A big day for Lismore and Gailltir Camogie Clubs

Baring the need of having to replay, the curtain comes down on the Camogie Year in Waterford at adult level this Saturday afternoon with the playing of this years County and Junior Finals at Carriganore.

Its hardly a surprise to those that follow the game within the Déise County that Lismore are once again in this years final where they will be looking to make it four finals in a row, but what might to some is their opponents this year, as its not Saint Anne’s as in the last number of years, but Gailltir.

Lismore in the last number of years have done remarkably well. Few if any could dispute that. Winning Two Munster Finals, One All-Ireland, finishing Runner Up in another All-Ireland and missing out on last years Munster Final to Cahir after winning the last three County Finals is a healthy return and they would love to add to what they have already achieved should they get the chance to represent the county in the Munster Championship in the coming weeks.

But the girls from the Heritage Town will not need to be told that if they were to win this Saturday afternoon, things will be much tougher this time around in the Munster Club Championship.

What some might not be aware of is that when it comes to county champions playing in the Munster Club Championship, the club that wins the County Senior Title on a given year play in the grade that the counties Intercounty team played at in that year.

Up to winning last years All-Ireland Intermediate All-Ireland, Waterford therefore would have had their county senior champions play in the Munster Intermediate Championship. But as Waterford played senior this year, the winner between Lismore and Gailltir will play with the big guns this year and compete in the Munster Senior Championship.

There is no disputing that down the year Lismore have been brilliant and represented their club and county with pride and distension.

In the three years since they beat Ballyhale Shamrocks to win the All-Ireland Club Final after a replay at Clonmel, they have lost almost a dozen of that panel of players which numbered 25.

Some of those not around this year were on the starting XV that day, others were subs. Those that were part of the starting XV are replaced by subs that day or even from younger players who have joined the panel since that famous day, players that are spurred on by what they saw their heroines do on that day.

Gailltir are a coming side.

They have some players that have been around some time now even if they still are very young.

Trish Jackman and Áine Lyng will be their best known players, but in the likes of Clara Hogan, Ciara Jackman, Sally O’Grady, Aisling Flood, Sara Judge and Emma Tallon, they have players that know what it is like to play at this level.

As pointed out already, Gailltir are a coming side. They have invested a lot of time and energy into their underage system. They have had a brilliant few years at under 14 level, representing the county at Féile na Gael, winning a number of titles, and players that were part of these teams over the past few years will if they have not already become vital cogs in the Gailltir wheel.

Its important to note that underage success does not always mean success at adult level but it does help and I have no doubt that those involved most in the promotion of the game of Camogie will not rest on their laurels and will try and bring the club to the next level.

Lismore too have achieved success at underage, but it has often come at ‘B’ level. There is some that will say and argue that there is a step up from underage to adult levels and an even bigger step up from the lower levels of the underage game and adult level.

I for one am not going to argue against this. It would be a pointless exercise.

While Gailltir’s recent underage success’ have come at the higher level, Lismore’s players are not at a disadvantage as because the players that are coming from these teams are going into a team that is full of experienced players and they will benefit in the long term from this happening.

Some of Gailltir’s most vital cogs have already been named. The Barony Club will need them and others to have big performances on the day if they are to win the County Championship for the first time in a number of years.

Lismore too have vital cogs. Players like Tanya Morrissey, Shauna Kiernan, Marie Russell, Nicola Morrissey, Caithriona McGlone, Ruth Geoghegan, Grainne Kenneally, Shona and Ellen Curran as well as Johanna and Aoife Houlihan are all going to be vital for the Heritage Town side.

Only one side can win this years championship whether it is this Saturday afternoon or at a later date.

Who will that be? Lismore are going to be very disciplined in their own half of the field as it is hard to see Trish Jackman not leave them off when presented with the chance of scoring from placed balls.

Her side will go into this game on a high after a recent win over Cappoquin in the semi finals at the same venue and also having won the recent Seven’s tournament in Dublin.

Lismore went into this years final as group winners after the league stages of the competition. They are a few weeks now without a competitive game but wont have just sat around in this time.

They have some experienced players and that experience is going to be vital. For me, it’s Lismore that will win out and make it four titles in a row, but expect very little to separate the sides.

The curtain raiser to the senior final at the WIT Sports Campus in Carriganore is the Junior Final between Ferrybank and Tramore.

Both sides came through from their respective semi finals against Clonea and Portlaw last Saturday evening at the Butlerstown grounds.

The Sea-Siders go into this game with what looks like a very dangerous full forward line consisting of Donna Cowman, Masha Power and Muireann Cuddihy. Denise O’Connor came on for Tramore last week as a replacement for the injured Sally Kiely and put in a solid performance when placed in the inside forward line and will be looking to get a place in the team from the start this time out.

They also have a strong centre field paring in Niamh Walsh and Clara Griffin.  

Saoirse English will line out in the half back line and is a player that has played underage camogie for the county in recent years while Abbie Dunphy is known to many as a fine footballer but is also a camogie player of note.

The side from North of the River Suir are also a quality side. Their top player without a doubt is Iona Heffernan who is likely to start at Centre Back, while Niamh Ahearne who is lively to start at centre forward is also key to their sides hopes.

Others that are key to Ferrybank will be Amy Boden between the posts, while Aisling Heffernan, Aishling Oates and Aoife Byrne will have to be at their very best to keep what looks like a dangerous Tramore full forward line at bay.

Lydia Grant and Gráinne Heffernan in the middle of the field will also be vital while the likes of Siobhan Heffernan, Claire Smith-Baldwin and Debbie Boden will be looking to have big games.

Ferrybank are a side that are there or there about in the last couple of years. Tramore are a reformed side who have done brilliant to reach this stage of the competition. Ferrybank’s experience in reaching finals in recent years has to count for something. Their players are bound to be hungry to make up for past disappointments, and so get a tentative vote to collect the laurels.

