Intermediate Camogie grade looks the most competitive of all
By Joe Scully
The Tipperary Intermediate Camogie Championship gets underway this weekend with nine clubs battling it out for glory.
The format sees one group of four and one group of five, with the top team in both groups going straight into the semi-finals, while the second and third in each group head into the quarter finals.
There will be no relegation this year with the junior ‘A’ champions being promoted to bring the numbers up to ten, the same as at senior level.
Group 1
Shannon Rovers were relegated from senior level last year and with the likes of Laura Leenane and Aine Slattery, the number one & two Tipperary goalkeepers, both very good outfield players too, and also with Celine Guinan who had a good year in the Tipp jersey, they will fancy their chances of a quick return to the top tier.
Speaking at the launch of the county championships, Rachel Hannigan says that is the target.
“It’s all going good so far this year,” she said.
“We were obviously disappointed with being relegated last year, but we have a lot of good minors coming through and hopefully we can get a quick return to the senior ranks.”
Cahir were semi-finalists last year and will be led by Tipp attacker Roisin Howard and will be looking to go one further this year and make the final.
Toomevara, Newport/Ballinahinch and last year’s Junior ‘A’ champions Brian Boru’s make up the group and will all be looking to make the breakthrough.
Newport/Ballinahinch, who were beaten in the quarter finals by eventual winners Moycarkey/Borris will be hoping to go one further this year according to Laura Gaffney.
“We’re really pushing to at least make the semi-finals this year. We have a lot of young talent coming through so hopefully we can really kick on as a team over the next few years,” she said.
Group 2
Should be a very tight and tough group with last year’s beaten finalists Boherlahan-Dualla joined by Holycross/Ballycahill and Borris-Ileigh who were senior semi-finalists in 2023 and will have Nicole Walsh available this year and could be the difference for the North Tipp outfit as they look to get back to senior level.
Nenagh Eire Og who were also competing at senior level in recent years will be led by county star Grace O’Brien who cemented her place as one of the top players in the country in Tipperary’s run to the All-Ireland semi-final.
Boherlahan will need to get over the disappointment of last years final where they wee beaten by a last minute Moycarkey goal, but they will be quietly confident of going one better and with the likes of Danielle Ryan, Emer Dwan, Paula Quirke, and Sarah McLaughlin in their ranks they will be one of the favourites.
It is almost impossible call the winner and we will be in for some great games, and with all nine teams coming in with a realistic chance of success; we should be in for a cracking championship over the next month or so.