Camogie championship: The race to topple Myshall begins
At the Carlow Camogie Club Championship '24 Launch in CP on Wednesday last were Jimmy Barcoe AZAP Print (main sponsor), Lisa Abbey (Naomh Bríd), Sinead Kehoe (St Mullins), Eimear Byrne (MLR), Orla Deacon (Burren Rangers), Marian Murphy (Myshall), Eve Sinnott (Bagenalstown), Holly Wall (Ballinkillen) and Ger Brennan (AZAP Print, Main Sponsor) Photo: Pat Ahern
KIERAN MURPHY spoke with all the teams and it could be that this year is one of the most competitive in recent memory.
Manager: Pat English is back.
Captain: Ellen Murphy Players in/out: Becca Sheehan is back after taking a break. Moya Jordan is gone travelling.
Your hopes for the season? “We are hoping to get to a semi-final at least.” Who are your biggest threats? Myshall are the team to beat and Bagenalstown will also be strong. Naomh Brid will be there and St Mullins are coming along as well,” says Holly Wall.
Manager: James Connolly and Jim Cranny Captain: Orla Deacon Players in/out: Forward, Clodagh Bolger is coming up from under 16. Aoife Carroll will return after her duties with the Carlow footballers Hopes for the season? “We will be hoping to produce a performance in every game we play. It is our first year at this level.” Who are your biggest threats? “It is a big step up from junior to senior so this will be a learning curve for us. It will be a success for us if we can continue to improve, learn as we are going along and stay up there,” says Orla Deacon.
Manager: Bill McCormack Captain: Shannon Kavanagh Players in/out: The minors are coming through. Tara Kavanagh is the only player who is not back.
Your hopes for the season? “We will take it one step at a time. We have a league final first and the championship won’t be long in starting.” Who are your biggest threats? “We will take it one game at a time. The first game will be our first challenge and we will see how we get over that,” says Eimear Byrne.
Manager: James Barry from Clara Captain: Eve Sinnott Players in/out: Ali Cushen and Chloe Cody are injured, Emma Cody is gone travelling but there are a number of younger players who have come into the panel.
Your hopes for the season? “We are hoping to make the semi-final at least.” Who are your biggest threats? “Myshall are always strong. Naomh Bríd, St Mullins and Mount Leinster Rangers are looking for semi-final places as well,” says Eve Sinnott.
Manager: Niall Williams Captain: Marian Doyle Players in/out. Breege Nolan is gone to New Zealand and Ali Ruschitzko is in Australia. Ciara Mullins is playing junior but could be called into the senior squad at some stage. The squad is more or less the same as last year and it is possible some younger players will be introduced.
Your hopes for the season? “To win the championship.” Who are your biggest threats? The league showed everyone is making great strides. The league was excellent. Naomh Brid and Mount Leinster Rangers are really well prepared as is St Mullins. All teams have to be respected,” says Marian Doyle.
Manager: Jonathan Tallon is still at the helm.
Captain: Lisa Abbey Players in/out: They have lost goalkeeper, Laura Regan, who is gone to Australia. Niamh Grey is gone to Setanta. Some of the players are involved with the Carlow footballers at the moment.
Your hopes for the season? “We want to win the championship. That is it.” Who are your biggest threats? Myshall are the team but it is wonderful to see so many clubs coming up. All are playing well and the matches are good. Looking at the league, Rangers beat us but other teams were beating each other too.
The championship is there for anyone and it is great to have the competition,” says Lisa Abbey.
Manager: Willie Foley, Pat (Mosey) Murphy and Michael Ralph form the management team Captain: Michelle Boland Players in/out: They would hope to introduce a number of younger players to the senior set-up and have lost nobody Your hopes for the season? “A place in the county final is the aim.” Who are your biggest threats? “Every team is a threat but Myshall are the team to beat. They are everybody’s biggest threat,” says Sinead Kehoe.
Manager: Noel Ahern Captain: Noelle de Lacey Players in/out: A lot of players have come up from underage. Three new players, including a player from Clare, have joined the club and numbers in the squad have increased. They haven’t lost anybody.
Your hopes for the season? “All the teams in the championship are at about the same level and there will be a lot of competitive matches.” Who are your biggest threats? “Kildavin-Clonegal beat us by a point in the league down there. Myshall beat us by ten points after being level at half-time,” says Noelle de Lacey.
Manager: John Ryan leads the management team which includes Podge Ryan and Noeleen Jordan.
Captain: Emma O’Neill Players in/out: 3-4 players are coming up from underage. Nobody has left Your hopes for the season? “We are going all out to win the junior championship. That is it.” Who are your biggest threats? “I would say Myshall. They beat us in the league final last weekend,” says Emma O’Neill.
Manager: Bill McCormack Captain: Jeanne Brennan Players in/out: Emma Kelly is back after being out for a number of years. Jeanne Brennan and Michelle Kelly are back too.
Your hopes for the season? “We will be aiming to win the junior.” Who are your biggest threats? “I have been away for a number of years and am a little out of touch but Myshall are always strong,” says Emma Kelly
Manager: Mary Nolan and Lisa Nolan Captain: Therese Nolan Players in/out: Ciara Mullins was playing senior league and could be playing with the junior side this year. Mairead Hogan is also available. A number of players coming out of underage are certain to be called up during the year. Miriam O’Brien was there last year but may not be available this year.
Your hopes for the season? “We want to win the championship to go with the league we won last Saturday.” Who are your biggest threats? “Kildavin-Clonegal lost to us in the league final and someone over there said we will get you the next time. They are raring to go now. It is nice to go into the championship on the back of the league win,” says Pamela Holmes who is back herself after a long lay-off.
Junior Championship First Round Draw (First named teams at home) Kildavin-Clonegal v Mount Leinster Rangers Setanta v Myshall Senior Championship First Round Draw Mount Leinster Rangers v St Mullins Muinebheag v Naomh Bríd Myshall v Burren Rangers Ballinkillen bye
