Cork seek All-Ireland glory
After the heartbreak of the hurlers agonising defeat two weeks ago it’s the turn of the Cork camogie senior and intermediates teams this Sunday in Croke Park as they bid for a unique double.
With it been a break week for clubs in the county championship, the respective divisional and college’s section semi-finals are down for decision.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final
Cork v Galway on Sunday in Croke Park at 5.15pm
“We are where we set out to be when we got together as a group at the start of the year” said Cork manager Ger Manley in his fourth year involved but his first as the top man.
Ger is quick to praise those around him: “My job is easy, the coach Liam (Cronin) does incredible work with the girls and everyone plays their part and that is the key to where we are.”
His job might be easy but Sunday will not: “This is a very good Galway team as they showed in beating Tipperary, who are the league champions in the semi-final, coming from behind to do so as well.”
Ger was impressed by their never say die attitude: “They looked beaten but kept at it and got over the line, but look they have a very experienced team and we know exactly what we are facing on Sunday.”
It will be the third meeting of the sides this year. It stands at one win each, Galway in the league, Cork comfortably in the championship.
“The league was strange for us, we started back that bit later than others so while we lost a couple of games, we were not overly concerned, once it was over we took a week off than got in a very good block of training which has stood to us in recent weeks,” he said.
In fact Cork are unbeaten since winning the Munster Championship and then going direct to the All-Ireland semi-final.
He said: “That was the plan, get the four week break after playing for nearly six weeks on the bounce, get the few knock’s sorted and then prepare for the final.”
As for preparation, Ger is happy and also confident that Meabh Cahalane will be fit to start: “She is an important and experienced player for us.”
Another big player for the team is Fiona Keating and like everyone else the Courcey Rovers player is looking forward to Sunday: “Can’t wait really. It’s what and where you want to be. There is no better place then Croke Park on All-Ireland Sunday.”
Having played and won there already Fiona thinks that will help: “Without a doubt and it’s the same for Galway they have been there as well and are a very good team but we going well and hopefully we can get the job done.”
Pamela Mackey is another who is relishing the occasion: “The more you play in finals, the more you want to be there and now that we are there it’s all about enjoying it while at the same time focussing on the job ahead.”
In recent years a healthy rivalry has been built up between the teams and for a period Galway had the better of matters, a turning point according to the Douglas player: “Winning the semi-final in Nowlan Park last year was important. They had won most of the big games up to then, but that was, you could say, the monkey off the back and we have driven on since.”
Galway have bounced back from losing the league final to Tipperary and a couple of players at the start of the year and the addition of Niamh Mallon has also been a help, 1-3 in the semi-final.
Carrie Dolan is also an excellent player as well as been an ace free taker, anything within distance will be punished, as Cork and Tipp have found out, while Ailish O’Reilly and Niamh Mc Peake will also test the Cork rearguard.
The midfield pairing of the Niamh’s Hannify and Kilkenny have a wealth of experience and at the back Aine Keane, Roisin Black and Ciara Hickey front goalkeeper Sarah Healy.
The composition of the Cork 15 will be interesting although one suspects it might not alter that much from the semi-final, depending on Cahalane’s fitness who will be unlucky player to lose out.
Amy Lee is coolness personified in goal and while Cork were easy winners over Dublin in the semi-final, she made two very important saves, one in the 1 st minute from a penalty, that might have given Dublin an early boost.
Pamela Mackey, Laura Tracey and Laura Hayes is as good a half-back trio as there is, while the pace of Hayes is an added bonus along with her ability to hit long range points, as she has done consistently all season.
Ashling Thompson and Aoife Healy will be hoping to win the midfield tussle and if that happen’s the Cork attack will flourish.
Saoirse Mc Carthy, Aoife Healy and the inside trio of Amy O’Connor, Katrina Mackey and Orlaith Cahalane have been lethal all year and have the capacity to unhinge any defence, even one as good as Galway.
Cork also have a lot of depth in the squad and players that have been introduced in the campaign have all responded, and Ger has often remarked: “The squad is the key to our success.”
It could very well be again in this eagerly awaited decider.
As champions and on form Cork are and deservedly so favourites, but finals are one off, as we saw in the hurling and football finals, the favourites tag, will count for very little when experienced referee Liz Dempsey throws in the ball around, the ridiculous starting time of 5.15pm on Sunday.
