*Aine O’Loughlin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE WILL bid to become Munster senior camogie champions for only the fourth time when they face off with Tipperary this Saturday.
Serving as the curtain-raiser to the meeting of Clare and Waterford in the Munster SHC, Clare take on Tipperary in the Munster senior camogie final at 3:30pm this Saturday in FBD Semple Stadium.
Truagh/Clonlara’s Becky Foley has been ruled out of the provincial decider with a knee injury, the forward recently returned to playing action after a cruciate ligament injury.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Clare manager, John Carmody admitted he wasn’t surprised that Tipperary are their opponents for the final. “They were the form team in the league but they slipped up on the last day when they lost by a point to Kilkenny. They beat us well when we met in the league at the Ragg so we know we are facing a big challenge”.
Carmody’s charges lost last year’s final to Cork following extra time. He is determined they can get their grip on silverware this time round. “We are in the final on merit. There is silverware on offer and we will be trying everything to win it. We have nothing to lose and we will be having a right go. That said we know that Tiperary are also hungry for victory and with the game on their own grounds they won’t be short on motivation. It’s a big week for Clare GAA and we are determined to play out part”.
Reflecting back on Clare’s defeat to Kerry in the Munster intermediate camogie semi-final, the Kilmaley man felt the Kingdom had “a bit more experience” but that it was a result “we left behind us”. He said, “Our indiscipline in the first half cost us. We gave away in the regiou of thirteen frees and Kerry got ahead of us in that second quarter and were two ppoints ahead at half time”.
Carmody added, “the girls fought it out in the second half. The wind was tricky for the freetakers. Hopefully that game will stand to us later in the season in the All-Ireland junior championship”.
