THE MAKINGS OF A CRACKER
Knockananna and Donard-The Glen to lock horns yet again
IT’S not exaggeration to state that the Senior camogie final between defending champions Knockananna and challengers Donard-The Glen has the potential to be a superb contest between two willing and able teams who both have equally important yet radically different motives for securing the coveted crown.
For Tom Byrne’s side, there’s a three-in-a-row up for grabs. Some might dismiss it as irrelevant, some might say it’s a distraction, but it would be foolish to suggest that such an achievement is not a driving force for a talented bunch of players, many of whom are have been at the pinnacle of ladies football and camogie in the county for the last number of years.
For Donard-The Glen, the opportunity to spoil Knockananna’s three-in-a-row dream and gain revenge for the Carlow border club doing exactly that to them in 2016 will certainly whet the appetite for battle come 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon in Baltinglass.
It’s a new-look Donard-The Glen side this season with the loss of several players to emigration and injury. Captain Kelly O’Neill says that the team have had to stand up and get along without players such as her own two sisters who emigrated after last season and that the county title is there for them if they want it.
‘We’ll be driving on for those who wish they could be playing, and we want to make sure we get the cup back for them. Knockananna took a three-in-a-row from us so we are not going to let them do it. Everyone is driving us on for this journey and it’s there for us if we really want it,’ said Kelly.
O’Neill’s confidence and desire for a championship win under her watch is undeniable and her assured tone is justified given that she has guided her team to four championship victories and no defeats in this campaign, including a comprehensive victory over a somewhat depleted Knockananna side in Knockananna in the league section of the competition.
According to Kelly there’s a renewed sense of potential within the Donard-the Glen camp under Clare native Camin Kiely. The Donard-the Glen captain expresses regret at the one-point loss to their county final opponents in the Senior league decider earlier in the year but pure passion oozes from the Donard-The Glen leader as she speaks of thwarting their attempts at a three-in-a-row.
The mood is considerably more upbeat across the way in Knockananna where club stalwart Sinead Byrne has taken the reins as captain this season.
Byrne speaks with pride at her selection as captain by the club and it would obviously be a dream come true to be able to not only lift the cup on Saturday evening in Baltinglass but to also lift the one that completes the three-in-a-row.
Byrne is very complimentary of manager Tom Byrne who was involved at underage for years before being, as Byrne puts it, ‘worn down’ by club officials and that he ‘ran out of reasons to say ‘no’ when repeatedly asked to take over the Senor team.
‘He has been brilliant, after he adjusted to received impudence from adults compared to the easy life he had at juvenile,’ joked Sinead. ‘But he has so much experience,’ she added.
For Sinead Byrne everything is about the performance on the day and about playing to the team’s potential.
That potential is wrapped up in the performances of Aine O’Keeffe, Ciara Byrne and Sarah Byrne who have been outstanding for the side all season. Around them work the rest of the side and unless Donardthe Glen can counteract the threat of Ciara and Sarah Byrne then their arch rivals will be turning right out of the gate in Baltinglass with another county title to their credit.
Donard-The Glen will hope that their experienced players can get their young stars into the game as early as possible with Kelly O’Neill, Amy Switzer, Sive Byrne and Hannah O’Neill key soldiers in the Donard-The Glen cause.
This has the makings of a cracker precisely because of the reason stated at the top.
Knockananna want this threein-a-row more than anything. Donard-The Glen want to stop them.
Nothing else will matter come 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon. Panels from the league final: Knockananna: Macayla Murphy; Niamh Byrne, Aine O’Keeffe, Sarah Tallon; Emily Hadden, Claire Byrne, Orla Kealy; Shannagh Goetelen, Ciara Byrne; Dervla Byrne, Sinead Byrne, Emily O’Reilly; Niamh Mutton, Sarah Byrne, Eireann Moules. Subs: Heather Tallon, Loretta Mutton.
Donard-The Glen: Lindsey Walsh; Carmel Whelan, Katie Daynes, Lizzie Brophy; Casey Kelly, Mollie McCormack, Sive Byrne; Sophie Mills, Amy Switzer, Kelly O’Neill; Clair Whelan, Hannah O’Neill, Lillie May Cullen Dunne. Katie Ann O’Neill, Emer Kelly, Izzy Keenaghan.