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Camogie stars face Tipp in Munster Final

 

Senior Camogie

With the commencement of the All-Ireland Championship just a short few weeks away, both Cork and Tipperary will view Saturday's Munster Final in Cashel at 4pm, as the last major test before the real serious All-Ireland business gets underway.

Cork are the holders of this championship having beaten Saturday’s opposition in the final, which was played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tipperary were comfortable winners over Waterford in their semi-final and they do have quality players who tested Cork in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Cait Devane is their most accomplished player, and she gets good support from Gemma Grace, Megan and Mary Ryan, Ereena Fryday, Clodagh Quirke and Aoife McGrath.

Cork have mixed and matched their team in their wins over Clare and Limerick ensuring all panel members got adequate game time ahead of the All-Ireland series.

They will, of course, want to win this one and with the experienced Gemma O’Connor, Orla Cotter and Aoife Murray still performing at the highest level, along with Leanne O’Sullivan, Julia White and Linda Collins also in good form, Cork should and probably will win.

Junior Final

This decider between Cork and Kerry, also in Cashel with a 2pm start, will present Cork with a real test as Kerry operate, quite well, in Division 2 of the National League and have been in a number of finals recently.

Cork, who defeated Limerick in the semi-final, will be able to call on the All-Ireland winning minor team - among them Molly Lynch, Lucy Wallis and Emma Murphy along with Nicole Crean and Christine O’Neill.

Kerry will look to the classy Patrice Diggin, who was a member of the UL team that won the Ashbourne Cup, Laura Collins, Sara Murphy, Aoife Fitzgerald, Rachel McCarthy, Niamh Leen and Brid Horan.

Ladies Football

Fresh from their success in winning the National League, Cork begin their Munster Championship campaign when they face Waterford in CIT at 5pm on Sunday.

The provincial championship is run on a round-robin basis and Waterford opened with a comfortable win over Kerry, who Cork play on Saturday week immeadiately before the Cork vs Limerick men's football semi-final.

Waterford have been very competitive in recent years and had a win over Cork in that period, but it’s asking a lot of them to repeat that against a Cork side who have laid down a serious marker for the championship with their league title success, which included an excellent win over All-Ireland champions Dublin in the semi-final.

A number of the team will feature with the camogie team in Saturday’s Munster Final, but they still have quality all over the field in Hannah Looney, Libby Coppinger, Orla Finn, Mellisa Duggan, Aine T O’Sullivan, and the O’Sullivan sisters from Mourneabbey.

Doireann O’Sullivan is an absentee with an injury, but the odds favour a Cork win.

Munster Hurling Championship

Cork’s well deserved seven point victory over the All-Ireland and League champions Limerick has really thrown the championship wide open, and what a difference a week can make in sport!

The management team should be rightly commended for the big calls they made in relation to the team selection, equally the players for the manner in which they responded to the over the top criticism, to deliver a quality display.

Cork now have a three week break to Waterford, and by the time that comes around, the table might have a different look to it, but crucially Cork now control their own destiny.

It will also afford the few little niggles to clear up.

It gives Conor Lehane a fighting chance of making the game, while Colm Spillane could also feature.

Waterford are at home to Limerick before they travel to Páirc Uí Chaoimh; if they were to beat John Kiely’s men, not beyond the bounds of possibility, they will be back in the race, but a loss, and their season is effectively over.

A lot to play for then, for all teams in the coming weeks, and plenty of drama and excitement to come.

Equally the minors have put themselves in a good position and the point gained on Sunday could be crucial.

What character shown by Ballygiblin’s Darragh Flynn to nail the levelling free with virtually the last puck of the game.

Well done young man!