Hurling & Camogie

Down camogie final places to battle for: Clonduff in line for fourth consecutive crown

Down senior camogie semi-finals: Sunday: 1.30pm in Hilltown : Clonduff v Portaferry and 2pm in Ballygalget : Ballygalget v Liatroim Fontenoys

THE Down finalists of the past two seasons meet this Sunday in Hilltown as the county executive run off their senior semi-finals.

Clonduff of course are in line for a fourth successive title having disposed of Portaferry in the last two finals, stretching a three points’ victory in 2018 to nine in 2019.

On the evidence of league results and the round-robin group stages, the omens are not good for Portaferry to break that sequence.

While Clonduff have remained unbeaten throughout the fast-moving summer programme, Portaferry have struggled in recent games ever since key forward Niamh Mallon picked up an injury and was sitting out games.

In championship ties in recent weeks Ballygalget had them on the ropes by the break and Castlwellan pushed them last week. Despite the progress of the likes of Saoirse Sands, the McGrattans etc and the leadership of Maria McNally, they need the threat of Naimh Mallon in attack.

Clonduff are a hardened team despite being on the road right through the past two winters. If you look at their scoring returns, there is still a big input from Paula O’Hagan and the Carr sisters, but that masks the progress of a number of younger players particularly in defence.

Their closest game recently was last Sunday in Liatroim where they didn’t perform particularly well, but still always looked in control. I can’t see them slipping up here, even if Portaferry have their talismanic full-forward.

Another unbeaten team is at home in the second semi-final which throws in at the tip of the Ards at 2pm.

Ballygalget have reached just one final in the 52 years since they took their only Down title. That was three years ago when they fell by 2-8 to 0-9 to Clonduff. They have since lost narrowly to the Hilltown side in earlier rounds.

But there is something different about them this season with the addition of two 16 year olds who have been ripping opposing defences apart.

Tara Monan and Beth Coulter both picked up Schools’ All-star awards last October and they have been to the forefront as Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock climbed the ladder in schools’ camogie.

The four Savage sisters now have players that can transfer the team possession into scores, while Erin Hagan’s accuracy from frees has kept teams on the back foot all season.

Liatroim have a number of experienced players like Karen McMullan, Dearbhla Magee, Aimee McAleenan and Kelly Duffin and their presence mean that they will always be strong contenders for honours.

However recent games have suggested that Liatroim do not have clinical finishers like Monan and Coulter and that is why I think it will be a final between Clonduff and Ballygalget and one to be savoured