FBD Insurance Intermediate Final Preview

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams VS Shannon Rovers, Sunday 14th November @12 noon in the County Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

In 2019 Shannon Rovers defeated Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams in the Junior A county final. This Sunday both teams will contest the FBD Insurance Intermediate county final and in 2022 one team will compete in the senior championship. After winning the 2019 final Shannon Rovers similar to Knockavilla this year reached the intermediate final the following year. On that occasion they fell short to a very strong Thurles Sarsfields team. Standing between them now and a county championship on Sunday is another formidable outfit in the Paddy Fitzgerald managed west Tipperay team.

The rise of both clubs through the ranks in recent years is testament to the great work being done in both clubs at both adult and juvenile level with both clubs regularly supplying players to county teams at all levels. Both Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams and Shannon Rovers had to get through two really tight semi-finals to book their place in Sundays final. In their opening game of the championship Kickhams had 10 points to spare over Kilruane MacDonagh’s winning 1-17 to 10 points. The semi-final was a different story with the sides finishing all square 11 points apiece on 60 minutes. In extra time Kilruane’s key player Laura Shinners went off injured and Knockavilla started to get on top running out 4 point winners 16 points to 12. This close test will really stand to them going into the final with manager Paddy Fitzgerald (speaking at the finals launch) believing that the ‘toughness to get over the semi-final in extra time will give them the bit of experience needed for the final’. He also alluded to the excellent fitness levels which stood to them in extra time.

Shannon Rovers’s semi-final win was also full of drama and excitement. An Aoife McLoughney pointed free in the 58th minute put them 3 points up before a Tara Mockler injury time goal levelled proceedings. A converted 45m in the dying seconds put Rovers back in front and back in an Intermediate final for the 2nd year in a row. Celine Guinan and Rachel Hannigan both missed the semi-final through injury and Rovers will hope to have them available for the final. Despite boasting plenty of young talent Shannon Rovers two key players continue to be two of their most experienced players, household names full back Sabrina Larkin and centre forward Aoife McLoughney (who missed last year’s final due to a cruciate injury). If Shannon Rovers are to win on Sunday both Sabrina and Aoife will need to produce another trademark big performance.

Both Knockavilla and Shannon Rovers have excellent free takers in McLoughney and Eimear Heffernan. In the semi-final Aoife finished with 9 points, 5 from placed balls. While Eimear Heffernan scored 11 our of 16 points for Knockavilla with 10 coming from frees. Knockavilla’s 3 key players are no doubt their county senior players, Ereena Fryday who was recently nominated for an All-star, Caoimhe McCarthy and Eimear Heffernan. Ereena has an abundance of experience playing in big games for both club and county. She will likely start at wing forward on Sunday but with her stamina and skill can easily switch out to midfield if needed. Both Caoimhe McCarthy and Eimear Heffernan were called into Bill Mullaney’s senior panel in 2021 after impressing for Tipperary minors. Caoimhe is a powerful runner at midfield while Eimear can cause real damage in attack and will have to be closely marked by Shannon Rovers. In the semi-final Ereena, Eimear and Caoimhe contributed all of their side’s scores. Captain Beth Ryan starts at centre back for them. A recent Tipperary intermediate defender Beth is an important player for Knockavilla and will look to command the half backline. She won’t get things all her own way though if she’s marking Shannon Rovers Aoife McLoughney. In one way the outcome of this battle could decide what way the game goes. Other players to watch out for on Sunday is Tipperary minor Caoimhe McCormack who started corner forward in the semi-final and full back Meagan McCormack.

