Intermediate ladies set for Cork Croker clash
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final
Kilkenny vs Cork
Croke Park, Sunday, 11th August, 3pm
Referee: Brian Kearney
This Sunday see’s the curtain fall on the intercounty camogie season with all three finals set to take place at Croke Park this weekend. First up is the junior final which sees Laois take on Tipperary (1:05pm). The senior final will be an intriguing affair between two of our old foes, Cork and Galway (5:15pm). Kilkenny are represented in the showpiece, with Liz Dempsey selected as the referee for the Rebels and Tribeswomen’s clash and we hope all goes well for Thomastown official.
But it’s the second of the three battles that will be of most interest to those on Noreside. Our Intermediate camogs will run out at the Jones’s Road venue knowing that there are only 60-odd minutes from securing their third ever Jack McGrath Cup, but know that they face a stern challenge from a Cork team that are seeking a fifth title at this level.
Seamus Kelly’s team will know that they will need to perform to their maximum to get the better of their opponents on Sunday at headquarters and will hope that their semi-final exploits which saw extra-time needed to get past the stubborn challenge of Kerry gives them the mental advantage ahead of this weekend’s decider. Cork has more recent experience of lining out for the big day at this level, losing the 2022 final to Galway by two points.
That side were under the guidance of Trevor Coleman who had decent success with the Rebel’s intermediate side, leading them to a Munster title and Division 2 B league last season, but the Na Piarsaigh man was replaced by Donie Daly for this season and the Youghal club man has masterminded his county’s return to the second-tier decider and will be keen to build on his success at other levels with the Leesiders. Daly, whose late mother Mary Jo (nee Ryan) was a prominent Cork player, winning senior All-Irelands has a good record at the helm, guiding the Cork junior team to provincial glory in 2016 before leading the U16’s Rebels to All-Ireland titles pre and post the pandemic.
The season started on the right footing for Cork’s intermediate side, with a strong league campaign ending with a second successive Very Camogie League Division 2B title. Daly’s charges won all but one of their group games, a surprising loss to Wexford as they marched to the league final. The decider was a tight affair, with Cork overcoming a stubborn Tipperary side by three points in Abbotstown. In the final, their captain and placed ball specialist, Lauren Homan led them to victory, hitting a magnificent nine points as they retained their title.
While the Leesiders didn’t contest this year’s provincial decider, they regrouped for the All-Ireland series and have been impressive as they navigated their way through Group 1 of the intermediate championship, winning all five games as they finished 6-points clear of their nearest rivals to secure a straight passage to the semi-final of the competition. Daly’s side awaited the winners of the last eight tussle, between Meath and Offaly with last year’s beaten finalists coming up a little short against the Faithful County. The semi-final encounter with Offaly was their second meeting this season, Cork winning their second round fixture by the bare minimum, so Daly’s ladies knew what to expect in the Semple Stadium Clash.
The Rebels came out on top, winning by six points with captain Homan top scoring once again, this time registering 1-7 while Cliona Dooley notched 1-2 in the victory over Offaly. There’s no hiding the influence that the Brian Dillon’s player has on her side and she will be determined to lead her side to a fifth intermediate crown on Sunday. Her placed ball battle with Kilkenny’s Danielle Morrissey could go a long way to deciding whether its Leeside or Noreside that the Jack McGrath resides on this Sunday evening. While Homan and Dooley are key in the Cork attack, they have strong performers at the other end of the pitch too.
Aoife Barrett and Emma Flanagan have been highly impressive in defence, with the Aghabullogue players providing a tough shield for the Rebel side. Indeed, Barrett was exceptional in the Offaly game, earning her the POTM award. In midfield, McCarthy and Buttimer are names to watch out for in the centerfield battle, while Eimear Duignan and Cliona O’Callaghan have contributed heavily to their teams progress this season.
Our ladies have also been improving as the season progressed. A difficult league campaign, which saw them compete in the same group as Sunday’s opponents yielded just four points, one win over The Banner and a heard earned point against neighbours Tipperary. Like Cork, our Stripeywomen didn’t contest the provincial final, which saw Wexford triumph over The O’Moore County in Tullamore. As we all know, you want to be peaking at the business end of the season, and that is exactly what Seamus Kelly and his management team have done with their side. Once the All-Ireland series got up and running, the ladies in black and amber began to purr. They had six games in group two and won all but one of those, when they had to settle for a draw against Dublin.
Like their fellow finalists, this saw them take the most direct route to the semi-finals. Their last four clash saw them face-off against Kerry, who have really been progressing well at this level and look a decent side under the stewardship of Brian D’Arcy. The Kingdom contributed magnificently to the clash in Thurles and were just pipped after extra time was needed to find a winner.
As mentioned earlier, Cork have Homan, we have Morrissey. Danielle have one again been stepping up to the plate and delivering for her County. The Conahy player appears to have ice in her veins and will relish another outing in Croker. She; like some of her teammates has experienced the pain of defeat at this stage of the competition, when a very strong Antrim outfit were eight points ahead at the long whistle in 2021. Morrissey has quality camogs keeping her company in attack. Caroline Kennedy is a great focal point in attack for our ladies, and the Slieverue player delivered the decisive score in the victory over Kerry while St Martin’s Carlise Comerford has been popping up with key scores and big contributions this season. Dicksboro’s recent club success has obviously meant a number of their club women have been representing their County with great distinction. At intermediate level, Jane Cass, Rose Kelly and Rachel Dowling have been catching the eye, with the latter two players popping up with crucial scores in the semi-final win.
Alongside Cass in defence, Hannah Scott has once again shown her ability in the run to this year’s final. The Village player is one of the most experienced players in Seamus Kelly’s team and really helped get her team over the line last time out, standing strong defensively and getting Kilkenny on the front foot with some quality deliveries into her forwards. Scott is made of strong stuff and won’t be found wanting in the heat of the battle on Sunday.
One important factor on Sunday could prove to be the impact that both sides get from their bench and the likes of Ellen Gunner, Kate McCluskey, captain Cria Langton and Niamh Crowley will all be chomping at the bit to get on and deliver for the black and amber. This game could be close and promises much in terms of both quality and entertainment, but as we all know, it’s all about the result and our ladies are capable and primed to deliver the silverware. Bring it home ladies!
