*Sinead O’Keeffe is an injury doubt for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE will have “one hell of a shot” at Waterford in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final, manager John Carmody has said.
One win, one draw and two defeats in the group stages was enough for Clare to secure their place in the quarter-finals and ensure a trip to Croke Park awaits.
Reaching this stage has been an objective of the panel from when they first assembled in preparation for their 2025 campaign. “This has been a huge target for the girls since they came together last year. There have been ups and downs but this is huge progress for a young Clare team. They are the first Clare senior camogie team to play in Croke Park. It’s an occasion to look forward to. It’s knockout hurling now and we will have one hell of a shot at it on Saturday”, manager Carmody said.
Throw-in on Saturday in Croke Park is at 14:30, the game is a curtain raiser to the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final meeting of Cork at Dublin.
Kilmaley clubman Carmody readily acknowledges that “Waterford are strong favourites. They are operating at a higher level than us but look we haven’t even thought about Waterford. We would have played anybody. We are just delighted to be there. The girls are relishing the opportunity. We lost a bit of pride in Thurles on Saturday but look the girls will leave everything on the pitch this week”.
Carmody and his management won’t finalise Clare’s starting team until shortly before match time. “Sinead O’Keeffe and Niamh Mulqueen picked up serious ankle injuries in the first half against Tipperary which didn’t help our cause. They are extremely doubtful but we will give them every chance to prove their fitness”.
Muireann Scanlan who has missed most of the season due to injury “is very close to being fully fit” and there is a chance she will get some game time on Saturday.
According to the manager Clare “have used 23 players in the championship and while there could be some rotation, it’s likely the same twenty will be the ones Clare will call on Saturday”.
Reflecting on their nineteen point hammering to Tipperary on Saturday, Carmody said he was “disappointed”. He stated, “We played so well the previous week. We needed to perform against Cork and the girls did give a great performance in that one”.
Stressing that Clare were “the underdogs” this weekend, he added, “it’s great to be there and the girls will learn from this experience”.
