Cork aim to secure camogie championship semi-final spot
Clodagh Finn has been one of the players in top form for Cork this season. Picture: Tom Beary/Sportsfile
A win for Cork tomorrow over Clare in the Glen Dimplex Camogie Championship should be enough to secure top spot in the group for the Rebels. That will mean they will go straight to a semi-final and avoid the dreaded quarter-final clash.
It will also give manager, Ger Manley, a chance to give more players game time in their final match a week later away to Wexford. Cork will be hot favourites to win tomorrow as they take on the Banner at 2pm at Páirc Ui Chaoimh.
On form so far this season it is difficult to see who will stop them winning the All-Ireland title, but Manley and his squad will only be concentrating on Clare for now.
They very much take it one game at a time and look at their next challenge and until that is overcome they don’t look beyond it.
No matter who they are playing they treat them with the utmost respect and their shock loss to Waterford in the Munster championship a few years ago is one they still remember and use to keep them focused on the task at hand.
Cork have also had a three-week lay-off which can sometimes go against you but even at that nothing but a comfortable win is expected here for the Rebels.
Clare did play two weeks ago and are second to Cork in the table and should they win they would go top. They will look to the likes of Ellen Casey, Ziyan Spillane, and Áine O’Loughlin, amongst others, to have any chance of coming out on top.
However if you look at their results they are nowhere near as good as Cork’s. They beat Wexford and drew with Limerick to be on four points.
Cork defeated Limerick and Tipperary to lead the table on six points.
Limerick was Cork’s first game and it’s one they will want to forget as the Rebels ran in 6-25 against them. In what most likely be their toughest group game Cork then headed to The Ragg to take on Tipp. This was always going to be a battle, but again goals proved crucial as they came home with the points secure, winning by 3-21 to 1-9.
Cork’s ability to score goals at crucial times has been critical. When you have a full-forward line that can contain any of Clodagh Finn, Orlaith Cahalane, Amy O’Connor, Katrina Mackey or Sorcha McCartan it will put any defence under pressure.
That’s backed up by plenty others and the list of quality players goes on and on. Ashling Thompson and either Hannah Looney or Aoife Healy make it a formidable midfield, with McCarthy also well able to play there.
Laura Hayes, Laura Treacy, Meabh Cahalane, and Meabh Murphy are just some of the defenders Manley has available and his biggest task most weeks is trying to pick the starting 15.
With the squad at his disposal expect Cork to come out on top to guarantee their top of the group finish and an automatic place in the semi-final.
Also tomorrow the U23 side head to Waterford, having already topped their group and are guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland semi-final the following week.
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