We
all know that Camogie in Waterford has come on leaps and bounds in the last
number of years.
The
hard work began almost a decade ago now when the Waterford under 16 team won
the All-Ireland final and from that team a number of players have gone on to be
regulars in the Waterford Junior and Intermediate sides.
That
win spurred a host of young players to get involved in the game and now many of
these players are part and parcel of different inter county teams.
Camogie
in Waterford got a major boost a few weeks back when Lismore were crowned all-Ireland
Club Champions for the first time, beating Kilkenny side Ballyhale Shamrocks.
Lismore’s
success meant that Waterford in the league were unable to field a strong as
team as the selectors might have liked in the games they played, but this did
allow players who may be seen as been on the fringe getting a chance to play at
a high level and to show the selectors what they are capable of doing.
Waterford
failed to reach the semi finals this year in the league, but have no doubt that
come championship time, Niall O’Donnell will have a full strength side to
choose from.
Waterford
appeared in two All-Ireland Junior finals before they won the competition in
2011 appearing in their third final in a row. Since then Waterford have
appeared in two Intermediate All-Ireland semi finals where they were beaten in
both games by Galway, but there is something telling me that once more it could
prove to be third time lucky for Waterford this year and that in the middle of
September large volumes of supporters will be making their way to GAA head
quarters to support the team on All-Ireland Final Day.
While
Waterford will not be involved in the National League semi finals this year,
many may be surprised to find out that Waterford could have an interest in the
semi finals, not in the Division two grade where Waterford played, but in
Division One.
I
am sure the name Marguerita McCarthy will mean nothing to some.
Marguerita
is from the West Waterford parish of Modeligo. For many years she has played
Ladies football for the Na Déise Club (Touraneena and Modeligo). She for the
past few years is studying in Limerick and has taken up playing Camogie with
the Ahane Club, first playing in 2011. She continues to play Football with Na
Déise and is of course a huge Waterford Fan and always keeps an eye and an ear
our for all that his happening in her home county.
On
Wednesday of this week (April 16) she will be part of the Limerick team that
plays Clare in a three way play off to see who will play Cork in the semi
finals. Galway is the third team involved in the play off.
Limerick
moved to the top slight for this year having won the Division two final last
year, where they beat Kildare who in turn beat Waterford in the semi finals.
In
the league so far they have recorded an excellent 4-14 to 2-3 win over Derry
and a 2-10 to 1-9 win over All-Ireland Intermediate Champions from 2013 –
Galway but lost their third game in the league against Clare (0-10 to 0-8) a
defeat that cost them a place automatically in the semi finals. They also lost
to Kilkenny on a 2-13 to 1-6 score line in Nolan Park on the same day that
Waterford lost to the Cats in the National League.
Even
though Clare beat Galway in the first play off game (1-10 to 0-8) the Limerick
side with Marguerita expected to play in the middle of the field for them will
be confident of beating their neighbours at the second time of asking this
year, as of the three teams involved in the play offs they are the only one of
them to finish with a positive score difference on the league table.
If
Limerick do beat Clare that play Galway on Sunday at a Galway venue and time
yet to be confirmed, and should they win that game they will play Cork in the
last four, but should Limerick who are expected to be with Niamh Mulcahy,
Caoimhe Costello and Sarah Collins for the play off games fail to beat Clare in
Clonlara then the Banner Ladies would advance to meet Cork as a result of winning
their two play off games.
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