*Lorna McNamara. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’S senior camogie side have been dealt a monumental blow with confirmation that taliswoman Lorna McNamara is to miss the remainder of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland championship.
Feakle/Killanena clubwoman Lorna sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Clare’s second round win over Wexford which unfortunately ends her playing season for 2026. She was substituted with twenty three minutes played and it was initially thought that the injury was not as severe as the dreaded ACL.
Lorna had been in sparkling form in saffron and blue under new manager Eugene Foudy and even picked up the PWC-GPA Camogie Player of the month award for April as a result.
She scored 2-6 to help Clare win the Centra National Camogie League Division 1B title and she continued this form into the championship, scoring 2-7 to help her county record an opening round win over Dublin while also chipping in with a point before her injury in the Wexford game.
McNamara had spoken earlier this season over her battles to overcome a chronic groin injury which kept her sidelined for two years.
Manager Foudy said Lorna’s injury “is a huge blow for the county” and that “it was very sad news when we found out that it was an ACL injury and very unfortunate for Lorna herself”. He continued, “you’d be very sorry for her. She fought so hard to come back from injury after three years so to pick up a cruciate injury is just rotten luck”.
Corner forward, Roisin Begley said the twenty four year old’s absence has left huge boots to fill in the Clare attack. “She’s in form that we’ve never seen her in before and works so hard. So unfortunately we’ve lost her and that just means the rest of us have to step up and get those goals and get us over the line. They’re huge boots to fill. She’s phenomenal on the frees as well as putting the ball in the back of the net – she did it twice in the matches she played. It’s really unfortunate. It’s a shocking injury and she’s not long back from having surgery in her groin, we’re definitely going to be playing every ball with her in mind, it’s disappointing to lose her”.
