McIntyre aims to get the better of the neighbours

By Joe Scully

Tipperary face into another All-Ireland Senior Camogie semi-final on Saturday in Nowlan Park, and for the second year in a row they come face to face with Galway.

One Tipperary player who lives just on the border and knows all about the rivalry between the two counties is Lorrha native Clodagh McIntyre.

Despite her side having lost six of the last seven semi-finals, McIntyre feels that won’t be a distraction for her side this Saturday, and feels they will treat the game as they do any other game.

“For the last few months, every match that we have faced, we have tried to keep the preparations the same and also the same as we have been doing the last few years,” she revealed.

“It doesn’t matter who you are playing or what the occasion is, you still have to prepare the exact same, you still have to win at the end of the day.

“So, we are coming with the same mentality and hopefully what we have been doing the last few matches, will continue to work, and will get us over the line this time, and into an All-Ireland final.”

The pacey forward has been delighted with the way things have been going in training in the build up to the game and is excited to get another go at Galway in a semi-final.

“We’re feeling good,” she added.

“We have had two solid weeks of training, coming into the final week of preparation, and we’re just really excited now to get another opportunity to face Galway in an All-Ireland semi-final.

“We are excited, but at the same time, we know there is a huge challenge ahead of us and hopefully we can push on an put the last few years to bed once and for all.”

Clodagh, who scored the crucial goal in the extra time quarter final win over Kilkenny, feels the team has taken lessons from each game so far and hope to put them to good use on Saturday.

“We took a lot of learnings away from when we played Cork in the first round, and again against Kilkenny, we’re learning and getting that little bit better with every game,” she said.

“We’re coming into this game with a lot more to give and are very excited to be in an All-Ireland semi-final in Nowlan Park against Galway, which is exactly where you want to be as a player.”