The Cork ladies football team don’t lose very often.
Victory over Dublin in this afternoon’s All-Ireland final will make it 10 titles in 11 years and secure a very special place in history for Rena Buckley and Briege Corkery.
A fortnight after helping the Rebelettes to a 26th All-Ireland camogie triumph, the pair are back in Croke Park looking to win their 16th senior All-Ireland medals.
Their numbers already leave Henry Shefflin in the shade. The win over Galway two weeks ago brought to six their number of camogie titles, but they are chasing the big ten in football at 4pm today.
If they win the pair will go one clear of Kathleen Mills as the most successful Gaelic athletes of all time.
Speaking in today’s Sunday Times, Buckley insisted the feat has not been playing on her mind.
“That’s not why I play. If I was playing to get recognition I’d have given up long ago. People give out about the level of coverage womens’ sport gets. I actually don’t mind. I wouldn’t like the level of coverage the men’s game gets. There’s a lot of negativity that goes with it that I wouldn’t have any interest in,’ she said.
Win or lose later, Buckley and Corkery have enjoyed remarkable careers.