Separate Saturday’s for Tipp’s All-Ireland Camogie semi-finals

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary supporters can begin making their plans on the double for the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Senior & Premier Junior Camogie Championships later this month.

Unlike last year when Tipperary supporters had to make a choice to make as both semi-finals took place on the same day, this year they take place on separate weekends as they both chase a place in the All-Ireland Finals which will take place in Croke Park on Sunday, 11th August.

The Tipperary juniors will be the first into semi-final action on Saturday 20th June after being drawn to face Armagh.

The game will be played in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, the same venue where they defeated Roscommon in last years semi-final. It was Roscommon who Armagh overcame in the quarter finals to set-up a rematch of their group stage game last month which Tipp won 2-12 to 1-4 at the Ragg.

The game, which throws in at 4.00pm, will form the second part of a semi-final double-header with Cavan taking in Laois at 2.00pm.

On Saturday, 27th July, the focus will be on UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny where the senior semi-finals will take place.

Defending champions Cork will play in the first semi-final at 1.15pm when they take on Dublin who are appearing in a first semi-final in seven years. The Dubs caused the big upset of the quarter finals when they had four points to spare over Kilkenny at Croke Park on Saturday.

The second semi-final will be a juicy affair, a repeat of the National League final when Tipperary take on Galway at 3.00pm.

It was the toughest draw Tipperary could have gotten as they look to break their semi-final hoodoo and reach their first All-Ireland final since 2006.

However, having ended their twenty year wait for a national title against the tribeswomen, they will feel they can end another wait in this encounter. Galway booked their semi-final spot with a hard earned 1-12 to 1-9 win over Waterford on Sunday with Aoife Donoghue’s goal being the key score.