Camogie season set for a very busy start
Champions face trip to Nickey Rackard Park tonight
THE PREMIER Senior club camogie championship starts this week, with the target on the back of defending champions St. Martin’s once again. The Piercestown-based club travel to Rathnure to get their campaign under way tonight (Tuesday) at 7.30 p.m.
Much of the same management team will be in charge when they get their run going against the Blackstairs club.
Máire O’Connor, J.J. Doyle, Benny Ennis and Noel Cardiff all return, although the 2018 Leinster champs do add the knowledgeable eyes of Martin Quigley to the fold. Paul Harrington is physio.
On the pitch, looking to get a full-half season into the legs after having injury woes in recent years, Sarah O’Connor captains a side that has lost none of the panel that won the county title last season.
There are several young guns fighting for places, with the likes of Aoife O’Connor, Aoife Bridges, Sarah Hobbart and the powerful Aoibheann Mernagh all attempting to make the big leap into a talented first 15. Also in that three-team group are newcomers Naomh Eanna.
In Group 2, Oulart-The Ballagh, beaten finalists last year, kick off their campaign with a home tie against St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier tonight (7.30 p.m.).
Colin Sunderland in charge of the Enniscorthy District girls for the third season in a row, with Kevin Doyle and Kevin Kennedy as selectors. Ray Harris is physical trainor while Rory Jacob is coach.
Oulart-The Ballagh are boosted by the return of Karen Atkinson and Una Leacy to the playing squad, and they will be hopeful that those two experienced players can push them on just a little bit after bringing St. Martin’s to a replay in last year’s final.
A youthful St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier team, with an average age of 22, will look to improve on last season’s showing, with the experience they gained there, and will hope to put it up to Oulart-The Ballagh in their opener. Niall Denton is in his second season at the helm and is joined by selectors John Fielding and Kim Walsh.
The experienced Kate Kelly, Áine Lacey, Ciara Donohoe and Michelle Harding are all back for another crack, with the likes of Ailis Neville, Lauren Murphy, Ciara Banville, Aoibhe Murphy and Andrea Fielding adding the youthful element. Deirdre McMahon and Niamh Walsh will miss the season.
Glynn-Barntown, who boast a similar average age, get their campaign under way on Saturday when they host Oulart-The Ballagh in Killurin.
Mairéad Whelan takes charge of the side for the second season and is joined by plenty of ‘96 experience in the guise of Garry Laffan (coach) and Tommy Kehoe. Paschal Carley is selector, while Lizzy Kent is also on board as a coach.
With Grace Roche, Ciara Butler and Rachel Murphy making the step up from the successful Glynn-Barntown under-age set-up, and the influx of Eimear Fitzpatrick (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Natalie Heffernan (Ahane) and Briona O’Neill (O’Loughlin Gaels), there are plenty of new players in the mix.
And with the old guard like Róisín Doyle, Aoife Sheil, Áine Shannon and 2019 import from Tullaroan, Jenny Logue, there’s plenty of experience in the mix too. There is one disappointment for the Killurin girls, as Annette Moroney has retired after two decades of great service for the club.
The five-team, one-group Senior championship starts with a battle between home side Buffers Alley and Bunclody (7.30 p.m. on Tuesday). Mick Murphy is over the Monamolin girls, with Paddy Doyle and Johnny O’Leary acting as selectors.
After time out with their families, Catherine O’Loughlin and Noelle Doran return to the fold. Ciara Doyle, Becky Kavanagh and Gráinne Burke also return, while Annie Dempsey is back after travelling last summer.
Stepping up from the under-age groups are Emily O’Reilly and Caitlin Walsh, and both will add plenty of enthusiasm to the fold. The Alley have been dealt a blow with the loss of Méabh Hughes, who goes closer to home with the newly re-formed Tara Rocks adult team.