A huge asset to Shannon Rovers is 2020 All-Star goalkeeper Aine Slattery. The distance and accuracy she gets in her puckouts gives her side a huge asset. Eimear Fogarty at centre back has also impressed all year for them while full forward Laura Leenane is a real scoring threat and scored 3 points from play in their semi-final win. In the group games Knockavilla had a big win over Shannon Rovers beating them 2-19 to 1-9. Neither side is likely to read too much into this result as knockout championship and especially finals are a totally different situation. In the following round of games Shannon rovers bet Newport/Ballinhinch 6-16 to 2-14 while in the previous round Knockavilla had beaten Newport by only 6 points. The semi-finals showed that there was very little between the top 4 teams in this year’s championship. At the start of the championship many people would have found it difficult to predict an overall winner and now that we are down to the final 2 it’s still not any easier to predict a winner. We have had a wonderful FBD Insurance intermediate championship to date and no doubt Sunday’s final will be the highlight. Throw in is at 12 noon in the County Camogie Grounds, The Ragg this Sunday November 14th.

Club: Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams

Captain: Beth Ryan                  Manager: Paddy Fitzgerald

Path to the final: Group Games

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 1-17 Kilruane Macdonaghs 0-10

Newport Ballinahinch 1-10 Knockavilla Donaskegh Kickhams 3-10

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 2-19 Shannon Rovers 1-9

Borris-Ileigh 0-5 Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 0-14

County semi-final

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 0-16 (After Extra Time)

Kilruane MacDonaghs 0-12

Club: Shannon Rovers

Captain: Aine Slattery               Manager: Paul Darcy

Path to the final: Group games

Shannon Rovers 2-16 Cahir 0-9

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-7 Shannon Rovers 2-10

Shannon Rovers 3-16 Borris-Ileigh 2-10

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 2-19 Shannon Rovers 1-09

Shannon Rovers 6-16 Newport/Ballinahinch 2-14

County semi-final

Shannon Rovers 0-14 Borris-Ileigh 1-10

FBD Insurance Junior A Championship Preview!!

Boherlahan v Kiladangan,           Holycross v Brian Borus

Drom v Ballina,                              Moneygall v Templemore 

Junior A Quarter finals all take place on Sunday November 14^th with Drom and Boherlahan having emerged as the group winners. First and second have home venues and Boherlahan will be hoping to overturn their extra time defeat to Kiladangan in the Summer League Quarter final this time. Not available to Boherlahan in that league Q/F were Tipp Senior Camogie’s Sarah Delaney and Tipp Senior Footballer Clodagh Horgan which has certainly strengthened the side during their unbeaten run so far in championship. Kiladangan’s Sinead Meagher starred for Tipperary in the Munster Intermediate final win over Cork this year and will pose a huge attacking threat.

Moneygall have Mary Ryan and Mairead Teehan to lead them against a Templemore team which drew with Junior A favourites Drom in the group stages. Holycross ran up an impressive score against a depleted Templemore  lineout but will find Brian Borus very difficult opponents as Brian Borus were just pipped in the group stages by late wins by Boherlahan and Moneygall. Lorna o Dwyer is scoring freely at centre forward and Claire Stakelum has moved to centre back. Drom will go in as favourites against Ballina but Ballina have great talent coming through and have won a Minor A title in recent years. Ballina will possibly be without Maeve Óg o Leary who has made the Irish International Women’s Rugby Squad, congrats! But with her sister Sinead in goal, Katie Dunne and Aoibheann Ward in defence, Ballina will have a strong rearguard.

FBD Insurance Junior B Preview

Moycarkey take on Portroe in the postponed Junior B semifinal in Kilcommon on Sunday November 14^th at . Moycarkey are recent Summer League champions and have also narrowly beaten Portroe in the group stages.  Tipp Minor Emma o Sullivan has impressed for Moycarkey but Portroe have welcomed back the O Halloran sisters from Burgess / Duharra to strengthen their side. The winners will take on Lorrha in the Final.