Galway manager Cathal Murray said as much after the semi-final, a game in which they endured nearly 46 minutes of the 67 played without a score: “It’s all about getting to the final Cork have taken it to a new level this year but if we can build on the good periods we had against Tipperary, we are well capable of winning.”
And therein is the key, Cork have taken it to a new level. I think if they will reach that level on Sunday no matter Galway will produce, Cork will win and in the process land their 30th O’Duffy Cup and extend their lead at top of the roll of honour.
Live commentary will be on C103.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final
Cork v Kilkenny Sunday Croke Park at 3pm
It’s been a very successful year for this particular Cork team, even though it was nearly January before the management team were put place, but the players have responded brilliantly to Donie Daly and his selectors.
Donie said: “For a variety of reasons we did not start until January but the players have worked very hard and deserve all the praise they get for reaching the final”
They won the Division 2 league, had a new team for Munster Championship as per the rules set down by Munster Council, and went direct to the All-Ireland semi-final winning a tight game against an Offaly side bidding to bounce back from relegation from the Senior grade last year: “That was a great win and the way the players held their shape when Offaly came at us late in the match was something they have been doing all season a credit to their clubs, themselves and obviously Cork Camogie.”
Donie concedes the final, possibly the last in the current format, will be tough: “We know with all Kilkenny teams, no more than Cork when they get to Croke Park they thrive, but we will have our homework done and be ready for them.”
Olivia Mc Allen, the teams centre-back, was in Croke Park in December 2023, but only as a water-carrier, as she watched on as Glanmire were crowned All Ireland Intermediate Club Champions.
On Sunday, she will be a key player: “That was strange as I was recovering from a cruciate knee injury and it was hard watching but thankfully that is behind me know and really looking forward to playing this time round.”
Olivia said the bond within the group and the depth in the squad is a big factor: “No question we have players chomping at the bit in training which is very competitive and that has seen us throw some tight games as we saw in the win over Offaly.”
Cliona Dooley got the clinching goal in that semi-final but was fulsome in her praise for the defence: “Time and time again they closed down the Offaly attack, and Aoife Barrett was rightly named player for the match and then when the chances came at our end we took them and that got us over the line.”
Game changers rather than substitutes is what the manager called them: “I say it all the time, the hardest job we have is picking 26 not the starting 15. Uou saw it the last day, Eimear Duignan and Katie Walsh came on and made huge contributions.”
Kilkenny have had a tough year in camogie, beaten by Dublin the senior quarter and with a few seasoned players opting out they could be in for a lean period.
All the more reason than to be wary of their challenge in the final.
It took extra-time to see off Kerry in the semi-final, a Kerry side made up for the most part of just one club, which is an achievement in itself to reach an All-Ireland Semi-Final.
Danielle Morrissey is their key player while defensively Rachel Walsh, Hannah Scott and Niamh Leahy are solid, in Caroline Kennedy and Niamh Crowley will test the Cork defence.
This is a much changed Kilkenny side from when the sides last met and they will be determined to end their season on a high.
Cork though are a well balanced team and if Niamh O’Leary is fit to start the defence will be as strong as ever fronting excellent goalkeeper Ciara Hurley.
Aoife Barrett, Emma Flanagan and Laura Doyle top class all year. A slight concern is at times an over reliance on Lauren Homan for scores and to be fair she has delivered, others will need to step up and hopefully the Cliona’s O’Callaghan and Dooley can do so, with Eimear Duignan an option off the bench.
It has the makings of a fascinating contest between two very good teams, but I fancy Cork to edge it and get the afternoon off to a winning start.
The match is live on C103.
Divisional and colleges county championships
Both the hurling and football has been diluted somewhat by the withdrawal of several divisions from both codes and one must wonder is there a future for the current format of this section in the championship. In football, the semi-final’s are on Friday.
Duhallow v UCC in Mallow with Carbery playing Muskerry in Ovens both at 7.30pm.
The hurling semi-finals are on Sunday. Muskerry v UCC in Dungourney at 3pm. This marks the official opening the clubs new stand, while at 7.15pm Fermoy is the venue for the meeting of Avondhu and Imokilly.