Also on Tuesday evening, Kilrush begin their campaign against Clone Gaels (Ferns/Monageer), with Paul Tobin, Mick Doan, Mary Hayden and James Owens making up the management team for their Seniors and Juniors.
Lorna Fortune, Lisa Fortune, Maura Kavanagh and Claire O’Rourke are all back for the Gorey District club, who have a serious amount of talent coming up from the under-age, including the first injection from their 2018 Féile-winning side soon. Charlene Hayden will miss the season.
Oylegate-Glenbrien, coming into the championship on a high having won the Intermediate title last year, are the side with the bye week first up. They will begin their campaign with a home game against Kilrush on Saturday (7.30 p.m. throw-in).
Part of what made Oylegate-Glenbrien come to the fore last season was their excellent blend of youth and experience. After their success last term, Tim Nolan and Caroline Doyle remain at the helm, with Pat Dobbs of P&R Fitness working on the club’s conditioning.
Siobhán Cummins and Lorraine Fortune (O’Connor) are part of the older guard, while much will also be expected of county players Derbhla Doyle and Katie Sludds.
Polly Frost, Loren Doyle and Kelly Anne Dempsey have all been involved with their county at under-age level and are becoming important players at their club too.
The Intermediate championship gets under way on Tuesday, with Castletown-Liam Mellows heading to Castleboro to take on Cloughbawn (7.30 p.m.). The Gorey District side are reigning Junior ‘A’ titleholders and and will be looking for another memorable season with their youthful squad. Boss and county Senior selector Neil Cullen will continue, with Cathal D’Arcy and Brian Byrne as selectors, while Niamh Donnelly has come into the fold having featured as an under-age player for the club.
Patrick Curley has been involved in pre-season training while Jo Murphy has physio duties. Rathnure ‘B’, also in the group, start their campaign on Saturday.
In the other group, Jack Wright’s Blackwater host Duffry Rovers, hoping to get off to a flying start on Tuesday evening. After losing in the semi-final last year, the Over The Water girls will hope to go a little better and have plenty of expertise in their backroom team, with Aidan Kirwan, Mary Walsh and Tommy O’Toole all involved.
Blackwater welcome Lavina Byrne back into the fold, transferring back to her home club after recently playing with Salthill-Knocknacarra in Galway.
Liz Leacy is also back from overseas, while the Wright twins, who have struggled with injuries in recent times, may play some part, which would be a great boost for the side. Craanford are the other club in Group 2.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown travel to Rapparees on Wednesday with eyes on going one better than last year in Junior ‘A’. County star Joanne Dillon will be key to their success, but six players that won Junior ‘C’ in 2011 are still in what is largely a youthful squad under the watchful eyes of Eileen Dillon, Kevin Lyng and Pat Devereux.
Catherine Roche’s St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier ‘B’ team are also in Group 1 and they’ll be hoping to get off to a winning start against St. Anne’s on the same evening, with Mick Lanigan and John Furlong as mentors.
A blend of experienced players like Leona Tector, Sharon Daly and Maeve Quill, knitted with the returning Ciara Neville and the sprinkling of youngsters like Caoimhe Parker, Mai Linn Tynan, Lily Stout and Nicole Harding-Kenny means they will be a team to keep an eye on.
In the Junior ‘B’ championship, Tara Rocks return to action after six years out of the adult grade. The Whizzy Internet-sponsored side face Kilross Gaels in their opener, and have a backroom team of Des Swords (manager) and selectors Wendy Owley and Patrick Fortune.
As well as a raft of talented youngsters graduating from the Ballynastragh Gaels ranks of recent years, the Rocks also welcome back former players Maria Breen, Aisling Fortune, Mary Jo Lawless, Lana Byrne-Murphy, Margaret Owley and Ciara Owley.
A Shem Anglim-managed Bannow-Ballymitty have high hopes for their campaign which they start on Wednesday against Horeswood.
Patrick Fitzharris and Frank Scallan are selectors for a club that was previously struggling for numbers but have an energetic, excited squad ready for their 2020 campaign.