Ballymacarbry and Brian Boru’s do Battle in Munster Club Championship

Ballymacarbry Senior Ladies Football team make the short journey to Clonmel on Sunday afternoon to play Tipperary champions Brian Borus in the Munster Club Championship.

The two sides have met on a number of occasions in recent years and the County Waterford side who recently won a thirty-fifth county title in a row have come out on top when it counts most, with the most recent win coming in last years championship when they ran out 1-17 to 0-8 winners at New Inn.

This years Brian Borus side is a good one. They had a 1-9 to 1-7 win over Aherlow in the Tipperary Senior County Final recently.

They have some very experienced players in their line up with Laura Morrissey, Jennifer Grant, Cliona O’Dwyer, Mairead Morrissey and Eimer Myles possibly their best known players as they are key players for Tipperary who lost out in this years division three league final replay against Waterford while they also helped the Premier County win a first ever Intermediate Munster Final this year and helped them reach this years All-Ireland semi final where they narrowly lost out to Clare.

In Patricia Hickey, Orla Fleming and Amy Sweeney the South Tipperary side also have some quality players that can cause this Ballymacarbry side some problems.

Twenty years ago I heard people claim that the glory days for the Ballymacarbry Club will come to an end, but they are still going strong and maybe are as strong as ever and will continue to be for some time.

Heading into the last few County Finals there was expectations that maybe Comeragh Rangers might be the side that would bring an end to their long dominance within the game at this level in the county, but so far they have not managed it.

In their most recent competitive game they hit three goals over the course of the hour, two of which without raising any white flags in the game would have won them the game.

In reporting on their recent county final win I said that this is a class Ballymacarbry act.

Right throughout the team there is players that could walk onto any team at any level.

Lauren Fitzpatrick is a quality goalkeeper who has played in that position for Tipperary in recent years. Teresa McGrath is another player that has worn the blue and gold shirt of Tipperary.

There is also an abundance of players in the side that have worn the white and blue of Waterford.

The Ryan sisters, Michelle, Louise and Sinead are all vastly experienced players. So too are the three Wall sisters – Linda, Mairead and Aileen who right now is one of the top players in the game at a national level.  Linda has been part of the majority of the sides that won the last thirty five county finals while Mairead is one of the most under rated players in the country.

The McGrath Sister Michelle and Karen are also quality players. Both missed the start of the year playing for the county but were back for the business part of the year for Waterford and as they have done so many times in the past, the two played a huge part for Waterford.

But there is more to the Ballymacarbry outfit that the senior intercounty players playing with Waterford or Tipperary.

They are able to call on some high quality players in the likes of Becky Hogan, Laura Mulcahy, Eibhlis Cooney, Marian Ryan and Lauren Guiry amongst others, while they also have some very good players in reserve if needed.

This could well prove to be a very good match at the Clonmel venue. Ballymacarbry will go into the game as favourites, and should come through to the next phase of the competition, but things might be a little tighter then the final result of the most recent clash between the two clubs.

It’s Quarter Final Time in Waterford Senior Hurling Championship

Last weekend there was a dozen teams involved in this years County Senior Hurling Championship. At the end of this weekend, baring any draws that will happen, there should be only four left and we should also know which side will be back playing intermediate again in 2017.

Three of this weekends quarter finals are down for decision at Fraher Field with the other game as well as the relegation play off game between Portlaw and Cappoquin taking place at Walsh Park.

Ballygunner coasted to this stage of the championship with four wins and a draw from their five games played in the group stages of the championship.

Abbeyside on the other hand made hard work of reaching this stage of the competition, making it by the skin of their teeth, winning their first two games of the competition and loosing their last three.

They looked for a while last Sunday as if they were going to end that loosing steak leading a fancied Fourmilewater side for a while, but in the end had to settle for second best going under by seven points in Cappoquin.

The only game that Ballygunner did not win to date was their first game in the competition a 0-15 each draw with De La Salle at Walsh Park.

Since then they have recorded four wins and have looked very impressive at times, recording some good wins even with understrength teams at times

Mark Ferncombe was very impressive for Abbeyside in the earlier stages of the competition but he picked up an injury recently that could well force him to miss the remainder of the year and that will be a blow to his sides hopes.

There is some that feel that 2015 could well be a good year for Ballygunner and many expect them to go a long way in the championship and in the Munster Championship which follows.

They have had some injuries of late, but with the back up they have in reserve, even if they are short in this game or should they decide to hold some of their big guns for another day, they should have enough to win here.

De La Salle are a side that have promised so much in the last decade or so and even though they won three News and Star Cups, there is some that feel that on the bigger picture they have under achieved.

Within their set up they have some fantastic players in the likes of John Mullane, Kevin Moran, Stephen Daniels, Jack Fagan, Jake Dillon and Brian Phelan, players who are well used of playing on the big day and players who can help dig out a big performance when it is most needed.

They have recorded some good results this year, winning against Dungarvan, Ballyduff and Portlaw and drew with Ballygunner with their only defeat coming in a 1-18 to 1-14 loss against Passage at the end of last month.

Mount Sion are a side that have seen lots of changes in recent times. While the big names that we have come to know and love in recent years are no longer involved, there is still plenty of talent available to them in the likes of Ian O’Regan, Evan Curran, Stephen Roche, Own Whelan, Ian Galgey, John Dee Martin O’Neill and of course Austin Gleeson.

This is a game that could well go to the wire, with both feeling that they can win, but only one can.

De La Salle will go into the game as favourites based on coming through the tougher group and recording some very good results. They played a relegation play off twelve months ago but expect them to be involved in a championship semi final this year.

This could well prove to be a very entertaining clash between two good sides.

Many are fancying the Old Boro Club to be Ballygunner’s biggest challengers in this years championship but first they have to get over this game.

