Underdogs Tipperary are fired up for All-Ireland camogie final clash with Clare

All roads lead to Croke Park this Sunday, as for the first time in 17 years Tipperary will be represented on All-Ireland Camogie Finals day.

Camogie All-Ireland final day is always a special occasion, with the triple header being the biggest day every year in the camogie calendar.

For Tipperary camogie, after such a long absence, it’s brilliant to be finally back and part of the action in Croke Park. The Glen Dimplex Premier Junior All-Ireland Final between Tipperary and Clare is the first of three games, throwing in at 12.50pm.

It is followed by the Intermediate final between Meath and Derry and the Senior final, another Munster affair between Cork and Waterford.

In recent years Tipperary were very competitive at Intermediate level, winning the division 2 league in 2019 and narrowly losing the All-Ireland semi-final. In the Covid-hit year of 2020 no second teams were allowed to compete in the championship, and having lost a number of players to the senior squad Tipp struggled in 2021 and were relegated back to Junior.

Everyone in Tipperary camogie would really like to see Tipp back at intermediate level but this task is often more difficult than people might think. Despite wins over Waterford and Mayo, a defeat to Cavan and a draw with Clare in last year’s championship meant we failed to get out of the group.

A new year saw a new management team led by David Sullivan and the drive for All-Ireland glory began. Two wins from four cemented our place in the Division 2 League while wins over Cork and Limerick and a Munster title set the panel up perfectly for the All-Ireland series.

Tipp were drawn in the smallest group, with only three teams, and qualification straight to a semi-final as group winners meant that after only three games but more importantly three wins the team is now just 60 minutes away from glory.

In their way, though, will no doubt be their toughest opposition to date in Clare. Clare had an extra game in the group but had very one-sided wins that were little advantage to them, beating Louth 4-17 to 0-3, Tyrone 3-27 to 0-2 and Roscommon 3-19 to 0-5. In the quarter final, just as Tipp did, they scored 3-14 against Cavan with Cavan scoring seven points (they scored 1-9 against Tipp).

Their first real test came in the semi-final against Armagh and it was one they passed brilliantly, winning by 0-22 to 2-15.

In all of their games, Clare have put up a big points tally, which demonstrates their attacking ability. Tipperary had a big win over Wicklow in their opening game, 5-17 to 2-3 before beating Cavan in Cavan by 3-14 to 1-9.

In the semi-final they recorded a 2-12 to 0-8 win over Roscommon. Jean Kelly has been the chief scorer in all three championship games to date with 5-4 against Wicklow, 3-4 against Cavan and 2-7 against Roscommon. That’s an unbelievable 10-15 in total and 10-9 from play.

Clare will be well aware that she’s our danger woman and will no doubt have a plan to try and stop her. Jean, however, will welcome the open space of Croke Park and the fact she has experienced it previously with the Tipp seniors.

This year’s Tipperary Junior team is a nice mix of youth and experience. Players like Ciannait Walsh, Lisa Cahill, Ciara McKeogh, Claire Stakelum, Aoife McLoughney and Jean Kelly have all played at different times on Tipp senior panels. Others like Ciara Ryan, Rachel Maher, Rachel O’Dwyer and Aisling Sheedy have battled on Tipperary junior and intermediate teams for a number of years.

All these players have given great service to camogie in the county and are more than deserving of a place in an All-Ireland final. Then there’s the youth of Aoife Dwyer, Katie Fitzgerald and Ellen Cunneen who bring a great energy and pace to the team and you have a great mix heading to Croke Park.

More importantly the team, while probably not yet playing to their true potential for 60 minutes, are getting results all year and between league, Munster championship and All-Ireland championship are on a seven-match winning streak. Clare will be a massive test and a massive performance from all 15 starters and subs introduced will be needed.

The Clare team also boasts a good mix of youth and experience, with centre back Laura McMahon a former senior captain. In the semi-final Grace Carmody was named player of the match and finished with four points from midfield while her midfield partner Niamh Mulqueen also got on the scoreboard.

Sinead Hogg and Sinead O’Keeffe are others to impress all year in defence while upfront Sarah Loughnane has been in good form from play and frees throughout the campaign. Jennifer Daly has gained plenty of experience with Scariff Ogonnelloe in recent years, winning club and Munster titles along with Labhaoise O’Donnell. Both started wing forward in their semi-final win.

For Tipperary, joint captains Ciannait Walsh and Claire Stakelum have shown great leadership on and off the field all year and big games will be needed from both if they are to head up the steps of the Hogan Stand come Sunday. Ciara Brennan and Aoife Dwyer really came into their own against Roscommon, with both getting on the scoreboard and involved in a lot of the play.

Ciara Brennan on Laura McMahon will be one of the many mouth-watering battles on Sunday. Clodgah Horgan has the ability to cause a lot of trouble for any defence and along with Jean Kelly and Aoife McLoughney this could prove to be Tipp’s most crucial line on Sunday.

Last year Clare had a narrow win over Tipp in the Munster championship and when the sides met in the group stages of the All-Ireland it ended in a draw. Clare went on to reach the All-Ireland semi-final, where they lost to eventual winners Antrim after double extra time. In the final Antrim defeated Armagh, who Clare beat in the semi-final two weeks ago.

Both Tipp and Clare had wins over Cavan and Roscommon this year. Clare will go into Sunday’s final as most people’s favourites, with the experience and hurt from last year’s semi-final defeat a key factor.

This Tipperary team, though, are really well coached and the professional set-up of the management team has meant no stone has been left unturned in the preparations for Sunday.

The team has a great bond, a winning spirit and all the talent needed to win on Sunday.