Hurling & Camogie

All change in Down and Antrim as 2024 Camogie National league fixtures are released

Niamh Mallon scored 0-7 in Down's win over Offaly
Down star Niamh Mallon has transferred to Galway for the 2024 inter-county season

THE fixtures for the 2024 Very National Camogie league were made available at the weekend.

They will run on the same format as evolved last year with the top six teams will compete in Division 1A, the next six in Division 1B right down to Division Four with reserve teams in Divisions 2B and 3B.

All teams play each other once with the top two going into the divisional final and the bottom team relegated to the next tier.

Waterford won Division 1B last year and are now with Clare, Cork, Kilkenny, Tipperary and champions Galway in 1A with the first round of games scheduled for Saturday February 17.

Division 1B kicks off a week later with three derby fixtures, Kerry at home to Limerick, Wexford at home to Dublin and Down have home venuefor the visit of Antrim.

The Saffrons hit five goals in Portglenone to win that league derby last season with Down bouncing back to take the Ulster senior title in early June.

There will be a lot of change for both camps this season however with Down captain and top-scorer Niamh Mallon transferred to Galway where she works, Lauren Clarke, one of their stars last season, now in Australia and the retirement of the long-serving Catherine McGourty.

Meanwhile, the anger expressed in the immediate aftermath of the replacement of the Antrim senior management team under Elaine Dowds with the reserve team management headed by Brian Kearney and Duck McFadden seems to have abated following a meeting with the county executive last week.

Antrim will travel to their second fixture in Wexford, but then have Kerry and Limerick at home before finishing off with a trip to Dublin on March 30.

Down meanwhile have three home games (Antrim, Wexford and Dublin) but have two trips to Munster, their final game in Kerry likely to be very significant.

Derry manager PJ O'Mullan before the All-Ireland Intermediate final against Meath
PJ O'Mullan guided Derry to an All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2023

Derry failed to make the Division 2A final last year, but are a completely different outfit this term after their All-Ireland Intermediate success.

Manager PJ O’Mullan has expanded his playing panel and is likely to give a lot of game-time to the new players during the league. He will hope to get the balance right to not only reach the final, but win it.

They have just two home games, the opener against Carlow and a repeat of the All-Ireland final with Meath. Of the others against Cavan, Offaly and Westmeath, the Offaly game is likely to be the toughest given that the Faithful are just relegated for the top tier in league and championship.

Division 3A is trimmed to four teams, Armagh, Kildare, Laois and Roscommon with Armagh, beaten in last year’s final by Carlow, targeting promotion.

Meanwhile the Division Four title is very much in Tyrone’s range with two home games against Mayo and Wicklow before they travel to Louth.

Antrim and Down reserve teams are both in Division 3B with Limerick and Dublin. The Saffrons lost that final last year to Clare.

They have away games against Down and Dublin to start and then are at home to Limerick.

Very National Camogie Leagues

Division 1A

Saturday February 17

Clarev Galway

Tipperary v Waterford

Kilkenny v Cork

Saturday February 24

Waterford v Cork

Tipperary v Galway

Kilkenny v Clare

Saturday March 9

Galway v Kilkenny

Waterford v Clare

Cork v Tipperary

Saturday March 23

Cork v Clare

Galway v Waterford

Kilkenny v Tipperary

Saturday March 30

Galway v Cork

Waterford v Kilkenny

Clare v Tipperary

Sunday April 14 - Final

Division 1B

Saturday February 24

Down v Antrim

Wexford v Dublin

Kerry v Limerick

Saturday March 2

Kerry v Dublin

Wexford v Antrim

Limerick v Down

Saturday March 9

Antrimv Kerry

Dublin v Limerick

Down v Wexford

Saturday March 23

Wexford v Kerry

Down v Dublin

Antrim v Limerick

Saturday March 30

Limerick v Wexford

Dublin v Antrim

Kerry v Down

Saturday April 13 - Final

Division 2A

Saturday February 17

Derry v Carlow

Offaly v Westmeath

Meath v Cavan

Saturday February 24

Carlow v Offaly

Cavan v Derry

Meath v Westmeath

Saturday March 9

Cavan v Offaly

Westmeath v Carlow

Derry v Meath

Saturday March 23

Carlow v Meath

Offaly v Derry

Cavan v Westmeath

Saturday March 30

Carlow v Cavan

Westmeath v Derry

Meath v Offaly

Sunday April 14 - Final

Division 2B

Saturday January 27

Tipperary v Cork

Wexford v Clare

Galway v Kilkenny

Saturday February 3

Kilkenny v Wexford

Galway v Cork

Clare v Tipperary

February 17

Wexford v Tipperary

Clare v Galway

Cork v Kilkenny

Saturday March 2

Clare v Kilkenny

Tipperary v Galway

Cork v Wexford

Saturday March 9

Cork v Clare

Wexford v Galway

Kilkenny v Tipperary

Saturday March 23 - Final

Very Leagues Division 3A

Saturday February 24

Kildare v Laois

Armagh v Roscommon

Saturday March 2

Laoisv Armagh

Roscommon v Kildare

Saturday March 9

Armaghv Kildare

Roscommon v Laois

Saturday March 23- Semi-Finals

Saturday April 13 - Final

Very Leagues Division 3B

Saturday February 17

Down v Antrim

Dublin v Limerick

Saturday February 24

Dublin v Antrim

Limerick v Down

Saturday March 2

Down v Dublin

Antrim v Limerick

Saturday March 16- Semi-Finals

Saturday March 23- Final

Division Four

Saturday February 24

Wicklow v Louth

Tyrone v Mayo

Saturday March 2

Tyrone v Wicklow

Mayo v Louth

Saturday March 9

Wicklow v Mayo

Louth v Tyrone

Saturday March 23- Semi-finals

Saturday April 13 - Final