Loughnane sisters savour special family triumph as Sarsfields complete back-to-back

It was a special occasion for the Loughnane sisters last Saturday as Laura, Andrea and Nicola helped Thurles Sarsfields secure back-to-back county senior camogie titles following a hard-fought victory over Clonoulty-Rossmore at FBD Semple Stadium.

Having watched their brother celebrate county senior hurling success with Thurles Sarsfields just six days earlier, the three sisters had plenty of motivation to ensure the celebrations continued in the family.

Unlike last year's county final triumph, however, Sarsfields were pushed all the way by a determined Clonoulty-Rossmore outfit, with little separating the sides in a fiercely contested encounter.

For Laura Loughnane, the victory made all the sacrifices throughout the season worthwhile.

"Just days like today just make it all worth it, all the hard slogging, just unbelievable," she said.

Andrea was equally delighted with the outcome, acknowledging the stern challenge posed by Clonoulty-Rossmore.

"Absolutely, oh my God, it was such a tough battle, and both sides just really dug deep. It was a really, really good battle in the end, so yeah, delighted that we got the win."

For Nicola, the achievement carried additional significance given the family's success over the previous week.

"Oh, it does, yeah. It's extra special this year because obviously our brother did it last weekend, so it's a good week for Loughnane."

The senior hurlers' victory had provided plenty of inspiration for the camogie side, with Laura highlighting the commitment shown by the men's team throughout their championship campaign.

"Yeah, absolutely. Like, I suppose during the year, like, you know, the boys have been putting in massive matches, and I know there are so many clips going around of Paddy Creedon’s run down the line, and then there's another one of Euan and Keith putting in the work, getting the blocks in.

"And then, yeah, I suppose it's just really added to the hype of the week, and yeah, it's a great week."

The strong bond between the two teams was also evident in the support they provided one another, something Andrea was quick to acknowledge.

"Absolutely. We're such a tight-knit unit, but we were there for the lads last week; they were there for us today, so we're just thrilled now."

There was also special praise for Sarsfields' young star Caoimhe Stakelum, who collected the Player of the Match award for the second successive county final.

Despite being considerably younger than many of her teammates, Stakelum has already established herself as one of the outstanding talents in Tipperary camogie, something Nicola was keen to emphasise.

"She's unbelievable. She's so young, and we look up to her, and we're about 10 years older! We're so lucky to have her."