Laois Camogie's Aimee Collier gearing up for tough Croke Park battle against Tipperary

Aimee Collier has been one of the shining lights of the Laois Camogie team this year as they go in search of claiming All-Ireland glory against Tipperary's second team on Sunday, August 11.

The Camross forward was superb in the semi-final victory over Cavan where she racked up an impressive 1-10 on route to victory.

Speaking at a media night in Borris-in-Ossory GAA, Collier redirected the praise and said that she wouldn't score half as much if it wasn't for the backs behind her doing their job and getting 'lovely ball' into her.

“The backs, I couldn't do it without them. I'm getting a lovely ball into me. If you're getting the ball, anyone can just turn and pop it over the bar. We have space in front of us. It's great to be getting in the feed of the ball that they're giving in. To be fair, every girl is putting in their work. It doesn't matter, any one of the six forwards the ball goes to, it's over the bar or we'll get a score out of it anyway,” Collier said.

Collier also spoke about the unity that the group has with many of them having played through the grades from U-14 to where they are now.

“I think that drives it on more. It's great to see every side of the county involved. I think a lot of us have hurled together from under 14 the whole way up. We've been very successful. I think that definitely stands us because it's starting to come back into us again. With the numbers, 31 girls this year, it just makes it all the easier. It's great to have every side of the county represented,” she said.

The Camross star recognises that they'll face a dual challenge, playing Tipperary as well as playing in the cauldron of Croke Park. She also feels it's important that the management maintained their high level of effort and focus ahead of the final.

“If we came into these last two weeks and just lulling around in place, that's not going to do us any good. We're facing a top team. Croke Park is another side to it. There's two sides to this. We've Tipp and we also have Croke Park to face as well. Even though we're very young, there's a lot of experience there. We've lost two finals by a point, but I think you learn from them. There's a lot of success within the panel to drive us on and have that bit of experience. We'll throw everything we have at Tipp and go from there,” Collier said.

Like most inter-county panels, competition for starting places has been ramped up even more with the All-Ireland final looming.

“The last number of years, to be fair, we've never really had that number and we have to be absolutely on top of our game every day. We haven't had the panels. It's great because it makes you better. Every day you have to be 100% or else there's a girl coming in and she's just as good and if not, she's better. It's a great lift when you're going off, you're happy handing over the jersey knowing she's going to push that home for us, she'll finish the job for us,” she said.

Collier is calling on the Laois supporters to get behind her and her team mates as they go in search of winning the Kathleen Mills Cup. The team also gave up some of their time to attend the Laois U-12 Festival of Camogie in Clonad recently.

“It means a lot to us. A lot of us, we've never played in Croke Park. There might be maybe three on the panel that have been there. It is a big day for us and when you look at the lads Hurling All-Ireland or Football All-Ireland, I know there's no comparison but that drive, that's an extra person on the field for you when you hear the crowd getting behind you. It was great to go out there to Clonad and all the little ones so excited. Can you sign my jersey? Can you sign my hurl? I've never had that before so I'm like, are you sure? But to get the crowd behind us will be absolutely amazing and I think as I said there will be an extra player on the field for us to help drive it home,” Collier ended.