FBD Insurance Junior B2 Final Preview

Silvermines will play Cashel in the final of this new championship designed for club second teams. On route to this final, Silvermines have beaten Toomevara and Shannon Rovers and drawn with Clonoulty. They had a comprehensive win over Clonoluty then in the Semifinal on an 0-11 to 0-05 scoreline. Freetaker Dervla Slattery is their top scorer and Rebecca Forde also adds strength to the ‘Mines’ attack. Further back, Rachel Kennedy and former Tipperary Senior and Intermediate player Joanne Nolan McGrath have been influential to this unbeaten Silvermines team. Cashel have a mixture of experience and youth and beat Cahir and Holycross on route to their semifinal. Cashel beat Toome 2-10 to 2-04 in a tough semi played in Drombane. Cashel have some very young players with Ciara Moloney, Saoirse Davis, Keeva o Donoghue and Anna Keane featuring with Tipperary’s Under 16A and B squads this year. Jean Walsh has been Cashel’s top scorer with Rebecca Delahunty having a big influence in midfield. Former Tipp Minor Aoibheann Fanning plays centre forward. Cashel won the Summer League with a win over Annacarty in the Final and may start as slight favourites as a result!

SECONDARY SCHOOLS UPDATE

In the past 2 weeks, the Munster Junior (Under 16) 7-a-side camogie competition was completed in all grades. In the A Munster Final, Ursuline Thurles defeated Cashel Community School by 2-06 to 1-05 played in Boherlahan.

Played in Mungret, St Marys Nenagh, Borrisokane and Carrick on Suir competed in the B grade with Nenagh reaching the final but beaten by Laurel Hill.

Colaiste Cahir and Newport competed in the C, with Newport recording wins over Cahir and St Caimins before a norrow defeat to Loreto Fermoy.

Well done to Loreto Clonmel and St Josephs Borrisoleigh  who each entered 2 sides in the D Competition played in Borrisoleigh. Borrisoleigh 1 reached the final after good wins against Loreto Clonmel and Castletroy College before losing the final to Blarney. St Ailbe’s Tipperary had a good win over St Brogans but falled to make their final in the C Plate.

Senior Camogie (Under 19) Championship A

Cashel CS 1-15 Middleton 1-11

Carrick on Suir 2-09 Ursuline Thurles 5-09

Pres Thurles v Clonakilty (Nov 11^th)

Senior Camogie (Under 19) Championship B

Colaiste Ennis 3-16 St Marys Nenagh 2-08

Borrisokane lost to

St Marys v St Annes Killaloe (Nov 9^th) Back door game.

Borrisokane v Hospital (Nov 10^th ) Back door game.

Senior Camogie (Under 19) Championship C Quarter Finals

Pobal Scoil Roscré 4-10 Loreto Fermoy 0-12

Charlville v Colaiste Dun Iascaigh Cahir (Nov 12^th )

Senior Camogie (Under 19) Championship D

Carrigtwohill 3-13 St Josephs Borrisoleigh 0-08 

Dungarvan 1-12 Templemore  2-05

Intermediate Championship 

Mercy Waterford 0-8 Loreto Clonmel 2-10

Pres Ballingarry v Colaiste Fermoy

An Rinn 7-11 Nenagh College 4-01

Fixtures

FBD Insurance Junior B2 Championship Final.

Cashel v Silvermines Saturday November 13th at 1pm in Camogie grounds.

Sunday November 14^th

FBD Insurance Co. Intermediate Final

Knockavilla Kickhams v Shannon Rovers in Co Camogie Grounds  at 12 noon

FBD Insurance Junior A Co. Quarter Finals 

Boherlahan v Kiladangan in Boherlahan at 11am

Holycross v Brian Borus in Holycross at 11am

Drom v Ballina in Ragg GAA Pitch at 11am

Moneygall v Templemore in Moneygall  at 11am

Under 15 Development League Finals (Times and venuesT.B.C.)

A final: Moycarkey v Holycross

B Final: (Winners of Ballybacon v Nenagh) play (Winners of Roscrea v Borrisoleigh)

C Final: Fethard v Newport / Ballinahinch

D final: Lorrha v St Pats.

Results 

Under 15 Development League Semi-finals.

Moycarkey 4-10 Annacarty 2-07

Holycross 3-07 Silvermines 1-01

Newport 4-12 Portroe 0-00

Fethard 3-08 Kiladangan 1-02

Under 15 Quarter Finals: 

Borrisoleigh 4-06 Cashel 1-03

St Cronans Roscrea 5-03 Moyle Rovers  0-02

Ballybacon  5-06 Shannon Rovers 0-07