Clodagh McCambridge: Armagh men giving the women inspiration as they get ready for All-Ireland bid
The Orchard side begin their campaign on Saturday week away to Meath, before hosting Kildare at home two weeks later
ARMAGH captain Clodagh McCambridge has said that her side will look to take inspiration from their male counterparts as they aim to establish themselves as major contenders for the All-Ireland Ladies’ Senior Football Championship in 2025.
Twenty-two years on from the county’s breakthrough success of 2002, the Armagh men’s team reclaimed the Sam Maguire Cup last July with a narrow final victory over Galway in Croke Park.
When you consider you had to go back as far as 2005 for the previous time the Orchard county even made it as far as an All-Ireland senior semi-final, it was a monumental success for Kieran McGeeney’s charges.
One of the pivotal figures in their march towards All-Ireland glory was McCambridge’s brother Barry – who received a Footballer of the Year nomination to supplement his selection at full-back on the PwC Football All-Star team for 2024.
Additionally, her Clann Eireann club-mates Tiernan Kelly and Conor Turbitt were in the starting line-up for their 1-11 to 0-13 triumph against the Tribe, alongside Connaire Mackin – whose sisters Aimee and Blaithin are inter-county colleagues of McCambridge.
“We probably do reference the men’s team, just because a lot of us would have an interest and are following them as well. To see their journey last year, it’s obviously something to look to and to reference,” McCambridge remarked at the launch of the 2025 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies’ Football Championships in Croke Park.
“They probably weren’t expected to win an All-Ireland last year and they did. There is a lot we can take from them and their set-up. It’s definitely a driver, a motivation to try and achieve something similar this year.”
Last year also saw the Armagh ladies picking up major silverware, as they followed up a maiden success in Division One of the Lidl National Football League with a hard-earned triumph over Donegal in a TG4 Ulster Senior Football Championship decider.
The Orchard women also made it to the penultimate stage of last year’s All-Ireland senior championship and while they suffered a comprehensive defeat to Kerry in an NFL Division One final at Croke Park in April, Armagh defended their Ulster crown earlier this month with an accomplished 3-9 to 0-7 victory at the expense of Donegal at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.
As a result of their latest provincial success, Armagh find themselves in Group 3 of the All-Ireland series along with Leinster duo Meath and Kildare. Whereas the latter will remain idle until the following weekend, Armagh and the Royal county are set to lock horns at a Meath venue at 3pm on Saturday, June 7.
Although the Orchard are considered favourites to come out on top of the group, McCambridge is expecting a tough challenge from Meath (who are currently managed by her former Armagh boss Shane McCormack) next weekend and from Kildare when they pay a visit to the Ulster county on Saturday, June 21.
“We’re expecting it to be a really tough group, to be honest. I know we played them in the league and it was really competitive. Obviously they’re both Division One teams and have been playing a really high standard of football,” McCambridge added.
“No doubt they’ll be carrying that into championship. I know they had a really tough Leinster campaign as well. I’m expecting it to be really challenging. Can’t look ahead past that at the minute. It will be two tough games.”