Senior Camogie Championship hots up with quarter final Saturday

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Quarter Finals Preview

By Joe Scully

This Saturday sees the four quarter finals in the race for the County Senior Camogie Championship take place while there is an equally big game on Sunday as Cashel King Cormacs and Shannon Rovers aim to still be in the top grade in 2026.

Clonoulty/Rossmore v Burgess/Duharra in Clonoulty at 4.00pm

Holders Clonoulty-Rossmore come in as heavy favourites as they look to regain the title they finally won last year, after years of heartbreak.

The West side come into the game with a 100% record and have been improving game in game, most notably a convincing nine-point victory over Drom & Inch last time out.

For Burgess/Duharra it has been a mixed bag having just picked up one win in the group stage, albeit were very unlucky in their defeat to Silvermines, and have struggled to hit the heights they would have excepted at the start of the year.

Clonoulty have plenty of experience and quality throughout their side and have plenty of potential matchwinners and have so far this year coped with the loss of Clodagh Quirke without too many problems. If Duharra are to pull off an upset, they will need a lot more from around the field, to support Caoimhe Maher and Jenny Grace who they have been over reliant on so far, although Danielle Nealon has been in fine form at times. VERDICT: Clonoulty-Rossmore.

Thurles Sarsfields v Moneygall in the Outside Field, Thurles @ 4.00pm

It’s last year’s beaten senior finalists Thurles Sarsfields against last years Intermediate winners Moneygall.

Both sides come into the fixture in contrasting form, with Sarsfields enjoying a 100% record and winners of group 2, while Moneygall scraped into the knockout stages thanks to a last day win over Shannon Rovers, after losing their opening three fixtures.

Thurles are looking to make up for the disappointment of last years final defeat and have been in great form so far this year, and have quality throughout the field with the likes of Karen Kennedy, Caoimhe Stakelum, Emma Carey ad Lucy Purcell, and added that to their ability to move up the gears during a game when required.

Moneygall, despite three defeats so far, have played well at times and have been very strong defensively, but it’s their finishing that has let them down, especially scoring points. If they are to pull off a shock the likes of Julie Kelly, Caithlyn Treacy, Mary Ryan, Ciara Maher, and Mairead Teehan will need to continue their fine form they have shown so far. VERDICT: Thurles Sarsfields.

Drom & Inch v Silvermines at The Ragg GAA grounds at 5.00pm

Having seen their hopes of winning six in a row ended at the semi-final stage last year, Drom & Inch are looking to become champions once again in 2025 but will face a tough task against a very strong Silvermines side, who are probably the most improved side in the championship this year.

The Mines showed in their last outing against Thurles that they are more than a match for any side. For Drom they have had a massive boost in recent weeks by the return from injury of star forward Eimear McGrath who was injured at the quarter final stage last year, and her return could be crucial in the knockout stages.

If Silvermines are to cause a shock they will have to be at their very best for the whole hour and will need the likes of Ellan & Niamh Cunneen, Sarah Madden, Aisling Carey and Abbie O’Dwyer at the top of their games, against a Drom side full of experience of playing and winning in big games. VERDICT: Drom & Inch.

Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill v Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams in Annacarty at 5.30pm

This probably the hardest of the quarter finals to call.

It should be a very tight game between two even sides. Eire Og who finished second in Group 1, with three wins and one defeat, will be full of confidence coming into the game against a Knockavilla outfit who come in with one win, one draw and two defeats, and have shown some good form but also at times have been a bit disappointing.

Annacarty will hope to bring the same level of performances as they did in the second half against Thurles rather than the one they produced last time out against Cashel, and will be looking to the likes of Jean Kelly, Lucy Heffernan and Sarah Burke, while for the Kickhams they will hope Caoimhe McCarthy and Eimear Heffernan continue their excellent form while at the same time will be hoping for more from the supporting cast like Ereena Fryday and Millie Kelly. VERDICT: Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill.

Relegation Final

Cashel King Cormacs v Shannon Rovers at The Ragg Camogie Grounds at 11.30am

With so much on the line for both sides, with the losers dropping to the Intermediate grade, this will probably be a very intense game and promises to be a very close and tight game.

Shannon Rovers, despite no wins in the group stage, can count themselves a bit unlucky to be here, but a defeat at the hands of Moneygall in their last game has them at this point, despite some very encouraging performances throughout.

Meanwhile Cashel will be very disappointed with their year so far, losing all four games, especially after how good 2024 had been for the West outfit, having come within a few minutes of making a county final, losing the semi-final after extra time.

They will be encouraged by their second-half performance in their final group game against Eire Og Annacarty, and if they can repeat that kind of form, and with the likes of Karin Blair, the Fahie sisters Anna & Lily, Grace Moloney and Philly Fogarty they have a lot more quality than they have shown so far in the championship. VERDICT: Cashel King Cormacs.