Friday 5th August 2016
Leinster Minor Camogie Championship Semi-Final
Kilkenny vs Wexford
Venue: Thomastown 7.30pm Referee: TBC
The Kilkenny minor team will begin the defence of their Leinster title when they entertain Wexford in the Leinster Semi-Final on Friday evening.
Kilkenny had a good run in the All-Ireland series finishing just behind Tipperary in second place in the table that saw them qualify for the All-Ireland semi-finals. They began the campaign with a narrow loss to Tipperary 2-12 to 3-07. They bounced back with victories over Clare 3-07 to 0-08 points, Offaly 2-06 to 1-06 and Dublin 3-07 to 1-11 to qualify for the All-Ireland semi-final where they just came up short to Galway 0-12 points to 1-05.
Wexford, on the other hand had a disappointing campaign that saw them finish bottom of the table in the All-Ireland series. They began the campaign with a 3-12 to 2-05 defeat to Limerick. In their second game they suffered a 6-08 to 2-11 defeat to Galway. They bounced back with a 3-09 to 3-07 victory over Waterford. In their final game they came up short to Cork 1-12 to 0-07.
Both sides will be going into the contest hoping to bounce back from defeats in the All-Ireland series. The last time the sides met was in the Leinster series last year where Kilkenny recorded a 2-10 to 0-12 victory.
This contest has the added bite of being a local derby and Wexford will provide a stern test. I feel Kilkenny may prove that bit too strong for Wexford and progress through to a final spot against Dublin or Offaly at the end of the month but it will be a tough assignment.
Saturday 6th August 2016
Liberty Insurance Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 1
Kilkenny vs Laois
Venue: Tullaroan 2.30pm Referee: John Dolan (Clare)
The Kilkenny Intermediate team will hope to continue their good run of form and make it four wins from four when they finish their All-Ireland group stages with a home tie with Laois on Saturday.
Both sides are going into this tie with different agendas. Laois need to win on Saturday to secure a semi-final place. Kilkenny have one foot in the semi-finals as the only way they can be prevented of the place is if Laois defeat them by more than 35 points.
Laois are having a mixed campaign. They began the series with two wins on the spin over Antrim 4-09 to 2-06 and Wexford 2-12 to 1-08. They suffered a defeat to 2-13 to 0-14 points a fortnight ago, and as a result they need to defeat the Cats on Saturday to progress through. A loss and a Tipperary victory over Antrim means there All-Ireland ambitions for 2016 are over.
Laois have some talented players among their ranks with Sarah Ann Fitzgerald and Louise Mahoney showing impressive form in the All-Ireland series to date. The last time the sides met was in the league when Laois edged the Cats 0-09 points to 1-02 in a game that was a dead rubber for Kilkenny but a must win for Laois, a similar position to Saturday’s contest.
I feel Kilkenny are displaying some very impressive form so far and I feel they may prove too strong for Laois on Saturday and should claim victory, but I expect a tough encounter.
Saturday 7th August 2016
All Ireland U16A Camogie Championship Semi- final
Kilkenny vs Cork
Venue: MacDonagh Park, Nenagh Referee: Eamon Cassidy (Derry)
The Kilkenny under 16 team will hope to continue their good vein of form and progress through to the All-Ireland Final when they take on Cork on Sunday.
The Kilkenny side secured safe passage through to Sunday’s semi-final by running through the Group stages undefeated. They began the campaign with a 2-14 to 1-10 victory over Waterford. They followed this up with a 4-18 to 0-07-point victory over Limerick. In their third game they emerged victorious after an impressive defensive display against Dublin 0-10 points to 0-03. In their final group game, they proved too strong for Clare and recorded an impressive 3-26 to 1-04 victory on Sunday last.
Sundays opponents Cork are also displaying a good run of form and finished second behind Galway in the group table. They began their campaign with a highly impressive 8-14 to 1-06 victory over Offaly. They followed this up with a 0-13 points (Cork) to 2-07 (Tipperary) draw with Tipperary. In their third game they defeated Wexford 2-11 to 1-4. In their final game on Sunday last they just came up short against Galway 4-08 to 1-14 to secure Sunday’s showdown.
This game has all the halmarks of being a classic encounter with both sides processing the scoring touch. Kilkenny are a side that are developing in each game. I expect Cork to provide a real stern test for Kilkenny on Sunday. I feel Kilkenny may prove that bit too strong for Cork on Sunday but I expect the contest to go right down to the wire.