Sinéad Dempsey will be joined by Mick and John Walsh with the Glynn-Barntown ‘B’ team, and they will be looking to go one better than their county final appearance last season. They open with their young side against Oulart-The Ballagh ‘B’, while Ballygarrett and Fethard are also in Group 2.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy and Geraldine O’Hanrahans square off in the opening fixture in Group 4 on Sunday, and it promises to be a cracker. The Boolabawn side will be managed by Derek Murphy for the third year in a row, and he is joined by trainer Denis Delaney and selectors Cormac Jevens, Billy French and Joe Murphy.
Mary Jevens and Martina McGrath are also involved in a backroom team that presides over a group of players that have been able to move up to the 15-a-side ranks this season, thanks to no retirements and an influx of talented young players that were Under-16 last year.
Despite being less than a decade old, the Geraldines are following Davidstown-Courtnacuddy into the 15-a-side ranks. Liam Carroll, Niall Merrigan, Dave McCarthy and first aid/physio Janet Browne are presiding over a team that has upped their playing crew from 22 to 25 for the new season.
Making a competitive group are Oylegate-Glenbrien ‘B’. Tim Nolan also manages the second string with assistance from Jemma Doyle and Sinéad Stamp. This team has been bolstered by a smattering or Minors so should be exciting to watch.
The Junior ‘C’ championship has had more draws than the 1993 hurling league final at this stage, but Marshalstown are now in Group 1 with Clone Gaels and Faythe Harriers.
The Farmleigh club drop to the 13-a-side competition because of numbers but a young squad, presided over by Nick Finn, Ben Finn, Kate Bolger and Micheál Bennett, hope to grow in the coming seasons.
League champions from 2019, Blackwater, are with Kilrush and Naomh Eanna in Group 2. With Trevor Fortune and Bernie Rath leading the team, they will be without Julia Molloy so it will be up to the other to fill her formidable shoes.
FIXTURES (home team first, all 7.30 p.m.)
Premier Senior championship - Tuesday: Rathnure v. St. Martin’s; Oulart-The Ballagh v. St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier; Saturday: Naomh Eanna v. Rathnure; Glynn-Barntown v. Oulart-The Ballagh.
Senior championship - Tuesday: Buffers Alley v. Bunclody; Kilrush v. Clone Gaels; Saturday: Oylegate-Glenbrien v. Kilrush; Clone Gaels v. Buffers Alley.
Intermediate championship - Tuesday: Cloughbawn v. Castletown-Liam Mellows; Blackwater v. Duffry Rovers; Friday: Rathnure ‘B’ v. Cloughbawn; Saturday: Duffry Rovers v. Craanford.
Junior ‘A’ championship - Wednesday: St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier ‘B’ v. St. Anne’s; Rapparees v. Rathgarogue-Cushinstown; Clongeen v. St. Martin’s B; Taghmon-Camross v. St. James’; Sunday: Rapparees v. St. Anne’s; Rathgarogue-Cushinstown v. St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier ‘B’; Taghmon-Camross v. Clongeen; St. James’ v. St. Martin’s.
Junior ‘B’ championship - Sunday: Tara Rocks v. Kilross Gaels; Bannow-Ballymitty v. Horeswood; Oulart-The Ballagh B’ ‘v. Glynn-Barntown ‘B’; Ballygarrett v. Fethard; Buffers Alley ‘B’ v. Duffry Rovers ‘B’; Davidstown-Courtnacuddy v. Geraldine O’Hanrahans.
Junior ‘C’ championship - Wednesday: Kilrush ‘B’ v. Blackwater ‘B’; Marshalstown v. Clone Gaels ‘B’; Sunday: Marshalstown v. Blackwater ‘B’; Clone Gaels ‘B’ v. Kilrush ‘B’; Faythe Harriers v. Naomh Eanna ‘B’.