Very National Camogie League round one
(Saturday, 2pm unless stated)
DIVISION 1A
Cork v Dublin (MTU Cork)
Tipperary v Galway (The Ragg)
Clare v Kilkenny (Sunday, Cusack Park, Ennis, 12pm)
THE Very Camogie National leagues not only have a new sponsor this season, but a new format, bringing them more in line with their hurling counterparts.
The stronger teams are all in this division (1A) with relegation to and promotion from 1B allowing teams to come up from the lower division and find their feet at the higher level.
The condensed format of each division – five games over six weekends – makes it a very competitive start to the season and all the teams need to hit the ground running or be left behind.
Although there is plenty of change, there shouldn’t be any shocks from this weekend in Division 1A. The big three, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway, have dominated league and championship for the past decade now and they are kept apart over the first weekend.
Cork shouldn’t have too much bother with Dublin. It is a home venue for the Leesiders. Cork however had a number of players involved with university sides in the Higher Education finals last weekend. One of those players is former Down forward Sorcha McCartan and she should be in the panel against Dublin.
Galway might get it a little tougher in The Ragg, but there is so much strength and depth in the county that they should win, even if they don’t make full use of the players from All-Ireland club champions Sarsfield’s.
All-Ireland champions Kilkenny are away from home on Sunday. The news coming from the county is that they intend to rest some of their more experienced players in the early league games and bring through some stars of recent minor teams. Clare were the surprise team of the league last year with a couple of shock wins. They might catch the Cats here.
DIVISION 1B
Wexford v Limerick (Chadwicks Wexford Park)
Offaly v Waterford (Birr)
DIVISION 1B looks like a league where five of the six teams there could potentially make a bid for promotion. Last year’s fall guys were Offaly and I don’t think that will change this time around. Everyone will target their game with Offaly as the one to win so that there is no threat of relegation hanging over them.
Waterford reached the senior semi-finals back in July. I can’t see them struggling in Birr.
Meanwhile Limerick reached the All-Ireland quarter-finals last July after a late run of scores against Antrim in Corrigan Park. It could easily have been the Saffrons.
Wexford also caught Antrim in the Division Two league final in Croke Park last spring. They just brought a little too much experience for the Saffrons.
This loser in Chadwicks Wexford Park will find it difficult to climb the table. But it is a game that could go either way. I will plump for a home victory.
DIVISION 2A
Derry v Cavan (Lavey)
Kerry v Westmeath (Abbeydorney)
Laois v Meath (Mountrath)
DERRY, under a new management team headed by Loughgiel’s All-Ireland winning hurling manager PJ O’Mullan, should fancy their chances in this division.
Last year they lost their opening league game to Meath, but were without players from both Slaughtneil and Eoghan Rua who were still involved in the club championships. I understand just two Slaughtneil players to date are included in O’Mullan’s squad, Aoife Ní Chaiside and Sinéad Mellon.
Derry were unlucky not to reach the Intermediate final under Martin Coulter and Danny McGrellis, but must have realistic ambitions of taking the title this summer. It would help their confidence levels if they did well in their league games.
Cavan were the surprise packets of Division Three last year, edging home in each game and then taking the then reigning All-Ireland Junior champions, Wexford, by storm in the final.
The goalscoring of Shanise Fitzsimons was key to that result. However, she was well-marked in the championship outings later in the year and Cavan’s bid for glory petered out.
Nimah Keenaghan has been in superb form with TUD in the Ashbourne Cup and her sister Clodagh is a good free-taker. However you just feel that Derry, at home, will have too much fire-power for them.
Westmeath won an Intermediate title in 2019 and also played in Division One. They could be the team to beat in the group. But they face a difficult game down in Kerry who took a couple of decent scalps there last year.
Meath were also playing at a higher level in recent years. However both they and Laois seem to have issues with getting players to commit to the senior team.
This game, and the result, should indicate whether one or both of them will be a threat to Derry’s aspirations.
There should be wins for Westmeath and Meath away from home and for Derry in Lavey.
