Reigning League Champions take on County Champions in Fraher Field show down.

They met twice last year in big finals and it proved to be honours even.

Lismore emerged as winners on a 2-10 to 2-9 score line in last years final at Fraher Field and when the same two sides clashed in the County Final at Ardmore some weeks later, the rolls were reversed as the Mid County side ran out winners on a 1-12 to 0-9 score line.

In last years league final, the two sides were as evenly matched as the final score line suggests.

At the break the sides were all square. Shona Curran gave Lismore an early lead with a point, but Saint Anne’s hit back with 1-1, both scores coming from the stick of Zoe O’Donoghue.

Although Lismore through Shauna Kiernan pulled a point back, the mid county side soon stole a huge march on the side from the Heritage Town as Zoe O’Donoghue cracked home her second goal of the game.

Trailing by five points, Lismore cut Saint Anne’s lead with points from Ruth Geoghegan and Shauna Kiernan before Shauna Kieran struck Lismore’s first goal of the game.

Zoe O’Donoghue soon had Saint Anne’s back in front before Aoife Hannon with a brace edged Lismore back in front by a Niamh Rockett just before the break pointed for Saint Anne’s to ensure that the sides would retire at the break locked at 2-3 to 1-6.

Lismore at the start of the second half began very brightly. Ruth Geoghegan hit a second goal for the side in Black and Amber to which Shauna Curran and Nicola Morrissey added points to give Lismore five point lead with a quarter of the game still to play.

The sign of a good team is how they fight back after a spell when their opponents are on top and Saint Anne’s showed exactly why they are a top side as Jennie Simpson and Zoe O’Donoghue landed a brace of points to bring them back into the game.

Duel inter county star (Camogie and Ladies Football) Shona Curran hit over a free with time ticking down to draw the sides level and in added time Nicola Morrissey ensured that the Denny Buckley Cup, put up in honour the father of Lismore Captain Laura Buckley, and played for the first time would find a home on the banks of the Blackwater.

When the sides clashed at Ardmore a few weeks later it was Saint Anne’s that emerged 1-12 to 0-9 winners.

The league champions for that game went into the game minus the services of Aisling O’Brien, Grainne Kenneally and Ruth Geoghegan through Injury.

Even minus these players who would be a loss to any side, Lismore put it up to the eventual winners and at the end of a very low scoring first half, they held a 0-3 to 0-2 advantage.

The second game saw the pace really hot up.

Jennie Simpson was without doubt the Mid Counties most important player in this game and it was a thirty metre free ten minutes from time by her that proved to be the most crucial score of the game as it gave Saint Anne’s a 1-6 to 0-5 lead, putting some day light between the sides.

Both sides for this latest battle between the two are likely to be short some of their leading players.

Grainne Kennelly is out for Lismore as is Ruth Geoghegan. Also expecting to be missing is Caitriona McGlone who is sitting exams in the coming weeks. For Saint Anne’s Pauline Cunningham is out with an injury while Niamh Rockett is also understood to be carrying an injury.

However, there is still plenty of talent that will be on show for those that make their way to Fraher Field for a 6pm throw in on Saturday evening.

Lismore should be able to call upon the likes of Aisling O’Brien, a top class goal keeper Shauna Kiernan Nicola Morrissey, Laura Buckley and Aoife Hannon who are all inter county players, while for Saint Anne’s Zoe O’Donoghue and Karen Kelly could well prove to be a handful in attack with Jennie Simpson and Mairead Murphy also expected to play key rolls.

While Lismore and Saint Anne’s will fight out the main game of the weekend, it is not the only game to be played in Fraher Field this weekend. Prior to the Senior Camogie League Final, Brickeys and Butlerstown will do battle in the Intermediate final which also could prove to be a fascinating battle.

Fixtures.

Intermediate Camogie League Final: Butlerstown V Brickeys in Fraher Field on May 18 at 4-30pm.

Senior Camogie League Final: Lismore V Saint Anne’s in Fraher Field on May 18 at 6pm.