Déise ladies head to Dublin

Having already secured their place in the All-Ireland semi finals at the end of August, Waterford’s Intermediate Camogie team travel to Blanchardstown in Dublin on Saturday to play a Derry side that have also qualified for the semi finals in the last game in the league section.

Both sides make the journey to the half way venue with full points from their two games played to date and for the victor of Saturday afternoon’s game the prize will be what is perceived as an easier draw in the semi finals.

The Déise Ladies who are once again coached by Mark Cooney this year have made the step up from the junior grade last year which they won after some near misses in previous years, with relative ease, even without some of those that helped them win the junior title in 2011.

In their first game in this year’s championship Waterford had a 4-8 to 1-14 victory over Limerick in Kilmallock.  Despite Limerick hitting the first score of the game it was Waterford that settled best and two goals from Trish Jackman helped her side to a 2-7 to 0-8 lead at the break.

Waterford had to play second fiddle for much of the third quarter and it was not till the eighteenth minute of the half that they managed to hit their first score of the second half when Zoe O’Donoghue who was only on the field three minutes replacing the injured Grainne Kenneally hammered the ball in the Limerick net for a third Waterford goal.

Playing with the wind at their backs Limerick hit back with three points in quick succession. A Shona Curran point was quickly cancelled out and when Ruth Geoghegan goal it gave Waterford a six point lead with time ticking down. And while Limerick did manage to hit a goal late on in the game, it proved to be but a mere consolation score.

Last time out it was another trip to the Capital to play Antrim. The northerners were expected to provide stiff opposition for Waterford but on the day proved no match as Waterford ran out comprehensive winners on a 7-11 to 3-10 score line.

Group A of the Intermediate championship is made up of second string sides that are playing in the senior championship.

Heading into this weekends round of games it Galway that top the group with maximum points from their three games played to date. Wexford have three points from their three games and are followed by Tipperary who have the same amount of points with a game less played and Cork with two points from their three games played also have an outside chance of reaching the semi final stages of the championship.

Intermediate Fixtures for this Saturday.

Wexford V Kilkenny in Enniscorthy  at 12 noon

Galway V Tipperary in Athenry at 1-30pm

Limerick V Antrim in Newcastle at 1-30pm

Waterford V Derry in Blanchardstown ay 3-00pm