Tipperary ready to take on Clare and claim national honours in Croke Park

The day’s proceedings begin with the first of two all-Munster pairings as the second teams of Clare and Tipperary do battle for the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior honours.  

Tipperary were operating in Division 2B of the Very League, the top tier for second-string teams, and held their own, defeating intermediate units, Wexford and Galway to finish mid-table.

That preparation of playing at a higher level showed as they had far too much firepower for Wicklow and Cavan in the round-robin stages of the competition, scoring 8-31 in those two outings to advance to the semi-final. 

Jean Kelly, Claire Stakelum and Jenny Grace have exhibited all their ability and experience to get to this juncture with Kelly in particular, in outstanding form, scoring 2-7 as Tipp overcame Roscommon to clear that penultimate hurdle.

Amazingly, the former senior forward is responsible for all ten of her side’s goals in the Championship and snuffing out her threat will surely be a priority for the Banner. 

It wasn’t all about the attack though, as Ciara McKeogh’s nullifying of Roscommon danger-woman Shauna Fallon was a key ingredient of the triumph. It will be interesting what her role will be when it’s the Banner in the opposite corner. 

Clare were denied by a point at the end of two periods of extra time in last year’s semi-final by eventual champions Antrim and after winning the Very League Division 3B crown – the second tier for second-string teams – by the same margin as it happens, they made short work of their group opposition to return to the knockout stages. 

The Saffron and Blues have had the look of a group on a mission all season and Sarah Loughnane scored two goals in the quarter-final defeat of Cavan which brought them back to the penultimate stages.

Once more, they were involved in a nailbiting affair. They would have known all about the Armagh threat, with the Orchard’s finest having been runners-up the last two seasons and supporters must have feared the worst as they trailed by five points at the three-quarter mark. 

Clare found another gear however and some fabulous point-scoring from Loughnane and Grace Carmody saw them advance by the minimum at the end of a pulsating tie, with the defence also putting the clamps on the troublesome Armagh forwards in that period. 

Caoimhe Lally and the vastly experienced Laura McMahon form a formidable defensive spine, while Carmody, Loughnane and Olivia Phelan are considerable offensive threats and Clare have clearly learned to close out very close games.

They are sure to be optimistic about scaling the peak but so will Tipperary, given the proven artillery they possess also. Something will have to give and it promises to be a hugely entertaining opening to the day’s carnival of camogie. Tipp, if they start the game well, are good enough to take home the cup.