Saturday 13th August 2016
Liberty Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Semi Final
Kilkenny vs Galway
Venue: Semple Stadium, Thurles. 3.45pm Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)
The Kilkenny senior team will hope to secure an All-Ireland final spot for the first time since 2014 when they take on Galway for the third time this year in Thurles on Saturday afternoon.
Kilkenny bounced back from a defeat to the Tribeswomen in their final group game with a good Quarter Final victory over Offaly 1-19 to 0-11 points a fortnight ago. Galway on the other hand secured safe passage through to the semi-final after the victory over the Cats.
Kilkenny continued their good run of form in the All Ireland series and began the campaign with an opening round victory away to Derry 5-24 to 2-03. They followed this up with victories over Dublin 2-12 to 0-10, Tipperary 1-21 to 0-11 and just came up short to Galway 1-12 to 0-10 points and bounced back with the 1-19 to 0-11 quarter final victory over Offaly.
Galway bounced back from their League final defeat to Kilkenny by running through the All-Ireland series undefeated. They began the campaign with a 1-13 to 1-10 victory over Tipperary. They followed this up with a 5-09 to 1-07 victory away to Dublin. In their third game they cruised pass Derry 2-14 to 0-01. And in the final group game they edged Kilkenny 1-12 to 0-10.
Galway have a very talented forward division and Kilkenny will be aware of the threat that Niamh McGrath, Ailish O Reilly, Shauna Healy and Niamh Kilkenny will pose. Similarly Kilkenny have a very inform forward line with Denise Gaule, Ann Dalton, Michelle Quilty, Julieann Malone, Katie Power and Shelly Farrell all putting in impressive displays.
This game I feel will boil down to goals, Kilkenny got two in the league final and Galway got the goal that was the difference the last day. Whichever defence can remain on top I feel will determine the victor. For a neutral this game will be a cracker and it is one so hard to call. I feel Kilkenny could shade it but I expect a Titanic struggle on Saturday and one not to be missed.
