Cork chase 31st O’Duffy Cup
With the club championships on a weekend break, the focus this weekend is on the big one - the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final - Cork v Galway in Croke Park on Sunday while the divisional and colleges section of the county championships reach their conclusion.
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie
Cork v Galway on Sunday in Croke Park at 4.15pm
“Delighted to be back in the final given the difficulties we had at the start of the season; it just shows the resilience within the group,” Cork manager Ger Manley said before Sunday’s final.
Back in April Cork lost to Antrim in the league for the 1st time in many years and relegation from D1 was a possibility but what changed?
“Well we did not get relegated and gradually the injury worries we were dealing with cleared; we lost to Tipperary in the Munster Championship, but played well and then we got down to work.”
The team had “a very good block of training ahead of the 1st round of the All-Ireland against Galway in Athenry”.
It was an emphatic win and it changed the dynamic of the group phase.
“Without a doubt and now we were looking at a semi-final which we then targeted and that gave us time again to get more work done and any niggling injuries cleared up.”
Was it a season changing result?
“I suppose you could say it was as it instilled belief in the players that we were - as I always felt we were - contenders again.”
It’s a 6th successive final for Cork and for the 3rd final in a row, Galway are in the opposite corner, a team Ger has huge respect for.
“Look they’re the All-Ireland champions and also won the league and have some very good players, but look we have equally good players and are really looking forward to Sunday.”
Ger is clear on the strengths of Galway, saying they are “well balanced” with “good players in every line, but we have played each other often enough to know to expect from them and they from us”.
Captain’s view
Meabh Cahalane is captain and the hurt from last year is still there. “A bit yet but look that is in the past now and it’s nearly a new team we have but the desire within the group is strong and that is important.”
Meabh is delighted at the way the new players have fitted into the team and while the start of the year was tough, it has improved greatly as the season evolved. “They have been brilliant and when you consider the players that we lost for a variety of reasons, it shows the depth within the squad that we are back in the final.”
Winning the Under 23 All-Ireland was very important: “It was - it gave the new players confidence and they brought that into training and we all benefitted from that.”
Going direct to the semi-final was huge in terms of preparation. “Yeah once we beat Galway in Athenry, we kinda knew we could get there and that allowed us a good run into the semi-final which was ideal.”
As for the semi-final, it was very much a game of two halves - very good 1st half and a patchy 2nd period.
“Yeah the first half was the best we played all year and we knew Tipperary would come at us especially with the strength of the wind, but we dug in and got the job done.”
That was two weeks ago and for Meabh her routine for the final has changed little over the years; well they have been doing it now for the last 6 years!
“Well the first few days are recovery and after that we focus on ourselves and Galway, and then wind down after the training is over, relax get a few jobs done and then it’s match day before you know it.”
Does she still have nerves before a final?
“Ah a bit but look every player in the country wants to begetting ready for the All-Ireland Final and they would gladly swap with us, but we delighted to be back in the final and really looking forward to it.”
Rebel support
One thing both Ger and Meabh agreed on was the level of support the team are getting.
“Incredible and the way they got behind us in Thurles was a factor is getting us over the line and I know it will be just as strong on Sunday.”
Galway made it to the semi-final with wins over Tipperary and Waterford having recovered from the opening round loss to Cork.
In that semi-final they were comfortable winners over a Kilkenny side that were making the last four for the first time in two years; overall it was a poor game but that did not trouble the champions.
What will trouble Cathal Murray is the number of injuries they have picked up; reports would suggest that a few players will miss out.
Key player Sabina Rabbittee is ruled out while Niamh Mallon is rated doubtful as are Niamh McPeake and Jennifer Hughes, but Aoife Donohue and Dervla Higgins both of whom departed early in the semi-final are expected to be fit to take their place.
For all that, the champions still have quality players in ace free taker Carrie Dolan - it was her point that won last year’s final - Roisin Black, Niamh Niland, Ciara Hickey, Ally Hesnan, Aine Keane and Caoimhe Kelly as they bid to do something they have not done before - retain the title.
Cork are almost certain to go with the 15 that started the semi-final, in which they scored 2-11 in the 1st half, 2-10 from play and no wide at all.
Amy Lee made a couple of top class saves particularly in the 2nd half as Tipperary battled to get back into the game.
The defence were excellent in that half, Libby Coppinger got the POTM gong, but it could very easily have gone to Meabh Murphy who was outstanding at centre-back.
Izzy O’Regan, Meabh Cahalane, Ava Fitzgerald and Isobel Sheehan were solid and dependable all through and they will need to be as good again on Sunday.
Ashling Thompson worked as hard as ever in midfield and her tenacity will help even if she is carrying a slight knock, while alongside is Laura Hayes who is a key player. Her pace, work rate and accuracy have proved crucial when it matters in big games - she rarely fails to deliver.
As referenced 2-11 in the 1st half, but only 5 points in the 2nd period, although the wind was a factor.
Emma Murphy was outstanding with 0-4, Sorcha McCartan and Amy O’Connor delivered big scores as did Millie Condon.
Saoirse McCarthy and Orlaith Cahalane worked hard but that was not reflected in their scoring return and they will look to improve on that come Sunday.
The bench too could be important as Orlaith Mullins clipped over 2 points on her introduction.
Galway will start as favourites, rightly so as champions, yet in last year's decider Cork played the entire 2nd half with 14 after Hannah Looney’s red card just before the break and only a late free denied Cork at least a draw, which would suggest it will be as close again.
Cork will also have a number of players starting their first final - will that be a factor?
It’s a hard one to call, Cork will need to get a good start help the newcomers settle, be disciplined as Dolan rarely misses a free, as we know to our cost.
Cork though have a lot of pace and the wide open spaces of HQ will help; I also feel there’s big games coming from key players O’Connor, McCarthy and Orlaith Cahalane among them.
Get that and Cork will be on their way to their 31st title.
Go for it girls, and hopefully a homecoming to celebrate on the Grand Parade on Monday night.
The match is live on C103 and the Onic Player.
County championships
Well that was a dramatic start to the hurling championships with Sars, Glen Rovers and the ‘Barrs losing their opening round games which will make round 2 very interesting in 3 weeks time.
This weekend the focus is on the colleges and divisional section in hurling and football.
In Co-Op Superstores Hurling, Ballinlough is the venue for the meeting of Seandun and Muskerry on Sunday at 3pm. This is the seeded semi-final, while at the same time in the McCarthy Insurance Group Football, Ovens hosts the preliminary quarter-final meeting of UCC and Carbery.