Tipp aim to build on provincial success

CAMOGIE: Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Preview

By Joe Scully

WATERFORD v TIPPERARY

Azzurri Walsh Park, Waterford

Sunday, 7th June

Throw-in @ 3.30pm

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)

Azzurri Walsh Park is the venue on Sunday for the latest instalment in the rivalry between the Tipperary and Waterford senior camogie sides.

The latest battle comes in the opening game in group 1 of the newly revamped All-Ireland Championship.

It will be the sides third meeting of the year with Tipperary holding the upper hand after victories in the previous two encounters, most notably in their most recent encounter three weeks ago in the Munster final, where the Premier County came out victorious by three points, a game that could have went either way.

The sides other meeting this year saw Tipp come out winners by a 19-point margin in what was a bit of a dead rubber league encounter.

With the nature of this years championship, where all four teams in Group 1 are guaranteed of qualifying for the knockout stages (joined by the top two teams from group 2) means defeat won’t be disastrous for either side, but you can guarantee both teams will be going all out for victory, not just to send a message to Galway and Cork in the group, but also to boost their chances of making the semi-finals directly by finishing in the top two in the group.

Tipperary come into this game brimming with confidence following their recent success in the Munster Championship, where as well as beating Waterford in the final, they also had a very impressive win over Cork along the way.

For Waterford it will be very much an opportunity to show they are still a force to be reckoned with still, following a couple of disappointing final defeats so far this year, after losing the league final to Galway earlier in the year also.

Both sides have been involved in some titanic battles in recent years, going back to their clash in the 2023 All-Ireland semi-final which Waterford came out the right side of the result by a solitary point.

Tipp would gain revenge the following year in the group stage when following a strong finish came out on top by three points.

The sides would again meet in the Munster semi-final in 2025 with Waterford finishing the stronger this time to win by a single point once more.

Sunday promises to be another tight, tense, and quality battle between these two neighbouring counties. Both sides will be looking to show they can make the breakthrough and end the duopoly of Cork and Galway, who have dominated camogie in recent years, with both sides more than capable of doing so.

Tipperary have been getting better as the year has gone on and seem to have a very strong squad at their disposal, and will be full of confidence not just on Sunday but for the All-Ireland series, while Waterford will be disappointed with the outcome three weeks ago, will know how easily they could have been the ones celebrating at the final whistle but for a couple of quality saves from Tipp keeper Laura Leenane.

One thing is for certain, Sunday’s game will be another epic battle between the two sides and there will be nothing in it come the full-time whistle, and don’t be surprised if the sides are level.