Anne Corcoran is hoping that an increased focus on physicality can help Waterford power through to a first All-Ireland senior camogie final since 1945.
The Deise are back at the last four stage and will face Tipperary on Saturday having only contested their first semi-final since 1959 last year.
Corcoran lined out in attack when the neighbouring counties met in May in a Munster semi-final clash which Tipp won.
But the Division 1B league champions bounced back impressively with three straight wins to top their group - securing this weekend's rematch.
Waterford are one of the form teams of the year under new manager Sean Power and Corcoran attributes some of their progress to focusing on their strength and conditioning.
6 May 2023; Anne Corcoran of Waterford in action against
Eimear Loughman of Tipperary during the Munster Senior Camogie Championship match between Waterford and Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
A tweaking of camogie rules has allowed more contact between players in recent seasons.
"We want to be playing a very similar game to the lads," said Corcoran. "We're able for the physicality, we want to be playing in those strong, hard games. In Waterford, the main focus this year has been on building our physicality. Some may say that we're a small team but we'd like to say differently now this year."
Having a player like Beth Carton to stick over the scores helps too. The centre-forward won a third All-Star in 2022 and has maintained her brilliant form this term, blasting 3-31 in the group stage alone.
"The work she puts in is second to none," said Corcoran. "She's always at it, every day you see her doing something to better herself."
Waterford overcame Antrim, Limerick and Offaly to top Group 3, three teams that they also defeated in Division 1B of the league.
Corcoran dashed any talk of being undercooked for their All-Ireland assault.
"We played Cork and Tipp as well in the Munster championship so we have played against, if you want to say it, the top teams," she said. "So we don't think there's any issue there. We feel ready to go, absolutely."
Corcoran could yet be part of a Waterford group that makes history by landing a first ever camogie crown.
But if things had gone slightly differently she mightn't be playing at all given that her first love is athletics.
20 March 2011; Niamh Gowing, Dundrum South AC, Dublin, Anne Corcoran, Ferrybank AC, Co. Waterford, and Molly Scott, St Lawerence O'Toole AC, Co. Carlow, in action during the U13 girls 60 metres hurdles. Woodie’s DIY National Juvenile Indoor Championships, Meadowbank Indoor Arena, Magherafelt, Derry. Picture credit: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE
A promising track career was cut short by a foot injury though Waterford have clearly benefited.
"Before I got the injury I was doing 400m and 400m hurdles," said Corcoran who also excelled as a heptathlete. "I did compete for Ireland, twice. I was going for the European standard at the time when I injured my foot. It was in the national senior championships."
Corcoran still follows athletics closely and admits she had a 'heavy heart' about having to pack it in.
"I can't train five times a week on a track, I've tried to go back but the injuries keep persisting," she explained. "The grass and the camogie suits me a lot better.
"But Look, I'm playing for Waterford, I couldn't ask for any more."
Corcoran lives in Dublin and treks back and forth to Waterford. Motoring expenses are significant and she admits 'the financial burden is a lot'.
17 July 2023; Anne Corcoran of Waterford, left, and Karen Kennedy of Tipperary wearing #UnitedForEquality t-shirts at an event organised by players at the Radisson Blu at Dublin Airport ahead of the upcoming All-Ireland Championships semi-finals. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
She's fully behind the United for Equality campaign as female inter-county players, supported by the Gaelic Players Association, push for the creation of a players charter to guarantee minimum standards.
"I haven't put a figure on how much it costs me but it's an awful lot of miles on the car," said Corcoran. "The car needs to be serviced three or four times a year. It is quite tough, that financial burden but the love of the game keeps you going I suppose."
See Also: Limerick's Gandy Malou-Mamel Becomes UConn's First Ever Irish Recruit
