Tipp set for familiar foes in Waterford

By Enda Treacy

So, it’s Tipperary and Waterford going head-to-head yet again in what will be a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final at the same venue in Pairc Ui Chaoimh this Saturday evening (6.45pm).

A three-week break greeted Tipperary after their victory against Wexford in Thurles and this still resulted in yet another draw into the quarter-final - despite topping the group - and Tipp came out the wrong end which is in keeping with the misfortune of recent years with nothing to show for the full house of wins in the group stages.

Tipp come into the game with extreme familiarity with this Waterford team having played them as recently as the league campaign where Tipp won rather convincingly, but Waterford were missing a number of players in that game so not much could, or probably should be gauged from that phoney war.

Perhaps the best indicator of the teams relative to each other is last year’s game in Cork, where Tipp edged the Deise1-12 to 0-10 in a tight and scrappy game, but it is fair to say that the trajectories of the teams in the time since has split in favour of Tipp who impressed in the league campaign and championship to date.

Conversely, Waterford contested the relegation in the league and followed that up with a patchy group campaign in the championship; scraping past newly-promoted Down before a win against Dublin and finishing with a bad defeat to Cork in the last game.

However, there are no more safety nets at this stage and Waterford will have no hang-ups of playing this Tipperary team, having had tight games with them in the past at this stage, and in the likes of Niamh Rockett and Beth Carton, they have the personnel to put Tipp to the test.

The Premier come into the game with a clean bill of health which will come as a pleasant surprise to management and supporters who have felt some sort of upheaval has disrupted the team in recent years, so this will breathe continuity for Tipp as they seem to have finally settled on a starting fifteen and impact from the bench in the games to date.

Sarah Fryday’s departure will have given management a minor headache, but they still had time to mix it up in the championship games to find the right balance again, and with Grace O’Brien slotting into midfield, they may have inadvertently stumbled on the formula to get the most out of the Nenagh player.

Orla O’Dwyer will feature after missing the game last year and her influence has been huge for Tipp with her physique, pace, and power proving to be an invaluable asset, and with Clodagh McIntyre and Cait Devane also lining out, there is a very real goal threat that maybe has been lacking in big games gone by.

The annoyance of missing out on a semi-final may end up being a blessing in disguise as if Tipp can get past this Waterford challenge, with the awaiting teams having had a month-long wait, this could work to Tipp’s advantage, and they should get that chance in what should be another passage into the final four.

Tipperary senior camogie manager Bill Mullaney has announced his starting team and panel for Saturday’s All-Ireland Senior camogie quarter final against Waterford. The team shows 5 changes to the team that defeated Wexford in their final group game. The starting team and panel is as follows:

1. Caoimhe Bourke -Drom-Inch

2. Julieanne Bourke _Borrisoleigh

3. Mary Ryan – Moneygall

4. Emer Loughman – Clonoulty Rossmore

5. Mairead Eviston – Drom-Inch

6. Karen Kennedy – Thurles Sarsfields

7. Aoife McGrath – Drom-Inch

8. Grace O’Brien – Nenagh

9. Ereena Fryday -Knockavilla Kickhams

10. Eimear McGrath – Drom-Inch

11. Roisin Howard – Cahir

12. Orla O’Dwyer – Cashel

13. Clodagh McIntyre – Lorrha

14. Cait Devane – Clonoulty Rossmore

15. Nicole Walsh – Borrisoleigh

16. Aine Slattery – Shannon Rovers

17. Miriam Campion -Drom-Inch

18. Lorna Dwyer – Holycross Ballycahill

19. Casey Hennessy – Clonoulty Rossmore

20. Jean Kelly – Eire Og Annacarty

21. Laura Loughnane -Thurles Sarsfields

22. Caoimhe McCarthy – Knockavilla Kickhams

23. Eibhlis McDonald – Eire Og Annacarty

24. Eimear Heffernan – Knockavilla Kickhams

25. Karin Blair – Cashel

26. Grace O’Toole – Newport Ballinahinch

27. Shauna Quirke – Toomevara

28. Claire Stakelum – Holycross Ballycahill

29. Niamh Treacy – Drom-Inch

30. Sarah Delaney – Boherlahan Dualla

The team is captained by joint captains Aoife McGrath and Cait Devane. Pairc Ui Chaoimh will host a double header on Saturday with Wexford and Kilkenny in the opening game @ 5pm and Tipperary and Waterford in the second quarter final @ 6.45pm. Bill Mullaney is joined on his management team by selectors Mary Howard and Carmel Bradshaw and coach selectors Dinny Ferncombe and Denis Kelly. The strength and conditioning coach is Angelo Walsh, video analysis and stats Maggie O’Grady, physio Kellie Byrne and goalkeeping coach Kevin O’Connor. Tickets are available to purchase online https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/camogieqfinals The match will also be broadcast live on RTE and Tipp FM.