There can be no disputing that there is plenty of talent in the Dungarvan Club and are able to call on the Curran brothers, Ryan Donnelly, Gavin Crotty, Darragh Lyons, Michael Kiely, Kieran Power and Jamie Nagle amongst others.

Roanmore have made great inroads in the last two or three years backed up by the fact they have reached this stage of the competition for the second year in a row after struggling somewhat to avoid relegation for a number of years after coming up from the Intermediate ranks.

While they were not impressive last Sunday in their win over Roanmore, they still won and that is all that matters at this time of the year. Winning by what ever means is more important than the performance.

In the likes of Eoin Madigan, Billy, Shane and Brian Nolan, Frank McGrath, David Barrett, Emmett O’Toole , Gavin O’Brien etc. they have a group of players who always give it their all and are very hard to beat.

On paper Dungarvan have the stronger team here and should advance but expect Roanmore to push them all the way.

This clash could well prove to be the tie of the round.

Fourmilewater topped Group B and had qualified for this stage of the competition ahead of last weekends game with Abbeyside at Cappoquin.

For a while it looked as if they were going to loose top spot in the group as they trailed for part of the first half, but in they end they pulled out all the stops and in the end were full value for their five point win.

They have some quality hurlers in their ranks. Players like Brian Wall, Shane Walsh, Liam Lawlor, Jamie Barron, Conor Gleeson and Dermot Ryan have all played for the county at different levels and can help pull off a big performance.

Passage recently won the Sargent Cup and Senior Hurling League in an impressive manner and went into the game with Ballygunner knowing that if they could beat their neighbours on a ground that they pulled off their biggest ever win three years ago, that they would have jumped above them in the league table and finish as table toppers.

Like Fourmilewater, they have some quality players in the likes of Eddie Lynch, Pa Walsh, Killian Fitzgerald, Noel Connors, Eoin Kelly and Pat Flynn who has impressed of late.

Who wins here is very hard to predict. Both sides are good. Having seen Fourmilewater more often I give them a hesitant vote to advance to the semi finals, but would not be shocked if Passage were to upset this prediction.

The relegation play off between Portlaw and Cappoquin is a clash of the Intermediate Champions with the past two years.

In most years in the past decade the intermediate champions went back down after just one season in the top grade. Cappoquin did well to avoid relegation last year and if Portlaw win this one, they too will have done well this year’s achieving what is the main thing each club coming up should be trying to achieve.

The Senior Hurling championship in Waterford is a fairly competitive one, but it is not without its flaws. The fact so many clubs that have come up to the intermediate grade have gone back down so quickly suggests that there is a big gap between Intermediate and senior grades in the county and maybe we should relook at our championships with less teams playing senior with the teams loosing out plus the stronger intermediate sides playing in a Senior B or Premier Intermediate Competition.

Going on last weekends results, Portlaw should win this one. They put it up to Ballyduff in the first half but in the end they had to give second best to a Ballyduff Side that has lots of experience in it who also had a strong wind at their backs for the second half.

Portlaw were somewhat unlucky not to have got something out of other games against Dungarvan and Passage and will feel that if they can repeat the performance they served up in that game they are in with a very good shout here.

Cappoquin’s best result was a double score win over Tallow in the first series of games. They also impressed in a very entertaining game against Abbeyside at Colligan, but last weekend they looked very flat against Roanmore.

Cappoquin have some experienced heads on the field and even more experienced heads on the line. They are often very difficult to beat in the bigger games and they don’t get any bigger than this one for them in 2016.

Last weekend Portlaw looked to be the better of the two sides and playing on a surface that they are used to at Walsh Park they get a tentative vote to win, but Cappoquin will make it difficult for them.

Waterford Best Camogie XV in the last ten years. (Unofficial)

In the past twenty five years, Waterford hurling supporters have experienced some great days.

From, the days we travelled to Croke Park and Nowlan Park for the Minor and Under 21 All-Ireland Finals in 1992, to travelling to Semple Stadium for the Under 21 All-Ireland Final in 2016 there has been many highlights, with some great performances served up by some great players.

W.L.R.fm recently ran a team of the past twenty-five years when it came to Waterford hurling. An expert selection committee as well listeners to the radio station were asked to pick Waterford’s best XV of the past twenty five years and in truth it is hard to argue to the team that was picked as Waterford’s best XV.

Sometimes sometime Waterford supporters for what ever reason forget that we have more Waterford teams that the Waterford senior hurlers.

These often forgotten teams by great Waterford supports are sides that are putting in the same effort as the Waterford senior hurling team, or the Minor or Under 21 teams when they are going well and sometimes the effort is put in is even greater.

In the past fifteen years or so, some great work is taking place in Camogie.

It all began with winning the Under 16 ‘B’ All-Ireland Final in 2003 against Armagh at Port Laoise.

That win inspired many on the team to go a step further and encourage a new group of young players to take up the game and try and repeat what teams mates within their clubs and their heroines had done before them.

Waterford contested three All-Ireland Junior Camogie Finals in a row between 2009 and 2011 before eventually winning the latter.

After this in the Intermediate grade Waterford contested three All-Ireland Semi Finals in a row before beating Meath at the fourth attempt and then going on to beat Kildare in the 2015 All-Ireland Final at Croke Park.

This year Waterford played in Division One of the National League and the Senior Camogie Championship. Waterford won just the one game in both competitions, but in both competitions it must be said that Waterford competed well and will have learned a lot from playing against the strongest inter county sides in the land going forward.

In the past ten years or so, Waterford has had some very good players on the Junior, then Intermediate and now senior teams.

I for one am not aware of any competition like what W.L.R.fm ran to pick Waterford’s best XV over the past twenty five years when it comes to Camogie, but as someone that have followed the fortunes of the Waterford Camogie team with some time now, I have picked my best XV of the past ten years.

