Niamh Rockett: Waterford's brave, indomitable spirit

To play the fastest field sport in the world, you have to be made of different stuff; tougher than most and perhaps a little crazier than everyone else.

As Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop once put it: "Al-Qaeda wouldn't even do f****ng hurling!".

Here in Ireland, we watch players armour up with helmets and hurls and head into ferocious battles year in, year out without giving it a second thought.

Waterford star Niamh Rockett is the epitome of a hurling warrior. She’s captained her county to Junior and Intermediate All-Ireland glory and was awarded an All Star in 2020.

Now aged 29, she’s heading into her 16th season in the blue and white jersey despite being told to give up sport or end up in a wheelchair by the time she turns 30.

"I was diagnosed [with arthritis] when I was 16," said Rockett at the launch of the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie Leagues.

"I got an operation on my knee, then I was told eventually they’d have to break my knees and realign them. They wanted me to give up sports. I was playing football, hockey, soccer, camogie at the time and then when I was told that it was devastating. My whole word was sport.

"If you go to a doctor, a doctor is going to tell you, ‘you need surgery’. If you go to a physio they’re going to tell you, ‘you need physio’. So it’s about being mindful of that and seeing what the best option for you yourself is.

"I went on and played for a couple of years then but probably didn’t reach the heights I wanted to. I got a bad bang when I was 20. My kneecap came out of place. I didn’t run for 14 months.

"I'm at the stage now where I take the mickey out of myself more than anything. I 'pull the knee card' just to lighten it up a bit."

"I suppose down to good physios, good family around me and good