Cork manager Matthew Twomey pointed to the effects of heartbreak from previous finals as his side ended a five-year wait for All-Ireland Senior Camogie glory.
The Leesiders had lost the last two deciders at Croke Park but on this occasion they enjoyed a dominant victory over Waterford, scoring five goals in the process, including a three-minute hat-trick in the second half from talismanic captain Amy O'Connor.
Manager Twomey credited his players for the way in which they overcame adversity and the ghosts of 2021 and 2022.
"There was no way we were going to leave it down today"
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 6, 2023
Cork manager Matthew Twomey says his team bottled the heartaches from past finals to fuel their journey towards All-Ireland glory in 2023
📺 https://t.co/HbvpoI7sDV
📱 https://t.co/wMzrNwXQTP pic.twitter.com/5Pe3dInjIx
"We spoke about it Friday. We bottled [the heartbreak], we bottled a lot of it. It was tough last year losing it and losing a league final again and we got a lot of criticism," he said.
"But we just kept it between our four walls. We bottled it and there was no way we were going to leave it down today."
Cork half-back Laura Treacy described the triumph as "the most surreal moment" she had ever felt and said that All-Ireland success was a long time coming for the Rebel County.
"It's been too many years since we have lifted that O'Duffy Cup so I'm going to cherish it for a long, long time," she said.
"This is the most surreal moment I have ever felt"
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) August 6, 2023
Laura Treacy celebrates an All-Ireland triumph that she feels has been a long time coming for Cork pic.twitter.com/BFD1mwHpPh
"This is my 12th season involved with the panel. There have been so many girls gone through, so many leaders [like] Gemma O'Connor, Aoife Murray, Orla Cotter, you name it.
"But by god, we have many leaders over there now and I'm just so proud of that bunch."