To pick such a team is no easy task. So many players could feel that they could be included but only fifteen can be selected. So along the way, some tough calls will have to be made and some players will have to be left out that some will feel should have been included.

So who is in my best Waterford XV from the last ten years.

Since 2009 when Waterford first appeared in the Junior All-Ireland Final, eleven different players have won Soaring Stars. Soaring Stars for those not in the know are in effect Camogie All-Stars for those playing in the Intermediate and Junior grades.

On four different occasions Waterford have had players picked out. Two players were picked in 2009, three were picked in 2010, a year later when Waterford won the Junior All-Ireland Final seven Waterford players won Soaring Stars and last year following Waterford had three players picked out to be the winner of a soaring stars.

Yes I know, add these numbers up and you get more than 11 as your answer, but what might not be known is that Jennie Simpson, Trish Jackman, Karen Kelly and Áine Lyng have each won a soaring star twice, hence the 11 won by different players.

It would be hard and nearly impossible to overlook these eleven players and not to include them in Waterford’s best XV.

Because some of these players are so versatile where to fill them in on the overall team could well prove to be a difficult place.

Aisling O’Brien won a Soaring Star as a goalkeeper in 2011 so is selected as Waterford’s best goalkeeper of the past ten years on my team which of course is an unofficial team. Aisling is a player that I have seen play from a very young age and is always a player I was hugely impressed with.

Emma Hannon was selected as a soaring star winner in 2011 as well and is fitted in the team as the right corner back. The Gailltir player played right up to 2015 and was part of the Waterford panel that won the league, but missed out on a championship medal after she had left the country.  

Jennie Simpson is one of the most versatile players to wear the white and blue in the last number of years and is as comfortable playing in defence as in attack and has also played in the centre of the field. The Saint Anne’s player is picked at Full Back on the team.

Kate Marie Hearne has not won any Soaring Stars, but the Butlerstown Club player for a long number of years was part and parcel of different Waterford teams and played at left corner back on three All-Ireland Finals between 2009 and 2011 and was played in the same position the following year when Waterford played in the Intermediate Championship.

Another Lismore player to make the best XV is Grainne Kennelly. Grainne is a very versatile player who can play any place and is an equally as good a footballer as she is at Camogie. She won a soaring star in 2011, and three years later she helped her club win the All-Ireland Intermediate championship. She is fitted into the team at right half back.

The player selected at centre back is another player that can play anywhere on the team and would not be out of place. Trish Jackman is regarded as one of the best in the modern game. If she was with Cork or Kilkenny she would have senior All-Ireland medals in her collection, but hopefully that will happen yet in a white a blue shirt. The Gailltir player has won two Soaring Stars in 2011 and 2015 and is also well know for her exploits in the All-Ireland Puc Fada in the Cooley Mountains over the past decade.

Another versatile player on the Waterford panel over the years is Charlotte Raher. The Saint Anne’s Club Player is someone that always gives it her all and has helped the sides she has played on be it at club or county level to win a number of honours. She was chosen to Captain the Waterford senior team this year and makes this team at in the left half back position.

In the middle of the field is a combination of two players, one who gave great service to Waterford over many years, the other who is still young, but who even at this stage has achieved so much.

Mairead Murphy captained the Waterford team in 2010 when Waterford lost to Antrim after a replay. Twelve months later the Saint Anne’s player was a sub on the team that won the All-Ireland Final. Lorraine Bray from Cappoquin first came to my attention a few years back when she lined out for Waterford in the league against Wexford at Fraher Field and have been very impressed with her since. In the White and Blue of Waterford she has already won a string of honours including a Munster Minor ‘B’ title in 2012, a Munster Intermediate Medal in 2013, a Minor ‘B’ All-Ireland in 2014 and a Division Two league final medal and All-Ireland Medal in 2015. 2015 also saw her win a Soaring Star.  With Cappoquin she also has won a string of honours including Intermediate and Junior League and Championship medals as well as honours at Minor and Under 16 at A and B Level. She was selected on the Munster panel this year for the Inter provincials and also win a Munster Colleges Junior Medal in 2012.

Nicola Morrissey captained Waterford to win the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Final in 2011. She was also part of the Waterford team that won the 2015 All-Ireland Intermediate team that won the All-Ireland and in between she was part of the Lismore team that won the All-Ireland Club Championship in 2014 and part of the same club side that reached the final twelve months later but were beaten on the day. Another versatile player, she is picked at right half forward. Nicola won a Soaring Star award in 2011.

Gailltir are back in the County Senior Camogie Final this year and part of the team is Áine Lyng. She was a key member of the Waterford junior side that contested the 2009 and 2010 Junior All-Ireland’s, winning a Soaring Star in both years.  She has played for Munster at Junior and Senior levels and won inter provincial medals in both levels. She is also the owner of medals won with Mercy Secondary School in Waterford and with U.L and also has won national league and under 16 medals with Waterford as well as Munster medals playing for Waterford. At Club level she has won Under 14, Under 16, Minor and Senior County Final medals with Gailltir and also is the older of an All-Ireland 7’s medal. She is selected at Centre forward on this team.

There can be no disputing the left half forward on the team. Beth Carton is a player that has the brightest of bright future ahead of her. Only 18 years of age, she has won so much in her career to date. She recently won her second County Final medal playing in adult competitions with her club De La Salle, and has also won many honours with the side that wears white and red shirts. On the inter county scene she has also won so much. A Munster Under 16 Medal, Under 16 and Minor All-Ireland medals, a National League medal and an All-Ireland Intermediate All-Ireland medal are all in her collection and surly its only a matter of time before the brilliant De La Salle player adds to that collection.

