It’s quarter-final weekend in the Kilkenny camogie championships and with our senior preview already live, it’s time to take a look at the intermediate action on Sunday.
You can of course listen to these previews and reviews of the prior weekend’s action in Camán Caint, our dedicated camogie podcast out every Tuesday night across the course of the championships.
Let’s see what Áine Fahey has been making of the intermediate matchups for this weekend.
James Stephens v Rower Inistioge, Larchfield, 11am
“James Stephens, without a doubt”, says Áine, straight out of the traps with the prediction in the first quarter-final of the weekend.
“I just think they’re on fire. They’re absolutely on fire. They really have just sprung out of nowhere.”
“I don’t mean that in a bad way either, but they have. They’ve just come out of nowhere. I think probably a lot of people thought just because they’re after coming up from junior the year before that they would be really there, being no contest for all the intermediate teams.”
“But I just think I think they’ve set a very, very high standard for themselves so far in the championship. And I also think they’ve set a very high standard for the teams that are in the intermediate championship this year saying ‘hey, look at us, we were junior last year, this is the standard we’re setting, so come catch us now'”
“I can’t see Rower Inistioge coming out with the victory, I just don’t think they’re going well enough at the moment.”
Áine’s prediction: James Stephens
Emeralds/St. Anne’s v St. Claire’s, Urlingford, 11am
“This is going to be an extremely tough task for St. Claire’s. They went to Galmoy the last day to play them and now they’re heading up to Urlingford.”
“Maybe Galmoy was like the training ground for Emeralds/St. Anne’s the last day and now they’re hitting the big stage to head to Urlingford to play it. I would imagine they’ll come out with an easy enough victory there too. They’re probably going to push on a gear from their previous match with St. Claire’s too.”
“St. Claire’s didn’t want to get this team in the quarter-final and I think Emeralds/St. Anne’s are going to put the foot to the neck this weekend, push on and really make their stamp at [sic] this championship this Sunday.”
Áine’s prediction: Emeralds/St. Anne’s
Mullinavat v O’Loughlin Gaels, Mullinavat, 11am
“That was the ding-dong game of that weekend”, says Áine with the side clashing a few weeks ago.
“If I’m honest, I would have said Mullinavat to push on (towards a county final) but that game is going to be very interesting. If Laura Murphy is back, ready, fit and able, she’s going to be a major difference. Are herself and Julieann Malone going to balance each other out in midfield? Who’s going to mark Leann Fennelly in the full-forward line?”
The fact that it is a home venue for them (Mullinavat), they might just pull it out of the bag.
Áine’s Prediction: Mullinavat by the skin of their teeth
Barrow Rangers v Ballyhale Shamrocks, Paulstown, 11am
“This one’s going to be a little bit more interesting”, says Áine.
Ballyhale seem like they’ve started to get their groove together, Barrow Rangers have slowly but surely gotten through the group stages. They’re somewhere similar to Piltown where they haven’t gone a full throttle yet.
I do think, however, they will come out of this as victors and have a little more about them. They’ve the experience of getting to the county semi-final last year and they’ll want to push on from that.
I do think it will be Barrow Rangers but it be a very tight affair.
Áine’s prediction: Barrow Rangers
Check out the full previews from the senior, intermediate and junior championship games this weekend, along with a spotlight on refereeing, the Camogie All-Stars and Soaring Stars, all on this week’s edition of Camán Caint, now streaming wherever you get your podcasts.
