Camogie takes centre stage

The curtain came down on Cork’s inter-county season in Croke Park last Saturday with the defeat to Dublin, so now it’s up to the Cork camogie and ladies football teams to see if silverware can return to Leeside.

This weekend the focus is very much on camogie with both Cork teams in action with a Páirc Uí Rinn double header on Saturday.

Glen Dimplex Senior Championship

Cork v Tipperary at 4pm

With 4 wins from 4, Cork have already secured their semi-final place, in Croke Park on 23 July, but will be keen to end the group phase with a win and maintain their unbeaten run ahead of that game.

It’s so different for the visitors, they need a win and then hope results elsewhere go their way if they are to continue their run of recent years, where they have contested the last 4 semi-finals.

Their form this year has dipped considerably and having lost to Clare in a Munster Semi-Final replay, they were unable to pick it up for the All-Ireland and their 5 points come from 2 draws and a win last time out against Wexford.

In fact, except for Clare who are out of contention, Cork in the semi-final, the other counties have something to play for with the 2 quarter-final spots up for grabs, Tipperary though are faced with the toughest test with this trip to Páirc Uí Rinn.

In the immediate win over Waterford in the last round Cork Manager Matthew Twomey was delighted with their position: “Thrilled that we are in the semi-final, today was a real test and we came through it, we wanted to finish top of the group and that’s exactly where we are now.”

Matthew also said they will be determined to win the Tipp game: “No question it’s our last competitive game before the semi-final and we want to go into that game on the back of a win, not a defeat, and we know it will be tough as Tipperary have something to play for.”

Injuries though are a concern: “Laura (Treacy) is carrying a knock so we probably won’t risk her until the semi-final, while Orla (Cronin) picked up an injury in training but should be ok for Saturday.” Ashling Thompson filled in the role that Laura does and did it to perfection: “Excellent but then Ashling is a very good player with plenty of experience and she was the ideal player to take over.”

Tipperary’s injuries have not helped their cause but the win over Wexford will have boosted them for this testing encounter. They do have good players and their manager Bill Mulaney will look to build on that victory.

Aine Salttery is a very competent goalkeeper while in defence they have Juileanne Bourke, Ciardha and Caoimhe Maher and Aoife Mc Grath.

Niamh Treacy is a hard working midfielder, while Cait Devane is a real classy forward with good support from Jenny Grace, Roisin Howard and Claire Hogan.

There will probably be a few changes on the Cork team but the bulk of the starting 15 will feature those players that have done so well in the games to date.

Captain Amy Lee hardly put a foot wrong all year topped off with a brilliant penalty save against Waterford.

Dual players Libby Coppinger and Meabh Cahalane have coped comfortably of the demands of recent weeks.

Half-back duo of Laura Hayes and Saoirse Mc Carthy have really blossomed all year and not only are they excellent defenders their ability to get forward and score some great points is a huge plus.

Up front there is plenty of quality in Orla Cronin, Katriona Mackey, Chloe Sigerson and Amy O’Connor who can trouble any defence.

It might also be the ideal match to get game time into Hannah Looney whose return in recent weeks will have boosted the squad.

While Tipperary have more to play for, you would expect Cork to win, especially with places on the starting 15 in the semi-final up for grabs and whatever starting team is announced they have too much depth and quality for the girls from the Premier County.

Glen Dimplex Intermediate Championship

Cork v Kildare at 2pm

Despite losing to Derry last weekend, narrowly it must be said, Cork still retains top spot in the group by virtue of scoring difference over ironically Derry.

In fact, Cork are still in pole position to make the semi-final, they are assured of a quarter-final spot, but a win on Saturday could see them make the last 4 even more so as Kildare are bottom of the table.

It’s been a good season for this Cork team. They lost the league semi-final narrowly to Antrim and up to last week were unbeaten in the Championship.

Nice balance to the team even if injuries has curtailed the impact of some key players who hopefully will have recovered in time for the knockout phase in the coming weeks, quarter-finals are scheduled for 9 July in O’Moore Park Portlaoise, semi-final’s 23 July in Nowlan Park Kilkenny. Stephanie Beausang is a solid goalkeeper with Niamh O’Leary, Leanne O’Sullivan, Rachel Harty, Lauren Callanan, Joanne Casey, Michelle Murphy and Hayley Ryan all in good form.

When the sides met earlier in the year in the league, Cork were comfortable winners, they should win again on Saturday and in the process go direct to the semi-final.

Footballers gave it their best shot

“Very disappointed with the final result but very proud of the way the lads battled away to the end against a very experienced Dublin side who have won 6 of the last 7 All-Ireland titles.”

Those were the words of interim Manager John Cleary after last Saturday’s loss.

John also made the point that Cork will now have to look ahead and try and get to the standard required to compete at the top level: “We saw out there the difference while we battled away you could see the fitness levels and the conditioning of the Dublin players is well ahead of where we are right now and that needs to be addressed, right now we are only concerned at the loss today but in the weeks ahead the group will sit down and review the season as a whole.”

The pleasing aspect was the effort everyone made to play their part in the game.

John had particular praise for Sean Meehan: “Without a doubt Sean burst a gut to play and it was great to see him get on near the end.”

When you look at the players that missed out through injury, Brian Hartnett, Kevin Flahive, Nathan Walsh, Killian O’Hanlon and Conor Corbett, add in Daniel O’Mahoney who was based in Dublin for most of the year and that is a serious amount of quality that were unavailable for key games.

On the plus side, the form of Steven Sherlock, Kevin O’Donovan, Cathal O’Mahoney and the injury free run that saw Sean Powter play, like we all know how he can play, a key player in the development of this team in the coming seasons, similarly with Brian Hayes another with a lot offer, had a few injuries after a long campaign with the ‘Barr’s.

He’s a big player going forward. It is obvious that the strength and conditioning will have to be worked on, something I am sure management will address in the coming weeks, and what of the management?

John Cleary stepped in when Keith Ricken had to step aside a few months back. What now going forward ? A bit like the Kieran Kingston situation in hurling it needs to be finalised sooner rather than later for all concerned.

Priority next season is a good league campaign. Remember the 4 teams in Croke Park last Saturday will all be playing one another in Division 2, along with Kildare, Limerick, Louth and Meath nothing easy there.

Remember also there is a new Championship format next season, so a lot to consider for all parties as the curtain comes down on Cork’s season, with the question now is the ‘glass half full or half empty’.

Focus now to will switch to the upcoming county football championship to see if any new talent can be unearthed. I am sure the selectors will keep a watchful eye on proceedings in all grades.

Finally

Well done to the Cork Ladies Football team on reaching the championship quarter final and a meeting with Mayo on 9 July in Cusack Park Ennis at 3pm and with big guns Dublin and Meath on the opposite side of the draw they look set to meet in the semi-final, topping the group could work in their favour.

Meanwhile, is it time for the GAA to dispense with penalties to decide big games? Surely it is. Okay, the split season is a tight one, but with only a few teams still in contention from provincial finals on games should go to a replay, by all means have extra-time, but do away with result on the day.

There is enough experience in Croke Park when it comes to determining schedules that replays can be factored, also consider the revenue such games will generate.