Champions St Finbarr's return to defend camogie crown
St Finbarr's Stephanie Punch in action against Sarsfields' Orlaith Mullins and Kate Fennessy during last year's SE Systems Cork Senior Camogie Championship final. Punch will be hoping to lead her side to back-to-back titles. Picture: Dan Linehan
The first round of the SE Systems Cork camogie championship continues on Wednesday night as the defending champions, St Finbarr’s, are in action as they bid to retain their title.
It’s one of three games being played this evening and is sure to attract a huge crowd to Castle Road for the 7pm throw-in against Blackrock.
The wealth of talent that the Barrs have available to select from makes them hot favourites to make it two in a row, but we have seen that the favourites tag means nothing in recent weeks.
But when you have Cork senior players like Meabh and Orlaith Cahalane, Sorcha McCartan, Kate Wall, and Aoife O’Neill all available for selection, it just shows the firepower at their disposal.
Add in others like captain, Stephanie Punch, Liz O’Donovan, Ciara Golden, Ciara Hurley, and Aisling Egan, several of whom also have All-Ireland intermediate or senior medals, and it gives you some idea of the strength of the squad that Brian O’Sullivan has available to him.
But recent weeks will have shown him, and the players, that once you cross the white line, that counts for nothing, and their opponents certainly won’t fear them.
The Rockies have plenty of quality players in their side, including the likes of Roisin de Faoite, Moira Ryan, Cliona O’Callaghan, Erinn Curtin, and Hayley Ryan. They will relish the challenge of taking on the Barrs in the hope of causing what most would consider an upset.
Aghabullogue will take on Éire Óg at Blarney, with the former hoping that the likes of Cliona Healy and Meadhbh Ring can lead them to an opening round win.
They will be aware of how dangerous their opponents are, who recently reached the league decider, where they lost out to the Barrs.
Any side that has players like Edel Sheehan, Aoife O’Callaghan, Shauna Sheehan, Clara Murphy, Erin Healy, and Isobel Sheehan available will never be easy to get the better of.
Glen Rovers reached the semi-final last year and will be hoping to at least do the same this time out, led by their Cork star Emma Murphy.
Sars, who won in 2023 and lost last year’s decider, start with a local derby against Killeagh, one of the outstanding games from last year.
Orlaith Mullins and her sister, Clare, will be two of the players Sars will look to, along with Sinead Hurley and Ava Fitzgerald. Add in Olivia McAllen, Cliona Lynch, and Ella Woods, and they have quality players all over the pitch.
Killeagh will look to Laura Treacy and Hannah Looney, but can also call on Chloe Sigerson, Stefanie Beausang, Emma Treacy, and Ciara Barry as they bid to get off to a winning start.
St Catherine's take on Inniscarra at Watergrasshill, with Laura Hayes, Aoife Hurley, and Finola Neville, just some of the players the former will look to tonight.
Amy Sheppard and Niamh McNabola will lead the Cloughduv attack tomorrow night against Ballinora, with the latter coming up the senior ranks this year.
Aghabullogue v Éire Óg, at Blarney; St Finbarr’s v Blackrock, at Castle Road; St Catherines v Inniscarra, at Watergrasshill, all 7.15pm.
Sarsfields v Killeagh, at Castle Road, 7.15pm; Cloughduv v Ballinora, at Éire Óg at 8pm.
Seandún v Muskerry, at Castle Road, 7pm.
Courcey Rovers v Glen Rovers, at Castle Road, 7pm.
Carrigdhoun v Avondhu, at Castle Road, 5pm.
App?
