Tipp won’t fear Cork challenge in semi-final

CAMOGIE: Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Championship Semi-Final Preview

By Joe Scully

CORK v TIPPERARY

Cork Camogie Grounds, Mahon

Saturday, 12th April

Throw-in @ 2.00pm (E.T.)

Referee: Fintan McNamara (Clare)

The Cork Camogie grounds will be the venue on Saturday as reigning All-Ireland Minor ‘A’ Camogie champions Tipperary make the trip to face the home side for a place in this year’s final.

Both sides come into the game unbeaten so far in the championship, with the sides having drawn with each other in the group stage, also in Cork.

The Rebelettes won the group, securing a place in the semi-final, while the Premier ladies come in off the back of a quarter final win over Wexford, after an epic game, two weeks ago.

With a place in the All-Ireland final up for grabs it promises to be a cracking game, which could go either way, and one wouldn’t be surprised if the game requires extra-time.

Tipp will come in with a lot of confidence, as they have been slowly improving as the year has gone on and will fancy their chances of pulling off the win against the current favourites for the All-Ireland.

The reigning champions come into the game with no real injury concerns according to manager Ray Ralph.

“We trained Sunday morning and apart from a few niggles, everyone is available and ready,” said the Moycarkey/Borris clubman.

Ralph knows his side face a tough challenge but feels they can give a good account of themselves and hopes it will be good enough to come out the right side of the result.

“Training is going really well,” he added.

“The whole camp is looking forward to the game, it will be a big ask for us to go down there and get a result, but we will do our best.

“They (Cork) have some very strong forwards, and are such a strong team, so it will be really tough for us, they are favourites to win the All-Ireland for a reason, but we are going in quietly confident and hopefully we can get the job done.”

Ralph also hopes the experience some of the squad have in winning the All-Ireland last year will help, including joint captains Danielle Butler and Caoimhe Stakelum along with Leanna Coppinger and Elana McGrath, but is also very happy with how the new members of the squad have stood up to be counted since coming on board this year, among them Ciara Cahill.

“It definitely helps having so many of last years panel on board,” he added.

“But there’s some of the new girls in my opinion really standing up too, and to be honest it would be really hard pick out someone who isn’t working hard and, but yeah it helps having the experience, you look at someone like Caoimhe (Stakelum), and she has led us out of trouble on a couple of occasions already this year.”

One thing is for certain ahead of Saturday's clash that is that it will be a great game of camogie between two top-class sides, and hopefully it will have a good crowd to witness it.

Home advantage for Cork could be key, and as a result they will probably start off as slight favourites, but this Tipperary team are a very good side, and have shown already this year that they can match it with the best teams, and also that there is a great togetherness within the squad, and a great team spirit, and the two-in-a-row is most definitely achievable for this side.