One of just two survivors from the side that started their final success over Louth in the same competition five years ago — then-skipper Cathy Mee being the other — Ambrose is captain for today’s All-Ireland junior decider against Down.

Back in 2020, the UL graduate was amongst a quartet that opted out of the Limerick camogie panel over an issue that related to dual club players. She returned the following year to help the Munster side retain their senior status, before ultimately leaving the small ball game in the rearview mirror.

“I ended up choosing football,” she says. “Obviously I’d still love to be playing camogie, but at the end of the day it’s not possible. It would only wither you down when matches collide and all that jazz. I’m very grateful now that I’ve chosen football. Thinking that we’re going to be playing in Croke Park on Sunday is amazing, in an All-Ireland final. That’s where you want to be at the end of the day.”

Nevertheless, Ambrose has an invested interest in the remarkable rise of Limerick hurling in recent years with her partner Aaron Gillane being one of the key attacking weapons in the Treaty’s recent surge toward a fourth consecutive Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Tipped by many to be named Hurler of the Year, she credits Gillane for helping to drive standards within her own game.

“I’m fortunate enough to have him, he can give me loads of advice. Whether it’s to do with recovery or nutrition, playing football. I know football and hurling are different sports, but they have similarities. It’s great to have him and his knowledge as well.”

When Limerick and Down clashed in the group stages as recently as July 9 at Newcastle West — a game won by the Ulster side on a score of 1-13 to 1-8 — ladies football and camogie teams right across the country were still playing championship games under protest.

​This was initially set to continue right up to All-Ireland finals day, but was eventually halted when the LGFA and the Camogie Association both committed to the implementation of a standardised charter for female GAA players ahead of the 2024 inter-county season. Like many others, Ambrose sees this as a much-needed step in the right direction.

“I think you just need those minimum standards. The likes of a physiotherapist at training. Getting expenses every month. We give a huge commitment, so we deserve the most. We see the men have it, females definitely deserve it.

“We’re the same thing, we’re in three or four times a week like the men. It will be great to see, just for the promotion of the game. People will want to play county. You won’t have to be asking people to come in and play county.”

While she has some way to go to catch Gillane’s haul of five All-Ireland medals, Ambrose will have a golden opportunity to add a second to her collection today. Down skipper Meghan Doherty has a similar goal in mind, albeit her previous success was in the intermediate grade all of nine years ago.

Appearing off the bench in the 46th-minute, the Carryduff footballer played her part as the Mourne women comfortably secured an All-Ireland IFC crown with a 6-16 to 1-10 victory over Fermanagh.

One of the youngest members of the panel in 2014, Doherty can still recall how special it was to be part of an All-Ireland winning set-up and is confident of emulating this achievement on her long-awaited return to Croke Park.

“I was young, I think I was maybe 19 or so,” she says. “It was amazing and you just never forget the experience of that day. The final whistle going, the buzzer, watching our captain lift the trophy from the Hogan Stand. Things like that. I’m looking forward to all that on Sunday.

“There’s only four of us that were on that team that are still with Down at the moment. We were talking about the differences of how it felt back then and I think now you’re learning to enjoy it more and embrace it. It is just taking it in and enjoying the excitement of it.”

After a difficult transition into the senior grade, Down were back in the second tier of ladies football by 2016 and were ultimately relegated to the junior ranks last year following a string of underwhelming results.

Yet they were boosted by the return of Peter Lynch and Caoibhe Sloan as joint-managers after just one year away from the group. Former Down men’s footballers Mark Poland and Kevin McKernan are also on board as coaches, and they are now just 60 minutes away from an immediate return to intermediate football.

“All the hard work this year, the goal has been set for this Sunday. Being relegated last year was a hard blow for the girls and it took a lot for girls to come back.

“Everything we’ve worked for leads down to 60 minutes on Sunday. It’s about blocking out all the external things and playing one more game of football.”