We’re heading into round three of the Kilkenny camogie championships this weekend and our first preview of the week is for the Iverk Produce Junior Championship.
There are four games up for decision on Sunday and our Camán Caint team of Martin Quilty and Áine Fahey got stuck into all four across this week’s podcast.
You can listen to the full show below, this week starting with a roundup of last week’s junior games before moving into the match previews.
Naomh Bríd v John Lockes/Bennettsbridge, 11am at Ballyragget
“This could be an interesting tie, both clubs are relatively new to the scene as we’ve discussed already”, says Áine Fahey.
“Naomh Bríd, with the loss they took last week, confidence is most likely going to be depleted there. It’s really up to the management to pick the girls up. For the girls that didn’t turn up, if they do turn up the next day, they’re going to have to show that they’re sorry for letting their teammates down in the first place.”
As discussed in the podcast, Naomh Bríd experienced player issues ahead of last Sunday’s outing with up to six players due to travel not making the game.
“You would have to look at John Lockes/Bennettsbridge coming out victors in this. Naomh Bríd have a long road to go and every game they’re going to play is going to be a massive learning curve for that team. At the moment they’re probably happy to be getting a team together, competing in the championship and in a few years time, that’s when they’ll really start to push on in the championship.”
“They’re very, very new and they shouldn’t be getting too disheartened from it (the loss), though it’s not nice to get a beating like they did at the weekend.”
Áine’s prediction: John Lockes/Bennettsbridge
Graiguenamanagh v Mooncoin, 11am at Graiguenamanagh
While a number of players were missing for Naomh Bríd last weekend, Graiguenamanagh were unable to field a team entirely, though the game against Mooncoin in Group B of the junior championship is expected to go ahead this weekend at the time of writing.
“To be fair, we’re going to have to go with Mooncoin on this one”, says Áine.
“It’s no ill respect to any of the teams that are in Group B of the Junior Championship, but I just think Mooncoin seem to be streaks ahead of everybody else”.
“The way they’re structured with their individual players – Sarah Crowley, Mairead Corcoran, as we mentioned, she was phenomenal in the Minor Championship this year. She was absolutely immense at centre back”
“It’ll be disappointing for them if they don’t because you’d have to question if they (Graiguenamanagh) can’t feel team for a second weekend in a row, what’s happening in the club down there? Is there something going on or is there something that the county board can step in and help with as well? That’s what the county board are there for.”
Áine’s prediction: Mooncoin
Piltown v Thomastown, 10am at Piltown
“These are two heavyweights of senior camogie”, says Martin Quilty, having previously lauded the clubs for fielding additional adult teams for the junior grade, “so that’s going to be a tidy game on Sunday.”
“We played them (Piltown) in the All-County league at senior level weeks back and the majority of the players they actually had on the field were junior”, says Áine, who fancies Piltown for the win.
“They gave us a lesson in camogie – and I’m being very, very easy on that when I say it – but it was a complete deflation for Tullaroan, ouselves.”
“They’ve got some fantastic underage players coming up, they’re just so fast, gutsy, really brave. There’s absolutely no fear and I think they’re going to have the legs on Thomastown.”
Áine’s prediction: Piltown
Conahy v Dicksboro, 4.30pm at Jenkinstown
“I don’t mean to keeping going back to senior level, but for a lot of the junior teams we maybe judge the junior team under the power of their senior team. Conahy aren’t going as well as I had expected at senior level and for Dicksboro, I feel they just have the youth coming through, it’s crazy.”
“They’ve always had a really good underage structure and have always been competing at the high grades.”
Áine’s prediction: Dicksboro
