Linda Mellerick on the teams to beat in this season's Cork camogie championship

ST FINBARR’S and St Catherine’s have progressed from Group A to the SE Systems Senior Camogie quarter-finals.

St Catherine’s go through by virtue of their one-point victory over the Glen last week. The Glen had a long-shot chance of qualifying as the best of the third-placed teams from groups A, B and C before their defeat at the hands of Killeagh on Thursday.

There was speculation this week that the team with the lowest ‘scores against’ goes through as the eighth quarter-finalist. But I imagine that it will be scoring difference that decides.

The key game this weekend is Courcey Rovers and Cloughduv. This will determine who automatically goes through as one of the top two in Group B, the loser fighting for that bonus spot. This game should be a thriller, today in Coachford at 2pm.

Courcey Rovers with 21, Cloughduv 13, so Courcey Rovers are in the driving seat there. Courceys and Cloughduv undoubtedly want to go the direct route.

Killeagh are out of contention as the bonus team and it’s unfortunate for them as the three goals that St Finbarr’s scored against them last Saturday in additional time has done more damage in that regard than just put a poor reflection on the scoreboard.

The 3-23 scored by the Barrs placed Killeagh’s scoring difference at -17 heading into their final game with the Glen, which they won 4-10 to 3-5, which wasn't enough. 

I think Courcey’s and Cloughduv will be a close game, and both will join Sars out of their group, and it may not matter who is second or third when it comes to the quarter-final draws.

Group C is concluded with Éire Óg top and Inniscarra second placed. Éire Óg’s three-point win over Inniscarra last Monday evening grabbed first place.

Ballygarvan are placing third and on scoring difference of -18 won’t emerge as the bonus team. With only four teams in their group their scoring average would need to be taken into consideration, therefore grossing them to -24.

We wait in anticipation of the quarter-final pairings, which we hope will be made this weekend.

The last group games are scheduled for today but the postponed Enniskeane v Aghabullogue game will be played next Wednesday night, with neither side capable of emerging from their groups so the draws can go ahead.

I imagine that the top club in each group will go into one bowl and second placed in another.

Otherwise, where’s the incentive and bonus for coming first?

The Sarsfields v Cloughduv game was an exciting one last Saturday as was Glen Rovers-St Catherine’s the Thursday before.

One thing I’ve noticed in a number of games in both the senior and intermediate championships is the ‘professional’ fouling.

The culprits are typically defenders, and the act is carried out when the opposition gets inside their 45. I’ve seen it occur all over the pitch too, however.

What is frustrating is that while teams are being awarded the frees the culprits aren’t being punished. The same player could commit a similar foul five or six times during a game and there are no repercussions.

A team will foul all day long to prevent a goal if the only punishment is a free further back.

EFFECTIVE

I have to credit Andrew Larkin who showed the cards last weekend when this occurred in the early stages of the Barrs-Killeagh game.

It cut it out almost immediately. He has been the only referee in the games I’ve watched that did so when it occurred.

Another thing is the length of added time that’s being played that seems totally disproportionate to the amount of stoppage time during the game for injuries or subs.

We had nine minutes in the St Catherine’s against Killeagh game and it was into the sixth minute for the Glen versus Catherine’s, and both were after already added time in the first half.

There are over 70 minutes being played in most games now.