Hurling & Camogie

Big guns provide tough test for Antrim and Down as Derry look to build on good start

Antrim and Down shared the spoils at Ballycran a fortnight ago but face tough tests against Kilkenny and Galway respectively this weekend&nbsp;<br />Picture: Sean Paul McKillop
Antrim and Down shared the spoils at Ballycran a fortnight ago but face tough tests against Kilkenny and Galway respectively this weekend 
Picture: Sean Paul McKillop
Antrim and Down shared the spoils at Ballycran a fortnight ago but face tough tests against Kilkenny and Galway respectively this weekend 
Picture: Sean Paul McKillop

AFTER a tough encounter in Ballycran a fortnight ago, Down and Antrim had a week off to prepare for further tough challenges this weekend, where both will probably focus on performance rather than result.

Antrim are in Dunloy tomorrow (2pm) for the visit of Kilkenny. That is the same venue they used in their All-Ireland intermediate championship last July, a campaign that opened and ended with a win over Kilkenny. Mind you it was Kilkenny’s reserve side. Different story now.


Down hosted Kilkenny in their opening fixture and competed fairly well until the second half, when a series of frees from Denise Gaule pulled her side well clear to win by 13 points.


On the same day, Antrim beat Offaly by a margin of 17 points and followed it up with the draw on the Ards peninsula. The Saffrons are in a decent position to lay claim to a spot in the quarter-finals next month as long as they cope well in the next two games.


No-one expects anything other than a comfortable win for the visitors to Dunloy with the firepower they have up front. Indeed, if Antrim concede just one goal and suffer a similar defeat to Down three weeks ago, the glass might just be half full.


Likewise for Down on their visit to Athenry tomorrow (2pm) to take on the All-Ireland and league champions, Galway.


Down faced them in a league game in Liatroim back in February and did well for 50 minutes only for the Galway forwards to put them to the sword over the last 10 – and the Connacht side didn’t have any of the Sarsfield’s club players on board that day.


Galway were not overly impressive in their opening two games, against Limerick and Offaly. But then they didn’t have to be to record comfortable enough victories. 


They have taken the opportunity to introduce a couple of new players to this level of competition and former schools’ star Sabina Rabbitte seems to be fitting in just nicely.


As with Antrim, Down are not expected to win this one. But if they manage to put in a performance and avoid a hammering they will be in decent shape to prepare for their only other away game – a trip to Limerick on June 25.


Limerick really need to get something from the Saturday’s other  game in Group Two against Offaly. Whoever loses this game will have a problem avoiding the relegation play-off, if not the trap-door itself.


The pair met in the Division One league play-off in April, a game that Limerick entered as favourites to win on the back of decent performances in the group games. Offaly, however, raised their game and won by 3-10 to 1-13 to send Limerick down.


At the end of May, Offaly produced a decent performance against Galway, well improved on the previous weekend’s heavy defeat to Antrim in Birr. Perhaps they can edge this encounter as well with just as much at stake.

WHAT a pity that the Antrim v Kilkenny game clashes with the visit of Cork to Corrigan Park for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Qualifying clash. 


Not only do families such as the McNaughtons (Lucia and James), O’Neills (Nicole and Eoin) and Elliotts (Shane and Ryan) have to choose between two major sporting occasions that don’t come around often, but there are many supporters and photographers and reporters missing out as well.


This follows on from the clash last September between the All-Ireland camogie final and Antrim’s internal club hurling championship. Integration still seems a long way off.

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Championship 

SO far, so good for Derry in Group Two, with two wins and full points from games against Meath and Kildare. 


Tomorrow’s round-three game, however, presents their biggest challenge yet as they look to claim a place in the knock-out stages.


Last weekend didn’t go well for Kilkenny, the team beaten by Antrim in last season’s 


All-Ireland final. 


They had beaten Cork in the group stages of the competition last year, but the Leesiders got their revenge by winning comfortably, 0-13 to 1-5, and Kilkenny looked very dead throughout the game.


That result probably emphasied the importance of home venue in these games – and Derry drew the short straw in that just two of their five group games are at home.


They were not overly impressive in Hawkfield last Saturday against Kildare, but never looked like losing. A similar performance in Kilkenny, however, would not protect their unbeaten start.


Nevertheless that Hawkfield result was achieved without Áine McAllister, who had scored 10 points in their opener against Meath. The Ballinascreen forward should be back for this game and contributing to the scoreboard.


It will be a stern test for the visitors who will almost certainly secure a quarter-final berth if they get anything from the game. I think they can manage at least a draw.


Cork are top of the group and at home once again. That should mean a third successive defeat for Meath and that should be Kildare’s fate when Wexford visit them.


In Group One, Westmeath should beat struggling Carlow, while Kerry, narrow winners of their opening two games, can put themselves in line for a quarter-final if they use home advantage to see off Dublin.

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship 

AFTER a break last weekend, the action resumes tomorrow with both Ulster teams nicely poised to qualify for the semi-finals. 


Armagh, last year’s beaten finalists, can clinch a semi-final spot with a win against Roscommon at the Athletic Grounds. They have won their opening two games by wide margins and are playing very well at the moment, with a good range of scorers.


Roscommon may have defeated Limerick last time out, but by nowhere near the scoreline that Armagh ran up down in Bruff. 


Meanwhile, Antrim have played just one game in the group, beating Roscommon by 3-11 to 0-8 on the opening day. They are on the road again tomorrow before finishing the group with two home games.


Down lost comprehensively to Armagh in the Ulster championship, but improved when the pair met in the last round of championship fixtures. 


However they are still a good bit off Antrim and the Saffrons should win with something to spare in Atticall to leave them in a good position coming into the last two games of the group.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship

Group Two

Saturday

Limerick v Offaly (Cappamore GAA, 5pm)

Galway v Down (Athenry, 2pm)

Antrim v Kilkenny (Dunloy, 2pm)

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Championship

Saturday (5pm)

Group One

Kerry v Dublin (Lixnaw GAA)

Westmeath v Carlow (TEG Cusack Park)

Group Two

Kildare v Wexford (Manguard CoE, Hawkfield)

Kilkenny v Derry (St Lachtain’s GAA, Freshford)

Cork v Meath (Cork Camogie Grounds)

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship

Saturday (5pm)

Group One

Down v Antrim (Atticall GAA)

Armagh v Roscommon (the Athletic Grounds)