Another hugely versatile player is Shona Curran. The Lismore club player is someone that can play in any number of positions and is also a very accomplished footballer. She won a soaring star in 2010. She has served both club and county well over the years. She was not long on the field in the 2015 All-Ireland against Kildare when she was making an impact setting up Aisling Power for Waterford’s first goal just before the break. In 2014 she captained Lismore to win the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship, which surly will have to be the highlight or one of the highlights of her career to date.

At Full forward is Karen Kelly. The Saint Annes player was for a long number of years a key member for both club and county. She won Soaring Stars in 2009 and 2010 and played a part in Waterford’s three All-Ireland finals between 2009 and 2011. She remained a key part of the Waterford set up until 2014 when she retired from the inter county game after giving the county a number of years of fantastic service.

Niamh Rockett from the Saint Anne’s Club is another very experienced member of the panel winning a Junior All-Ireland medal there in 2011 when Waterford beat Down and a Intermediate All-Ireland in 2015. She is the holder of three league medals with Waterford as well and a Munster Intermediate medal won in 2013. With Saint Annes she has won Munster a Munster Intermediate Medal with Waterford and won county senior medal in 2009 and 2011. She also has in her collection a County Senior League medal and also has medals from the under 16 and minor grades. She also has in her collection Munster and All-Ireland colleges medals from 2012.

As pointed out already, some will argue for other names to be included in this team. Players like Vicky Gaffney, Deirdre Brennan, Sally O’Grady, Shauna Kiernan, Pauline Cunningham, Claire Whyte, Caithriona McGlone and Fiona Morrissey amongst others could very well be included on another team.

In another few years time, it would be interesting to look back and see how many of the current young players like Brianna O’Regan, Iona Heffernan, Sibeal Harney, Kate McMahon, Anne Corcoran, Courtney Healy, Kaeisha Tobin, Molly Curran, Saoirse Bonner, Aisling Power, Niamh Murphy, Ellen Curran amongst others could well find themselves included in Waterford’s best XV in the past fifteen or twenty years. I have no doubt some will.

All to play for ahead of last round of games in league section of senior hurling championship this Sunday

This Sunday promises to be a big day for all twelve clubs competing in this years county senior hurling championship.

Twelve clubs set out some months back in a bid to win this years News and Star Cup, and already six of that twelve have secured their place in the knockout stages of the competition.

While six clubs have secured their place in the quarter finals of this years championship, every club this weekend have a must win game for one reason or another, as final places in the table will decide who plays who in the next in the competition.

The four teams in Group A in this years championship advancing to the quarter finals are already known. Ballygunner, Passage, Dungarvan and De La Salle have all reached the quarter final places, but who finishes where in the group can still change.

At the other end of the group Portlaw and Ballyduff Upper have not won any of their four games played to date and the two meet to see which of the two will secure their senior status for another year and which will have to win a relegation play off game in the coming weeks.

In group B Fourmilewater and Roanmore have reached the quarter finals, but all four of the remaining teams, Mount Sion, Abbeyside, Cappoquin and Tallow still have a chance of advancing to the quarter finals while for one of them they will have play either Ballyduff Upper or Portlaw in a relegation play off.

The Group B games have a 2pm throw in on Sunday afternoon with games pencilled in for Cappoquin, Lemybrien and Fraher Field.

At Cappoquin, Fourmilewater and Abbeyside will do battle.

Fourmilewater will know going into this game that if they avoid defeat in this game they will win the group and therefore get what is in effect perceived to be the easier of the quarter finals, but looking at the four sides in group A there is no easy game going to come from that group.

They had to work hard last week to overcome the challenge of Cappoquin, but what it showed was the fighting spirit that is within the group not giving up till the final whistle is blown.

Abbeyside are set to play without John Hurney in this game as he was sent off last weekend against Mount Sion and are also without Mark Ferncombe who missed the last few games with injury. The loss of one would be a big one for Abbeyside. The loss of both is huge.

Abbeyside will know that they have to get something. Should they loose Sunday by a big score and Cappoquin and Tallow were to record a good win, then Abbeyside could be drawn into a relegation play of, but that is unlikely to happen as their score difference is superior to that of the two clubs further west.

Fourmilewater will get the nod to win this game, but Abbeyside despite missing players could make it very difficult for them.  

Mount Sion have had an indifferent start to this years championship but look to be coming good at the right time.

They had a good win last weekend against Abbeyside even without the suspended Martin O’Neill and his inclusion this weekend will strengthen them somewhat for this game.

Tallow were in last years county final but this year have not looked like a side that were going to do the same this year.

The Bride siders know that they have to win this game and even if they do win it might not be enough to spare them having to play a relegation play off.

These two sides meet at Lemybrien. As pointed out Mount Sion appear to be coming good at the right time and get the nod to win here.

The third game in group two takes place at Fraher Field.

For a long number of years Roanmore struggled somewhat in the senior championship but always did enough to secure their status for the following year.

This is the second year in a row that they have qualified for the knockout stages which shows the club is moving in the right direction.

Cappoquin did well to retain their senior status last year and this year they set a target of reaching the knock out stages.

The majority of the current Cappoquin team have come from successful underage teams in recent years. From watching Cappoquin down the years I have noticed that as the year goes on, and the longer they remain in contention in a competition, the better they seem to get. This was often at underage level however where it is often a little easier to instil confidence into a team, so it will be interesting to see will it transfer now to the adult grade.

Roanmore are often a very difficult side for anyone to beat and have pulled off wins in recent years that few expected of them. This is a game that could go right to the wire, but something is telling me, maybe it is knowing more what they can do, Cappoquin could emerge winners here.

In Group A games are pencilled in to start at 3-30pm at Walsh Park, Carrickbeg and Fraher Field.

Ballygunner and Passage meet at Walsh Park, where the winners will top the group.

Reports last week suggested that Ballygunner even without up to four first choice players looked very impressive when playing Dungarvan. Both sides had qualified for the knockout stages of the championship ahead of that game and the question has to be asked, how much of an effort did Dungarvan really put in during that game as they had a lot of their players involved in a delayed 2015 County Under 21 Final last Tuesday evening, and may have been holding something back for that game.

