'I've dreamed of it for so long'- Aimee Collier on captaining Laois in Croke Park

Aimee Collier is preparing to lead Laois Camogie out in Croke Park for the first time, with the Camross star set to captain the side in Sunday's All-Ireland Intermediate final against Antrim.

Speaking following Laois' training session in Borris-in-Ossory on Sunday morning, Collier said there is a strong sense of excitement within the group as they prepare for another appearance on the biggest stage. Despite Antrim entering the final as favourites, the Laois captain believes the underdog tag allows her side to approach the game without added pressure.

“There's a great auld buzz in the camp. I think we're excited now. We just need to get all the things in order in the next few days and just relax into it. We're under no pressure here; we're completely underdogs. I think we're relaxed enough and we'll go to Sunday excited,” she said.

Laois' latest final appearance is the result of a sustained period of progress, with Collier highlighting the commitment shown by the panel over the last number of years. Having gained valuable experience from previous trips to Croke Park, she feels that familiarity with the occasion can only benefit the group when they face Antrim.

“You don't get to All-Ireland Finals with no effort. This has been building over the last three years. We've got a lot of experience in finals in the last few years as well. I think that'll just help us a little bit. As I said, Antrim are huge favourites and I think that's easier going into the final now knowing you’re underdogs. There's not much pressure and we'll just go out and hurl,” Collier said.

The Laois captain also paid tribute to the contribution made by everyone involved in the squad, including players who have been part of the journey in previous seasons. For Collier, the ultimate reward for the sacrifices made by the panel would be hearing the familiar sound of Lovely Laois ringing out around Croke Park after the final whistle.

“Oh yeah, 100%. There's a panel of 30 girls and even the girls that aren't with us this year and have been there in the last two years. Huge effort, huge commitments, but look, that's what it takes to win these finals. When the final whistle goes and Lovely Laois is playing, that's why you do it and that's why we're here,” she said.

The road to Sunday's decider tested Laois' character, particularly in their semi-final against Kerry. They found themselves chasing the game after falling behind early on, but their ability to remain composed and fight their way back was something Collier felt summed up the qualities within the squad.

“I've said this all along about this group: hugely resilient and that's one of the words we definitely use for this group. Everyone gets a purple patch and Kerry just happened to get one for the first few minutes and the start of the second half. I thought the girls showed complete composure, tapping over a few points and we slowly got back into the game and once we seen a sniff of it, then we just went for it then.There's no point panicking. Obviously at times, you might panic a little bit, but as I said, there's a lot of experience in this group and we know that's how games go. So yeah, no panicking,” Collier added.

While the players will soon return to representing their respective clubs, Collier believes the unity built within the Laois panel has been one of the driving forces behind their success. She described the bond between the group as something much deeper than simply being teammates.

“Oh, 100%. It's like a family. We're all like sisters, so we are, and that's what I think drives us on. We do anything for each other and there's such a nice bond even with the younger girls coming in. It's lovely to see. When we go back to club championship, we won't be sisters anymore, but that's what it takes to win. You have to want to do anything for each other,” she added.

For Collier and her Camross teammates, Sunday's final represents another chapter in an extraordinary year. After helping their club claim the All-Ireland Intermediate title last December, another appearance at Croke Park with Laois seemed far from guaranteed when the new season began.

“Definitely unimaginable. I know after the Camross All-Ireland, I was like, that could be us finished now in Croke Park for a few years. Once we got over the first few matches, we kind of taught ourselves we might have a chance here to get back there. It's absolutely unbelievable, even just for this group, for it to be the third year in a row to get back to Croke Park. We couldn't have imagined it ever, but it's unreal and we just can't wait,” she said.

Laois entered the 2026 campaign determined to put an end to their recent disappointment in the Leinster Championship, having lost the previous two provincial finals. According to Collier, winning that title proved to be a significant turning point and gave the group further belief that they could challenge for national honours.

“The Leinster final was a huge one for us to get over. We were after letting it go by us for the two years previous to that. The Leinster final win was massive. I think that last game in the All-Ireland group, the Westmeath game, I thought we really pushed on in that game. I don't know what was in it in the end, like six or seven points. I just thought the drive in the last 10 minutes, we weren't dying, no way. I thought like, this is it now, we can go further,” Collier said.

That Westmeath performance remains one that stands out most for Collier when reflecting on Laois' campaign. While acknowledging that their opponents fought back at stages, she felt the way Laois finished the game demonstrated the confidence and determination that has become a feature of this team.

“I think so. Yeah, now look, Westmeath did come back into that, but we completely drove on. We didn’t just bring it back to a two or three-point win; we just went for it. I think that game really kind of solidified it for us. We knew there was more in this group and we can definitely go further,” she said.

Should Laois overcome Antrim on Sunday, Collier could find herself standing on the Hogan Stand steps delivering the traditional All-Ireland captain's speech. However, she admitted that thoughts of what she might say have not yet entered her mind, with the immediate focus firmly on getting the job done first.

“I actually didn't think about it yet, but I may start thinking about it. There’ll be no going off the cuff like I did for the Leinster final. I totally forgot about it for the Leinster final. I just had to say whatever came to mind. You have to think about those things just in case, but that's not what's 100% on my mind. We have to go out and win the game first,” she commented.

For Collier, the opportunity to captain Laois in Croke Park has been years in the making.

“Unbelievable. I've dreamed of it for so long and to do it as the first time we’ve ever been in an Intermediate All-Ireland and to captain this group of girls, I'm so proud of them. They've put in so much effort over the last three years. It will be an absolute honour to go and climb the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift that cup for them,” she concluded.