Kilkenny’s senior camogie championship is in full swing with games having gotten underway last weekend.
At the senior grade, there were good wins last weekend for St. Brigid’s, Windgap, Clara, Thomastown and Dicksboro but this coming Sunday, it’s a clean slate and those who dropped points – Young Irelands, Conahy, Tullaroan, St. Martin’s, Piltown will be looking to bounce back and put some points on the board.
This week’s Camán Caint, our dedicated camogie podcast presented by Martin Quilty and Áine Fahey, takes a walk through the second round of games underway from 11 am this Sunday 3 October.
Here’s how our podcast team see this weekend’s games going.
St. Brigid’s v Windgap, 11am at Kilmanagh
“I think you’re going to have to look at Windgap for that. In saying that, St. Brigid’s will be coming off a crest of confidence now after getting a two-point victory over Young Irelands in the opening round.”
“But you would say that Windgap should be easily topping the group now at this stage. I honestly thought that Conahy would maybe get over the line against them, but you know, Windgap should be comfortably sitting nice and pretty at the top of that group and you should see a good victory for them.”
Áine’s verdict: Windgap
Conahy v Young Irelands, 11am at Jenkinstown
“I think this could be a really interesting battle”, says Áine Fahey.
“I do think because of the home venue, Conahy will take this game. I don’t know what it is about them. I just feel like they’re probably after learning a lot from last weekend. They’re a really good strong team. I am kind of thinking that they will be in the latter stages of the championship and the latter stages of knockouts as well when they get into their groove and get motoring. I do think they’ll do really well.”
“I hate to say it about Young Irelands, but I just I don’t know. I just feel like Conahy are better well-structured at the moment. Young Irelands as we know, listen, they’re always there, they’re a great team and phenomenal players coming up along.”
“But I just think Conahy are going to pip it and I think having the home advantage, their first senior game at home as well, I think that’s just going to spur them on as well and they’re going to have huge support at that too.”
Áine’s verdict: Conahy
Clara v Dicksboro, 11am at Clara
“It’s just unfortunate that all the games are on at 11 o’clock”, says Áine before tucking into one of the highlight fixtures of the weekend.
“It’s heartbreaking that you can’t even get to go see some of them because I think that game is just going to be brilliant. In saying that, I do think Dicksboro are going to get the edge out there. I think they’re hungry and I think they’re hurt as well after their performance from last year.”
“I really think that they weren’t one bit happy the way they performed in the championship last year and they kind of let themselves down and I think that they’re just going to go hell for leather now.”
“It will be a great battle, but I do fancy Dicksboro to come out on top for that one.”
Áine’s verdict: Dicksboro
St. Martin’s v Tullaroan, 11am at Muckalee
Both teams lost last weekend (St. Martin’s going down to Dicksboro as Tullaroan were outgunned by Clara), with Martin Quilty proposing a titanic battle with both sides keen for a win or at the very least a point before the close of the league stages.
“That’s going to be a huge battle for both teams”, says Áine, who’s likely to find herself on the pitch as well in the Tullaroan colours.
“Starting off in the last for both teams isn’t really an ideal situation, and potentially the team that’s going to finish the bottom of that group could end up coming up against Thomastown or Piltown in the first round, and that’s not a situation that you want to find yourself in.”
“I’m not going to call us because, you know, let’s be honest, which I’m going to say Tullaroan and I’m sure everyone in Muckalee is going be screaming ‘no, I don’t think so not, not today mate.”
“We are expecting a massive battle from that and we always have a great battle ourselves and Muckalee throughout the years. There’s never too much in the games, and it’s always been kind of nip and tuck – a point here and there. It will be interesting. It’ll be a good match. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully, at 12.30pm we’ll be rocking out of more Muckalee with a victory in our pocket and heading back to Tullaroan”
Áine’s verdict: Too close to call
Lisdowney/St. Lachtains v Piltown, 11am at Freshford
“This is going to be an interesting one for a lot of reasons. Piltown, obviously, coming off the back of a loss [last weekend to Thomastown] and they’ll be very hungry. They’ll be wanting to get a couple of points on the board”, says Áine.
“It is their last game as there are only three teams in that group. They’re not going to want to be going into the knockout stage with a loss under their belt.”
“Lisdowney/St. Lachtains on the other side, you know there’s been a bit of a shemozzle in the club over the last couple of weeks. Previous management have made way, I know that Jack Dunphy is after taking over the hall there. The girls are really getting on really well with him. You have the dynamic duo of Niall Kenny and Aaron Fogarty, who are back and forward this year and helping out Jack. And of course, Marie O’Connor is back there helping them out there as well.
“Lizdowney/St. Lachtains, after getting to a county final last year, they’ll be wanting to improve on that and they’ll be wanting to push themselves to go that one step further.
“Anne Dalton, I suppose, let’s be honest, she’s going to be a massive, massive loss for them like she was for Kilkenny this year. The only thing I will say is I do feel like they’ve got players that are going to step into it.
“I think Laura Hegarty, she’s got plenty of games under her belt this year at intermediate level. I feel like she can step up into a new role now with the club this year. You’ve got Lydia Fitz as well, who I know is only biting at the chomp (sic), just to get some game time.”
“She was just unfortunate through the latter stages of the intercounty scene, she was injured with her hamstring, so she didn’t probably get as much game time as she would have wished because of that.”
“And then you’ve got some of the younger girls that are coming through there. There’s an Aoife Ryan girl there that she’s coming through – she’s absolutely phenomenal. Keep an eye out for this girl, she’s definitely going to be the star of the future.”
“It’s going to be a tough battle. I do feel like Piltown are going to edge it though, but when it comes to Lisdowney Freshford, you just don’t know what you’re getting with them at all.”
“They could come out and they could actually blow anybody out of the water when they want to. They’re well capable of doing it, but I just think I’m going to have to give it to Piltown and I know I’m going to get killed for saying that, but I have to go with them.”
Áine’s verdict: Piltown
Get the recap this coming Monday
Whatever way the games fall this weekend, we’ll be reviewing them all at senior, intermediate and junior level as part of Camán Caint, our dedicated camogie podcast. Get new episodes every Monday night on Scoreline.ie, the KCLR app or wherever you do your podcast listening.
Listen above to hear the full breakdown of this week’s senior, intermediate and junior fixtures across the Kilkenny camogie championship.