Passage last weekend had to work hard to overcome the challenge of Portlaw and a week earlier also worked hard to beat Dungarvan in the Sargent Cup Final at Fraher Field. There is nothing like a local derby game to bring a performance out in a side and we can expect both of these sides to go for it in this game.

Ballygunner have dropped just one point from eight so far in this championship to date, that a draw against De La Salle. While Peter Queally’s charges will put work hard as they have in their last few games, if Ballygunner are at full strength in this one, its hard not to see them win.

Dungarvan and De La Salle meet at Carrickbeg on Sunday afternoon. Both of these sides clashed in the relayed 2015 County Under 21 Final at Carriganore on Tuesday evening and a number of players from both sides will be in action again here. It’s a big ask to ask player to line out in there big games in just over a week.

De La Salle last weekend had a comfortable win over Ballyduff Upper but at times were made to fight very hard as at times no more than two pucks of the ball separated the sides on the score board.

Both sides have some quality players to pick from. Its suggested that Dungarvan might not be able to pick a full strength squad and that would suggest that De La Salle will win, but Dungarvan often love it when they are written off. If there is going to be a draw in this weeks games it could well be in this one.

What could be the big weekend of the game this weekend is the clash of Portlaw and Ballyduff Upper in what is a play-off to see who will avoid a relegation play off against a side from group B.

While both have yet to win a game in this years championship, there was signs last weekend that both could be nearing their best.

Portlaw made it very hard for both Dungarvan and Passage in the championship to date, and will feel that they can do the same this weekend.

Ballyduff have be struggling with injuries all year but last weekend Kevin Casey got some game time in late on in the game and if he starts this time around it will be a major plus to the side from the far west.

Portlaw will know having a much better score difference to Ballyduff Upper that a draw will be good enough to ensure that they are playing senior hurling next year. In the like of Paul Power, DJ Foran, Noel Kelly and Blake O’Connor they have the players to get a result, but Ballyduff Upper in the likes of Tom Feeney, Seamus Hannon, Shane Kearney, Mikey Kearney and Eoghan Murray also have the players to help them to a first win in this years competition.

Who will win here is anyone’s choice. It could go right to the wire. The Ballyduff players are more accustomed to playing at Fraher Field and therefore they get the nod to win and ensure that they are playing senior hurling again in 2017

Back to back titles for De La Salle.

These are exciting times for Camogie in Waterford.

Over the past number of years we have seen the club achieve a lot on the underage front.

Gailltir in particular have performed remarkably well at Féile na Gael over the past few years.

On the Inter County front we have seen Waterford win titles at Under 14, Under 16 and Minor levels.

We have seen Lismore win an All-Ireland Club Final and contest another final.

For many seeing Waterford win National League (Division two) and an All-Ireland Intermediate Final was the highlight of the great work put in within the county when  it comes to the game. To others, seeing Waterford compete in Division One of the league and in the Senior All-Ireland Championship this year was an even greater achievement than what was achieved in 2015.

Along the way there are some remarkable stories to tell. One such story is of the De La Salle Club.

They are only playing in the adult grades for two years and already have won the Junior and Intermediate titles.

They will play in the senior grade next year where they will face strong opposition in the likes of Lismore, Gaultier, Cappoquin and Saint Anne’s but from what we have seen from the side in white and red shirts, they will be serious challengers to their more experienced opponents, which all goes well for Camogie within the county.

While records will show that Dungarvan/Brickeys combination lost this game by eighteen points, there can be no disputing that this is a good side and it is only a matter of time before they are playing amongst the giants of the game within the county at senior level.

Right throughout this team there is some good players to pick from. They their quota of players that have played for the county at different levels as well on the colleges scene and have the medals to prove it.

Players like Kayleigh Veale, Taylor Murray, Kate McGrath, Katie Ferncombe, Caoimhe McGrath, Kaiesha Tobin, Dawn Power, Aisling Baumann and Molly Curran are all quality players, that will look to help this side to go one step further next year.

But last Saturday’s County Intermediate Final at the WIT Sports Campus in Carriganore was all about one team.

On the day De La Salle were outstanding. Beth Carton was outstanding on the day and hit 2-11 of her sides tally of 7-11, 1-8 of which came from placed balls.

While Beth Carton gets many of the headlines when it comes to games that she plays in, this is by no means a one woman team.

Brianna O’Regan is a brilliant young goalkeeper who no doubt will soon establish herself as the number one keeper within the county.

Elsewhere throughout the team they also have plenty of other stars. Taylor Healy, Rachel Butler, Niamh Murphy, Courtney Healy, Caoimhe Drohan, Katie O’Keeffe and Chloe Dempsey are all players of note, and sooner rather than later we will see many of them join team mates Beth and Brianna on the senior inter county set up.

On a weekend when it rained goals across the county, this game was no different. Chloe Dempsey hit the first of her sides seven goals on four minutes following up from a Ann Marie Tutty save from a Beth Carton effort.

Eight minutes later De La Salle had the ball in the Dungarvan/Brickeys net for the second time, after some good work by Ciara Twomey in the build up.

Beth Carton hit two more goals to give De La Salle a 4-5 to 0-4 a lead that stood at 4-6 to 1-4 at the break after Kaiesha Tobin finished to the De La Salle net.

Ciara Twomey kicked to the net for goal number five for De La Salle, and Aisling Madigan hit goal number six giving her side a 6-11 to 1-7 lead with five minutes still to play.

Ciara Twomey completed the route moments later to help her side win back to back county titles, but the side will know that the step up to the top flight next year will show how good the side is. One thing is for sure, from what we have seen from them in recent years, they are not going to be out of their debt, and it would not be a major surprise if they made it three titles in a row this time next year such is the talent that is in this set up.

