Treacy is staring into the distance, a deadly serious and contemplative look on her face, the epitome of a woman in her athletic prime and not to be messed with.

She is to the left of Amy O'Connor and Amy Lee, both of whom are equally enraptured by something in the distance and seemingly considering quantum mechanics or the meaning of life.

The scene is at a promotional photoshoot to mark the announcement of Kearys Motor Group as sponsors of Cork Camogie and the resultant snap is imposed large on manager Matthew Twomey’s van, parked now on the side of the pitch at the county grounds in Blackrock.

Treacy chortles.

"I’d say Matthew gets stared at every day driving down The Link (South Link Road). You’ve no fears of not spotting it anyway!"

Increasing visibility is a positive and just one of the many things that have changed since she came into the Cork squad a decade ago.

One of the most striking changes is a different manager for the first time, though Twomey is a familiar figure in the set-up.

Coach Davy Fitzgerald is very new and his appointment garnered all the headlines. He has settled in well, helping the Rebels back to the All-Ireland final again, 12 months after their three-point defeat to Galway.

But there is no Paudie Murray, the man who introduced her to the squad in his first season as manager in 2012, nor his brother Kevin, a revered coach.

"Paudie Murray had me in, when I think back, 16 turning 17 that year. I had two years minor so I was playing minor that year and had another year to play minor again. It seems like an absolute lifetime ago. This is my 11th season now so it’s bizarre.

"There was a slight change this year. Davy came in, Matthew went to manager but there’s still a lot of similar faces around.