Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Junior Semi-Final

Saturday 22nd July @ 12pm in Ashbourne GAA

Tipperary VS Roscommon

This Saturday the Tipperay junior team led by joint captains Ciannait Walsh (Eire Og Annacarty)  and Claire Stakelum (Holycross Ballycahill) will contest the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland semi-final in Ashbourne GAA. Tipp are the first game of a double header with the second game between Clare and Armagh throwing in at 2pm. Armagh were beaten finalists in 2022 while winners Antrim needed double extra time to beat Clare in last years’s semi final meaning it’s fair to say that Tipperary avoided the two top contenders in the semi-final draw. Instead they are facing a Roscommon team that came second in their group behind Clare with wins over Louth and Tyrone before beating Limerick in the quarter final. Beating Limerick will know doubt give Roscommon a real boost going into Saturday’s  game. Tipp haven’t had a competitive game since the end of June where they were impressive winners away to Cavan beating the home side 3-14 to 1-09. The Cavan victory came on the back of a big win over Wicklow and a successful Munster campaign so results have certainly being going the way of David Sullivan’s side. With a full panel to choose from, good results in recent challenge games plus plenty of competition for places Tipp can be quietly confident going into the tie. However having watched Roscommon’s quarter final win the Tipperary management are keenly aware of the strengths and talents in this Roscommon side. According to the Lorrha native Roscommon have one of the ‘best players in the Junior championship in Shauna Fallon’. The main player for Roscommon she finished with 12 points in the Limerick game with 6 from frees and 6 from play. If Tipperary are to advance to this year’s final she will certainly need stopping. Aside from Fallon Sarah Dooley at wing back is a standout player while their midfield pairing of Orla Connolly and Rachel Fitzmaurice were excellent in the quarter final. For Tipperary Jean Kelly has lit up this year’s championship with a feast of goals in both their opening games. Clodagh Horgan has always contributed very well to the scoreboard while Lisa Cahill, Cinnait Walsh and Ciara McKeogh have worked very well in defence.

Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Semi-Final

Tipperary VS Waterford 

UPMC Nowlan Park Kilkenny @ 3.30pm

The countdown is on to one of the most eagerly awaited clashes in camogie with the meeting of Tipperary and Waterford in the Glen Dimplex Senior All-Ireland semi-final. A large crowd is expected in UPMC Nowlan Park for what is sure to be a feast of camogie with Cork and Galway the second game of the day. A titanic encounter is expected between the Premier and the Deise as an intriguing rivalry has emerged in recent years as they often battled it out in a bid to join the top 3 in the semi-final stages. Whatever the outcome there will be a new team in the All-Ireland semi-final as either Tipperary or Waterford will be the first team since Wexford in 2012 to reach an All-Ireland final outside of the top three of Cork, Galway and Kilkenny. Having failed to reach an All-Ireland semi-final since 2007 Tipperary made the top 4 for 4 years in a row from 2018 to 2021 at the expense of Waterford beating them in 3 quarter finals in 2018, 2020 and 2021. While also defeating them in the group stages in 2019. That all changed last year when Waterford came to Semple Stadium and were far superior to Tipperary on the day winning 1-16 to 13 points. Futhermore Tipperary failed to reach the semi-finals while Waterford did and proved to be a real match for Cork leading them early in the second half by 5 points before Cork finished strong to take victory. The Waterford performance that day showed that their top 4 positioning was no fluke and therefore it’s no surprise to most that they are back in a semi-final once again. However this time they are joined by Tipperary and it’s All-Ireland champions Kilkenny that slip out of the top 4. Waterford qualify for Saturday’s semi-final on the back of 3 comprehensive wins over Offaly, Limerick and Antrim while Tipperary drawn in a much tougher group impressed in wins over Dublin and Wexford before a tough draw away to Kilkenny which was enough to top the group. A quarter final win over Antrim was their faith while Waterford got a direct route to the final. Depending on the outcome one will debate it better to have the extra game or extra break! And then there’s the important factor of their Munster semi-final meeting this year. Waterford recorded a brilliant win over Cork in the opening round before suffering a heavy defeat to Denis Kelly’s side a week later 4-12 to 1-08. With only a week turn around from the Cork win, were Waterford suffering from fatigue or did they take the eye of the ball or despite last year’s result do Tipp still have the upper edge over their Munster counterparts. We will have to wait till 5 pm on Saturday for the answers. For Waterford Beth Carton is the star of the show and was un markable in the group stages scoring 2-10 against  Antrim in their final group game. Its far from one a one woman show though with Mairead O’Brien and Niamh Rocket also to the fore in attack while Lorraine Bray pulls the strings at midfield and Brianna O’Regan is a serious keeper. Cait Devane lit up croker park with a wonder goal in the quarter final and finished with a total of 2-06. Whichever defence best handles Carton and Devane could likely determine the outcome of the game. Or perhaps it will come down to another player popping up and taking the lead on the scoring front while Carton or Devane are kept quite. And then there’s the impact of the bench. This is where Tipperary will certainly feel they are in a much healthier place then when the sides met last year as without the injured Karen Kennedy, suspended Rosin Howard and the unavailability of Karin Blair and Teresa Ryan the strength and depth wasn’t there. Against Antrim Denis Kelly could spring Eimear Heffernan, Caoimhe McCarthy, Mary Ryan, Cairdha Maher and Courtney Ryan with other options also existing. A place in the All-Ireland final beckons for the winner, let’s hope it’s the blue and gold that make it.