For the first time in 17 years, Kilkenny could claim back-to-back All-Ireland minor camogie titles when they face Galway in Sunday’s final.
Manager David Walsh has led the Cats to a second successive final, with a semi-final victory over Cork (who they beat in last year’s final) teeing up a massive match-up with Galway at Nowlan Park.
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Only one county have gone back-to-back in this competition in the past decade (Cork in 2018 and 2019), and it is 17 years since Kilkenny’s last back-to-back triumphs, when they won a remarkable four-in-a-row from 2006 to 2009.
Starting at corner-forward for the first three of those four triumphs was Michelle Quilty, who would go on to enjoy great success with the senior Kilkenny team.
We spoke to the Mullinavat legend this week in the buildup to Sunday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland camogie minor final, and she told us about her memories of that famous run, and how big a challenge awaits this Kilkenny team in their quest to emulate them.
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Minor camogie final: Kilkenny v Galway
Former Kilkenny Minor Camogie player, Michelle Quilty, ahead of the 2026 Electric Ireland Camogie All-Ireland Minor Championship Finals. This summer, Electric Ireland are using their social channels to spotlight players from across the Championships, in recognition of the major impact that playing Minor can have on young people’s future successes, on and off the field. You can follow the campaign on social media @ElectricIreland and via the hashtag #ThisIsMajor. 
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Michelle Quilty was part of the Kilkenny team which ended a long wait for senior All-Ireland glory in 2016, but she already had three national medals to her name as part of the minor camogie dynasty of the 2000s.
She tells us her memories of minor camogie are of it being a more “carefree” time.
With the minor, it’s a great age. You’re carefree, there’s no pressure on you. You go out and just enjoy the game for what it is, and you have the best time. They’re great memories to have.
The Kilkenny team that takes to the field on Sunday will look to emulate Quilty and her teammates in claiming back-to-back All-Ireland crowns, a remarkable achievement made possible in part by the amount of talent retained from last year’s team.
“It’s unbelievable to make an All-Ireland, especially this year, Kilkenny going for their back-to-back,” Quilty says.
“It’s a great achievement. Kilkenny is so historic in their minor championships and how many they’ve won, so it’s a great and special day for all the girls.
“I think there’s seven or nine of the girls still there that won last year.
Any time you’ve got that amount of players that are coming back the following year, especially after winning, they can bring on the younger girls, gel them in together. It’s a real testament to what Kilkenny are doing at the minute to really drive the underage.
Even with All-Ireland-winning experience, going back-to-back is never easy, a challenge Michelle Quilty understands more than most.
I suppose, with the minor, when you’re trying to go back-to-back…because you’ve won it the year before, you’re kind of like, ‘How do I motivate myself to go [again]?’
But, I think, for any sportsperson, it’s always that drive within you that you always want to win more, no matter how many you have, you constantly want to achieve more and want to get as many All-Irelands as you can.
I think that just drives you forward and makes you train harder.
That target is on your back, every other county is going to be like, ‘Well, we want to knock these off, we’re not going to give them the back-to-back. I think that’s a little bit of extra motivation, and I think the Kilkenny girls will use that for this weekend.
Kilkenny and Galway have already clashed this season, with the Cats winning by a point in dreadful conditions earlier in the championship.
Quilty expects the challenge from the ‘visitors’ to Kilkenny to be a mighty one.
The last day, there was only one point in it, so it can swing either way. Kilkenny were the only team to beat Galway, Limerick then beat Kilkenny, so it’s been a very tight championship for the top two.
I think it can go either way on the day. Conditions weren’t great the last day, the weather is looking a lot better this weekend. The ball will be bouncing, it’ll be moving faster. It’s whoever can get up to the pace of the game and get into it as quick as they can.
With Tipperary and Waterford facing off in the B final before the headline event on Sunday, a big crowd is expected in Nowlan Park for what should be a brilliant exhibition of camogie.
“When it’s all in the one place, you are always hoping to get the crowd in,” Quilty says.
“I do think, when you have the double header…people are interested. If you’re there for the first game, you’ll stay for the second game.
You’re interested because you’re interested in the sport.
It’s set to be a wonderful day of camogie action in Kilkenny on Sunday afternoon.
Kilkenny face Galway in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland camogie minor final on Sunday, April 26th at Nowlan Park. Throw-in is at 2pm.
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