Hurling & Camogie

All-Ireland final experience can propel Cross and Passion, Ballycastle past Waterford IT

Cross and Passion, Ballycastle's Katie Laverty in action at Pairc MacUilin, Ballycastle
Cross and Passion, Ballycastle's Katie Laverty in action at Pairc MacUilin, Ballycastle Cross and Passion, Ballycastle's Katie Laverty in action at Pairc MacUilin, Ballycastle

All-Ireland Schools’ A Camogie semi-final: Waterford IT (Saturday 12 noon): St Angela’s, Waterford v Cross and Passion, Ballycastle

It is more than three months since Cross and Passion, Ballycastle retained their Corn Eimhear title with a 9-14 to 4-7 win over first time finalists St Catherine’s, Armagh, but they know that gap in competitive action can be bridged as they made light of it last year by beating Ursuline, Tipperary to reach a first final since their title-winning year 2008.

They were not meant to have conceded as much in the Ulster decider as they had been winning all their games without any pressure on their full-back line and Becky Ellis.

But Armagh found gaps and it will certainly have provided a focus in training in the interim.

Last Saturday’s confident display and victory over Presentation, Thurles in the senior semi-final will have really lifted the north Antrim girls and two of this team featured in the senior effort.

Ciara Laverty, centre half-back for the Juniors, had a great game at corner-forward for the seniors, scoring two excellent early points into the breeze and making penetrating runs throughout, while her cousin Katie entered the fray as a second half substitute and did well.

Both are hard workers for the team, and Katie will contribute plenty of scores as well, although most of the scoring this year has fallen to Ballycastle club player Rhiannan McBride who helped herself to 3-7 in the Ulster final.

Overall the team has a good mix from the three strong north Antrim clubs, Ballycastle, Loughgiel and Dunloy, all of whom have performed well recently outside the county in Féile.

Many from the Waterford school have also performed well in Féile with the team leaders all coming from the Galltir club.

This is the first time a Waterford school has won the Munster A grade schools’ title and they did so emphatically enough with a 3-16 to 3-7 win over defending champions Ursuline Thurles three weeks ago, although they trailed by 2-5 to 0-7 at the break.

Two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half from Clodagh Curham and Clodagh Carroll changed the game and they pushed on with scores from Abby Flynn, Aoife Fitzgerald and Curham to seal the win.

The combination play between Gailltír teammates Clodagh Curham, Clodagh Hector and Aoife Fitzgerald was a feature of that game and Ballycastle’s defence will look to break that down.

The Waterford school has risen rapidly in camogie.

They were playing in the Munster C grade two years ago, won the All-Ireland B title last year and collected the Munster A crown at the first attempt.

They won’t be easily knocked out of their stride, particularly with a home tie against a Ballycastle side that has to travel the length of the country.

But the visitors came close in last year’s All-Ireland final and perhaps that experience can help them through this difficult assignment.

All-Ireland Schools’ Junior Camogie D semi-final: (Saturday 12 noon): St Cronan’s, Roscrea: Coláiste Phobal Ros Cré v St Mary’s, Clady

With St Mary’s, Clady due to officially close later this year as it is subsumed into an amalgamation, there was a lot of emotion following their 2-9 to 1-8 win over Sacred Heart, Newry in the Junior Medallion Shield final in November.

Because it was in camogie that the south east Derry school enjoyed its greatest ever triumph back in 1983/4 when they won the Ulster Senior A title despite not having a Sixth Form at the time. They subsequently lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Presentation, Cork by 0-6 to 1-1.

Today’s All-Ireland semi-final is also a trip to Munster to take on Scoil Phobal Ros Cré, who were resounding 8-9 to 1-3 winners over St Aloysius Carrigaline in the Munster final.

This was the school’s second successive title with full-forward and captain Fiona Scully and midfielders Eilish Gleeson and Kate Hogan superb.

With Roscrea positioned right on the Leinster border, they draw from strong clubs in Offaly (Shinrone) and Laois (Camross) both of whom have shown well in recent Féile competitions.

The Bellaghy Féile team of 2015-6 backbone the Clady challenge with captain Roisin Gallagher the main threat. She scored 1-6 in their Ulster final and went on in December to win a place on the Ulster schools’ All-star team.

The loss of full-back Temair McCann to a serious knee-injury is big set-back for the Ulster champions and that is why other good players such as Teresa McErlean, Roisin Loughlin, Aoife Cartmill and Sian O’Neill need to put in a really good shift.

Ulster champions at this level have not performed very well away from home, but hopes are high that Roisin Gallagher can produce a tour-de-force and keep the Clady run going.

Also tomorrow, St Claire’s, Ballyjamesduff will head into the unknown when they play Loreto, Fermoy in the Dublin Astro centre at 2.30pm in the All-Ireland senior semi-final.

Offaly’s Coláiste Naomh Cormac area already in the decider after a 3-7 to 0-5 win over St Cuan’s Ballinasloe.

St Clare’s won their first ever provincial title with a 5-9 to 2-7 win over St Patrick’s Academy just before Christmas.

Crosserlough’s Siobhan O’Reilly is a huge presence in midfield and Ulster Schools’ All-star Shanise Fitzsimons is a key player up front.

Shanise hit 1-6 in the Senior Medallion Shield win and Hannah Boylan 2-1.

Loreto came through a tough Munster campaign and are apparently quite strong all over the field. So, it will take a big effort to make it through this tie.