De La Salle: Brianna O’Regan; Katie Ryan, Taylor Healy, Ciara Flynn; Rachel Butler, Niamh Murphy, Colette Hogan; Courtney Healy, Caoimhe Drohan; Ciara Twomey, Beth Carton, Katie O’Keeffe; Emma Fitzgerald, Chloe Dempsey, Liz McEnaney. Subs Used: Rachel Daniels, Becky Roche, Aisling Madigan, Patricia Farrell.

Scorers: Beth Carton 2-11, Ciara Twomey 2-0, Chloe Dempsey, Katie O’Keeffe, Aisling Madigan 1-0 each.

Dungarvan/Brickeys: Ann Marie Tutty; Kayleigh Veale, Sibeal Duggan, Taylor Murray; Clodagh Curran, Kate McGrath, Katie Ferncombe; Alice Hahessy, Caoimhe McGrath; Kaiesha Tobin, Dawn Power, Aisling Bauman. Isabel Wade, Molly Curran, Michaella Moran. Subs Used: Caoimhe Denmead, Amy O’Riordan.

Scorers: Kaeisha Tobin 1-2, Dawn Power 0-4, Aisling Baumann, Molly Curran 0-2 each, Clodagh Curran 0-1.

Thirty fifth County Final in a row for Ballymacarbry

A question to begin with.

What is the most successful club in any sport in the G.A.A.

I am sure a number of clubs will come to mind straight away from different counties. But I am sure when it all boils down, few if any can compare with the Ballymacarbry Ladies Football Club.

Formed in 1970, the club has won 35 of the last 35 County Senior Ladies Football Championships. That’s right, 35 out of 35. I am sure that few if any other clubs in any other county can compete with this record.

Yes, there may be times when the number of clubs playing senior from the number of available clubs within the county at the time might be small, but records show that over the past 35 years when it comes to the County Roll of Honour the name Ballymacarbry appears after the County Senior Football Championship in each of the last 35 years.

There most recent title was won on Sunday afternoon last when they overcame the challenge of near neighbours Comeragh Rangers at Kilmacthomas.

There was some, myself included that expected this game to be a close fought encounter. When the two sides had met in the championship earlier this year, both sides settled for a share of the spoils.

Comeragh Rangers are a much younger club than Ballymacarbry and in the last number of years they have invested a lot of time and energy in promoting the game under the southern slopes of the Comeragh Mountains. They have had players that played for the county at different levels with pride and distension. Players like Nora, Ann and Ciara Dunphy have worn the county jersey with pride over a number of years, and they also have some exciting young prospects, the likes of Keeley Corbett-Barry, Emma, Aoife and Katie Murray and Shauna Dunphy who are young and exciting prospects who already have achieved a great deal within the game.

They will feel that it is only a matter of time before that they can end the dominance of Ballymacarbry within the county at this level, and if they continue to believe it can happen, they can make it happen.

But it wont be easy.

This is a class Ballymacarbry act.

When they won their first final they had Michael Ryan, the former Waterford Ladies Football and Waterford Senior Hurling manager over the side. A Ryan link was also involved in the most recent win as Catherine Ryan, Michael’s wife, who herself was no mean footballer was a selector on the team and daughters, Michelle, Louise and Sinead who are also fine footballers were all playing on the team.

As pointed out already, this is a class Ballymacarbry team and this class can be found right throughout the side.

Lauren Fitzpatrick, Ballymacarbry’s net minder has played in the colours of Tipperary on the inter county scene. So too has corner back Treasa McGrath.

The side has also have players that worn the white and blue of Waterford. Karen and Michelle McGrath will need no introduction to supporters of Ladies Football. Neither do the Wall Sisters, Linda, Mairead who captained the side this year and their younger sister Aileen Wall who is one of the finest players to play on the intercounty scene in recent years.

At the break, Ballymacarbry were well up in this game as they turned around at a very wet Kilmacthomas venue leading 1-7 to 0-0).

Marian Ryan who finished top scorers for the winners with six points opened the scoring in this game on twenty seconds, and the side from the west of the county hit further points through Marian Ryan again, Sinead Ryan, Lauren Guiry and Michelle Ryan before Aileen Wall had the football in the Comeragh Rangers net for the first time on twenty four minutes, after a Marian Ryan free fell kindly to the crafty forward.

In the time that remained Michelle Ryan and Marian Ryan with her third of the game hit further points to give the winners ten point advantage at the break.

Both sides in the second half shared five scores each, but for the winners two of their five scores resulted in green flags.

Marian Ryan as she had in the first half began the half scoring two points, both from frees to stretch her sides lead to twelve.

Eibhlis Cooney hit her sides second goal of the game after some good work by Linda Wall and Michelle Ryan in the build up and they opened up an eighteen point lead (3-9 to 0-0) soon afterwards when Kelly Ann Hogan set up Sinead Ryan.

While the final score line to some suggests different, there is very little between these two great rivals.

The sign of a good team is not giving up no matter how far you are behind and in the final quarter of this game, Comeragh Rangers proved to be the better of the two sides on the score board as they hit points from Ruth Kirwan (two), while Geraldine Power, Shauna Dunphy and Aoife Dunne hit one each and Ann Dunphy was unlucky not to have hit a consolation goal for her side.

Ballymacarbry in this time hit just one score from Marion Ryan and her side now goes on to play Tipperary side Brian Borus, in the Munster B, semi final next month. The two sides met in the Munster B Final last year and the game resulted in a win for Ballymacarbry.

Ballymacarbry: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Teresa McGrath, Michelle McGrath, Becky Hogan; Mairead Wall, Karen McGrath, Laura Mulcahy; Louise Ryan, Michelle Ryan, Aileen Wall, Eibhlis Cooney, Linda Wall; Marian Ryan, Sinead Ryan, Lauren Guiry. Subs Used: Kelly Ann Hogan, Maeve Ryan, Brigita Valuntaite, Michelle O’Gorman, Sadhbh Hallinan.

