Róisín Howard has stated that the Tipperary camogie team will concentrate solely on the aspects they can control, as they ready themselves for the Ultimate National League Division 1A final against Galway. The latter team is raring to clinch their third consecutive title, with the D-day set to be April 14th at Croke Park.
The preparation mantra for Denis Kelly’s squad is to work unwaveringly from start to end. The showdown will mark Tipperary’s comeback to any national final after their defeat to Wexford in the 2009 league decider. Additionally, they will be working towards bridging a two-decade chasm since their last major victory – a feat they achieved in the year 2004 where they managed both a league and championship double.
Imperative to note is that Tipperary had bagged their fifth All-Ireland in six campaigns that September and despite subsequent barren periods, they’ve displayed marked improvement over the last few years. A testament to this is their impressive 4-19 to 0-7 victory over the demoted Clare at Cusack Park. Albeit the triumph was anticipated, the respect shown towards the Clare challenge was evident, particularly in recognition of their past heart-wrenching defeats on the precipice of a significant breakthrough.
Howard shared they didn’t alter their game strategy. Instead, they maintained composure and a razor-sharp focus which helped them accomplish the task at hand. The intrinsic drive to compete for and possibly win one of the two national titles on offer was a driving force behind their efforts.
Following an initial hiccup against Waterford, they pulled themselves up and proceeded to beat the three teams that have won national senior titles since Wexford’s completion of the All-Ireland three-in-a-row in 2012. Howard stressed on their unwavering spirit when she mentioned about the uncanny zeal displayed by all the players at the subsequent training following their debacle against Waterford. They did not let the setback shake them off their goal.
Before their second face-off with Galway, the Tipperary team was dedicating every chance to excel, carrying forward a positive spirit and attitude derived from their training session after the defeat by Waterford. Despite their appearances in nine league finals, Tipperary has only achieved victory in two. To improve this record, they must be prepared to meet the formidable champions, Galway. In the group stages, they had won by a meagre three-point difference at The Ragg.
Over recent years, Tipperary has faced off against Galway on multiple occasions in the league and championship. Galway has a well-rounded team, with strong players like Áine Keane in the back, Aoife Donohue in midfield, and the McGraths and Carrie Dolan upfront. However, the team remains confident in their own abilities, looking to bring a determined work ethic to the upcoming match.
Carrie Dolan’s exemplary performance, scoring ten points, was instrumental in Galway’s 0-14 to 0-9 win over Cork at Duggan Park, securing the other slot in the final. This marks the fifth consecutive finals appearance for the westerners, who are striving to secure their third consecutive and fourth in five participations’ title.
Reflecting on last year’s defeat against Tipp, Dolan, who received the ‘Very Player of the Match’ in their win over Cork, expressed determination and grit to repeat the triumph in the upcoming league finals. Niamh Kilkenny, the ex-player of the year, has re-entered the game and received a warm welcome as this was her first Gaway match since the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final, following her maternity leave. Her addition to the team along with the stalwart Ann Marie Starr suggests a strong and experienced midfield for the Maroons.
Speaking about the players, Cathal Murray, the team manager, particularly highlighted their determination. The past three games against Kilkenny and Waterford, and the recent one, had required the team to dig deep and he was impressed by their resilience. Despite challenging weather and tactical conditions, the team managed to pull through with an 80% scoring efficiency in the second half.
Although they missed some opportunities in the first half, their overall performance pleased Murray. Describing the game against Cork as intensely tough, he acknowledged the efforts of the reigning All-Ireland champions. However, he expressed satisfaction over the win and anticipation for the league final.
He admits that the upcoming game against Tipperary will be challenging as their track record in The Ragg hasn’t been promising, especially with last year’s loss by nine points, and this year by three — a margin that could have been significantly wider had Tipperary player Róisín Howard not been red-carded in the second half.
Locally, in the third Division 1A match, Kilkenny outplayed Waterford at the SETU Arena, scoring 2-10 against 0-13.
Meanwhile, the Division 1B final between Wexford and Dublin is set for April 13th, as a consequence of other weekend games. In addition, Westmeath and Derry will face off in the Division 2A final, which runs in parallel with the Division 1A final a day later.
The weekend also saw results in the Very National League Divisions 1A, 1B and 2A. The scores were as follows: Division 1A had Clare scored 0-7 against Tipperary’s 4-19, and Galway managed 0-14 to Cork’s 0-9, while Waterford ended with 0-13 against Kilkenny’s 2-10. In Division 1B, Dublin scored 0-16 to Antrim’s 0-9, Limerick gained 3-11 to Wexford’s 1-15, and Kerry concluded with 2-8 to Down’s 0-14.
Carlow triumphed over Cavan with a score of 4-11 to 2-10. Westmeath also had an impressive win, beating Derry 5-9 to 1-9. Meath outdid Offaly, finishing with a final score of 2-13 to a meagre 0-5.