Local Camogie girls are all-stars down under

By Michael O'Leary

Camogie is becoming an increasingly more popular sport in Australia, and this year three Kilkenny natives were making a name for themselves.

Rachel Hogan (Tullaroan), Loretta Murphy (Barrow Rangers) and Keira Kinahan (Ballyhale Shamrocks).

Rachel is a niece of well-known Camogie players Imelda and Esther Kennedy, and she has played Camogie at under-age level with Tullaroan, St. Lachtains and Kilkenny.

She has been based down under for almost 3 years since leaving Ireland in January 2009.

Rachel has an aunt from Kilkenny and an uncle from Derry living in Sydney also.

She is currently working as a car based in Bondi Junction, and plays her Camogie with the Michael Cusack's club in Sydney.

This year, Michael Cusack's enjoyed a successful year.

They reached the league final where they lost out narrowly, before defeating another well-known Camogie outfit, Central Coast in the New South Wales championship final.

Both Keira Kinahan and Loretta Murphy featured for Central Coast.

It was Michael Cusack's first championship title since 2005.

Next up was the Australian Games which are held in Brisbane annually and it was the first time that New South Wales could field a team to represent the states.

They reached the semi-final stage by producing good solid performances along the way en route.

The Camogie All-stars team was named afterwards, and in a great achievement for Kilkenny, Hogan, Murphy and Kinahan were named on the all-star team.

Kinahan has played senior for Kilkenny in the past and she was corner-back on the team that narrowly lost out to Tipperary in the 2006 All-Ireland senior semi-final.

Certainly, with the on-going economic climate here in Ireland, more and more GAA players are forced to emigrate which is resulting in GAA sports becoming more popular abroad.

Unquestionably, Camogie is becoming an increasingly played sport in the land of Waltzing Matilda.

See Pictures HERE...