Tipp focused on breaking semi-final ceiling

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final Preview

By Joe Scully

TIPPERARY v GALWAY

UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

Sunday, 26th July

Throw-in @ 3.00pm (E.T.)

Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)

For the second year in a row, UMPC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny is the venue as Tipperary and Galway face off in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-final on Saturday afternoon.

The Tipperary ladies look to emulate their hurling counterparts by moving one step closer to All-Ireland glory. If they are to achieve such a feat, they will have to reverse an unwanted trend of having lost six semi-finals in the last seven years, including a one-point loss to Galway last year with a Carrie Dolan free in stoppage time ending Tipp’s dreams once more.

A win for the Tipp would mean a first All-Ireland final appearance since 2006, and they come into the game knowing that they have been slowly improving as the year as gone on, plus are battle hardened after coming through, after extra time, in the quarter final after a tough battle against Kilkenny.

For manager Denis Kelly, he is quite content with how the build-up has been going since the Kilkenny game three weeks ago.

“The girls have prepared really well,” he said.

“We have had a nice break from the last game, so we have got two good weeks of training in. There’s been a real bite to the sessions, and we’re now looking to bring that energy to the game om Saturday.”

Despite losing out at the same stage in both his previous years as manager, Kelly doesn’t think those two defeats to Waterford and Galway will have any impact on Saturdays game, and feels it is a totally different game and feels his players will treat it as such.

“No, I wouldn’t say the last two semi-final defeats, will have much of an impact,” Kelly added.

“The girls have worked their way through the year, and we have been taking each game on its own merits, and this is just the next game up.

“We’re not making a big deal out of it been a semi-final, it’s just our next game up, we prepare similarly to all the other games, and if we can bring the energy and intensity we need, we will have a great chance.”

The Templemore-based primary school teacher knows just how much of a tough task his side face against a Galway side they are very familiar with at this stage.

“We know Galway fairly well,” he added.

“We have played each other a few times, so we have a fair idea of what’s ahead of us.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge, there is never too much between the sides, but look if we can come out the right side that will be the main thing.”

Tipperary go into the game at near full strength, with only Niamh Costigan ruled out with a shoulder injury. Full back Karin Blair is a slight doubt also with a shoulder injury, but Kelly expects her to be good to go.

There has been very little between these two sides in their recent fixtures and the same can be excepted on Saturday afternoon when they go to battle once again for a place in the All-Ireland final against either Cork or Waterford who meet in the second semi-final, also in Nowlan Park at 5.00pm. Don’t rule out extra time being needed to separate the sides.

If Tipperary are to finally get over their semi-final hoodoo, they will need to bring their ‘A’ game for the sixty-minutes and maybe more. At times this year they have drifted in and out of matches, but have showing tremendous fight and spirit to turn things around when it looks to be getting away from them, most notably in the quarter-final against Kilkenny.

The Blue and Gold will be fairly confident of finally making the breakthrough to an All-Ireland final, and keeping the dream of a Hurling/Camogie double alive.