Scorers: Marian Ryan 0-6, Sinead Ryan 1-1, Aileen Wall, Eibhlis Cooney 1-0 each, Michelle Ryan 0-2, Lauren Guiry 0-1.

Comeragh Rangers: Coleen Power; Nora Dunphy, Ciara Dunphy, Caroline Murphy; Mairead Power, Marie Power, Keeley Corbett-Barry; Emma Murray, Eibhlin Power; Aoife Murray, Katie Murray, Geraldine Power; Kate Hahessy, Ruth Kirwan, Shauna Dunphy. Subs Used: Ann Dunphy, Aoife Dunne, Cora Murray.

Scorers: Ruth Kirwan 0-2, Geraldine Power, Aoife Dunne, Shauna Dunphy 0-1 each.

Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers clash in Senior Ladies Football County Final and Dungarvan and Na Déise battle in Junior Final

This years County Senior Ladies Football County Final takes place on Sunday afternoon in Kilmacthomas and not for the first time in recent years, neighbours Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers will be doing battle.

In previewing last years final on here, I felt that it could have been a very close final. Two attempts were needed to find the winner of last years final which Ballymacarbry eventually won to claim a 34^th successive final which has to be some sort of record.

The first game had to be abandoned after a lengthy delay following an injury to one of the Comeragh Rangers players and in the re-fixture a week later, Ballymacarbry showed all their experience to win out at the Dungarvan Club Grounds.

If I felt last years final was going to be close, I can’t but feel the same this year. The two sides already met recently and shared 2-7 to 1-10 draw.

That result will have both clubs going into this Sunday’s clash at Kilmacthomas in a confident mood and will spur them on to go that little further this time out, and to take home with them the Edith Kennedy Cup.

The Club in Ballymacarbry is one of the oldest in the county, being founded in 1970 four years before the Ladies Football Association was founded. On the other hand, the Comeragh Rangers Club is a relatively new one as it was founded in 1999.

The two sides go into the game with plenty of experience that they can count on. But its not just experience that both are built on, both have also invested time and energy into the youth of their respective areas in recent years and they have produced some very good players, some of whom could at this stage be classed as experienced as well.

To those that follow Ladies Football within the county, many of the Ballymacarbry side will need no introduction.

They have players of high ability right throughout their side. Michelle, Louise and Sinead Ryan, Linda, Mairead and Aileen Wall as well as Michelle and Karen McGrath as regulars in the Waterford senior team and have between them won a considerable amount of medals with both Club and County.

No team is complete with eight players, even if they are of the standard already mentioned. Lauren Fitzpatrick and Treasa McGrath are also key to Ballymacarbry and both have played for Tipperary. Throw in the likes of Laura Mulcahy, Becky Hogan, Becky Desmond, Marion Ryan and Lauren Guiry and you can see that this Ballymacarbry team is indeed a very good one.

If Ballymacarbry have a team build on experience and youth, the same can be said of Comeragh Rangers.

Just as some of the Ballymacarbry players are household names, the same could well be said of Comeragh Rangers.

Nora, Anne, Ciara and Shauna Dunphy have all played for the county and have won honours in the white and blue shirt of Waterford. So too have the brilliant Murray triplets, Emma, Aoife and Katie.

And just as is the case with Ballymacarbry, Comeragh Rangers are not a complete side with their most recognisable faces.

They too have some experienced and young players in the likes of Aisling Hahessey, Geraldine, Mairead and Eibhlin Power as well as Aoife Dunne who are all top class players.

The side from the Eastern Side of the county also will be able to call on the experience of many of the players that helped Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Suir earlier this year to win the Senior ‘A’ All-Ireland final.

This game could go right to the wire. It may not even be decided on the day. Those on the line will also play a roll. Both management teams will have to keep a close eye on what is happening and be able to make any necessary changes at the right time. Should Joe Murray along with Declan Hahessey and Stephen Fitzgerald be not able to react to what Mike Guiry, Catherine Ryan, Gerry McGrath, Áine Wall and Caitriona Casey do and vice versa then the game could be won easily for one side or the other.

The game in Kilmacthomas on Sunday afternoon has a 1pm throw in. Who will win this game? Right now, I wish I knew so that I could find a bookie that would take a few Euro off me and me of them in return.

Before this game, the County Junior A Final between Dungarvan and Na Déise will take place at the same venue with the game having an 11am throw in.

Dungarvan were relegated from the Junior ranks last year for this years competition and will be looking to go back up at the first time of asking, while Na Déise appeared in last years Final and looked as if they were going to capture the title against Comeragh Rangers second string side but were hit for a couple of late goals near the end.

They will be looking to go that one step further this year and make up for the disappointment of twelve months ago and will see what can be done if they do go up as their opponents last year, who won the Junior B Final in 2014 went on to contest the Intermediate Final within the county in recent weeks.

Just as in the case with the senior game, both of these sides have nice blend of young and experienced players.

For the Old Boro, Lauren McGregor and Ciara Hurley would have played for the Waterford senior team this year and their experience is going to be vital as will players like Aisling Baumann, Aoife Nagle and Beckie Hurley.

For Na Déise Mary Kate Morrissey and Bronagh Condon would have played for the Waterford Senior team while Trisha Kiely would have done so in the recent past while the likes of Mary Kate Curran and Abbey Dalton are players that we will see and hear a lot more about in the next few years.

Like the senior game between Ballymacarbry and Comeragh Rangers which follows this one, expect Dungarvan and Na Déise to fight out a terrific battle which could well go right to the wire.

The winner of both finals go on to represent Waterford in the Munster Club Championships in the coming weeks.