*Members of the Clare senior camogie panel. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
Being involved in a relegation play off is the last place any GAA team wants to be and the Clare senior camogie team will confirm that.
They travel to St. Brendan’s Park in Birr on this Saturday (throw in 5p.m.) to face Dublin in the first game in a three way play off to avoid relegation from Division 1 of the Littlewoods Ireland National Camogie League.
The losers of Saturday’s match will have a further chance to hold on to their place in the top division as they will face Waterford but Clare are not looking past Saturday’s game as a victory here will see them remain in the top division for next season.
“We were very disappointed with our display against Limerick last time out. In fairness Limerick have been doing very well and last week they really put it up to Kilkenny. We have trained hard since we lost to Limerick. We are getting closer to the championship which will be in the middle of July. We don’t want to be relegated. We played Dublin last year and we played really well on the day. It should be close on Saturday”, commented Clare manager Ger O’Connell this week.
Ciara Doyle, Roisin McMahon and Aoife Power will all miss Saturday’s tie through injury while the fitness of Niamh O’Dea will be monitored throughout the week to determine if the Kilfenora native will make her first appearance of the year.
Clonlara’s O’Connell told The Clare Echo, “Dublin have a new management team this year headed by Adrian O’Sullivan who was involved with U.L. in their victories in the Ashbourne cup for the last three years. He will know many of the Clare girls who were part of those successes. Dublin are an experienced outfit”.
