Senior: Who can stop Drom & Inch’s reign?
By Geraldine Kinane
Group 1: Clonoulty/Rossmore, Thurles Sarsfields, Silvermines, Cashel King Cormacs, Shannon Rovers
Group 2: Drom & Inch, Borris-Ileigh, Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams, Burgess/Duharra, Eire Og Annacarty
Will it be six-in-a-row for Drom-Inch in 2024 or can Clonoulty/Rossmore win their first title? Or will the winners come from outside the two finalists of the last four years?
These are the questions that are on most people’s minds as we look ahead to the start of the FBD Insurance County Senior Camogie Championship this weekend.
A sixth county title in a row would be a huge ask for Drom & Inch, especially when you look at how close Thurles Sarsfields and Clonoulty/Rossmore came to beating them last year. But still they had they knowhow and experience to grind out a victory on both occasions and that experience will likely stand to them once again this year.
Speaking at the recent championship launch, defender Eimear Cahill spoke of finding it easy to be motivated again this year. A new manager in David McGrath and coach in Brendan Healy is sure to bring some fresh ideas to the set up while they also have plenty of strength in depth with the club fielding both a senior and Junior A team. Key players include Mairead Eviston, Eimear McGrath and Mary Burke.
Clonoulty/Rossmore looked really impressive in the league, winning both the senior and Junior ‘B’, and they look to have strengthened their panel going into this year’s championship.
Cora Hennessy is back operating outfield where she was sorely missed last year, while other key players include Clodagh Quirke & Eimear Loughman in defence, and Cait Devane and Courtney Ryan up front.
Thurles Sarsfields had a brilliant 2023, narrowly losing to Drom & Inch in the semi-final. Caoimhe Stakelum, Lucy Purcell & Leanna Coppinger all played big roles in Tipp’s minor All-Ireland victory and the Sars manager David Maher will be hoping they’ll carry that good form into the senior championship.
Karen Kennedy captains the team and is their most influential player while Aoife Dwyer and Emma Carey are other notable players. They will be looking to build on last years impressive form and have a big say in this year’s championship.
Borris-Ileigh reached last year’s semi-final and put in an excellent second half performance to really put Clonoulty Rossmore to the pin of their collar.
Despite being the Tipperary senior goalkeeper, Nicole Walsh is expected to play outfield while manager Sean Maher will be hoping Tess Ryan will be available as she struggled with injuries this year with Tipp.
Julieanne Bourke is another important player for Borris and is usually tasked with marking the opposition’s main attackers.
Borris have plenty of youth on their side with Ava Bevans and Aoife Fitzgerald winning minor All-Ireland titles this year.
Newly promoted Shannon Rovers have a new management team this year in Shane Murphy an David Gantley, and it will be interesting to see how they go in their first year up senior.
Silvermines have a new manager also this year in Pat Ryan who previously guided Drom & Inch to four of their county title run.
They will be hoping to go further than last year when they were defeated in the quarter final.
Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill will have been disappointed they didn’t get further last year and are a side with plenty of talent with Eva O’Dwyer, Gemma Fox and Orla O’Brien all part of the All-Ireland winning Junior team.
Cashel King Cormacs, Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams and Burgess/Duharra are three teams who are similar in that they all have a number of Tipp senior and junior players in their starting fifteen and all three have the capabilities of beating any of the opposition but do they have the strength in depth to get through a whole championship on top, it remains to be seen.