Littlewoods Ireland Camogie – Division Two semi-final
Antrim v Cork (Sunday, Edenderry, 3pm)
Antrim go into tomorrow’s National Camogie League Division 2 semi-final without two of six forwards who shone so brightly in last season’s All Ireland Intermediate final win of Kilkenny in Croke Park.
Maeve Kelly and Caitrin Dobbin are ruled out with injury, Kelly with a foot injury that required surgery and Dobbin with a finger injury sustained in training during the week. While the loss of these two top forwards will be a blow, it is maybe not as serious as it would have been last season, for the new management squad have added a bit more strength in this area with the likes of Caoimhe Wright of Ballycastle, Siobhan McKillop of Cushendall and St John’s Maebh Laverty ready-made replacements, having featured in the league this season.
Sunday’s opponents are a formidable outfit and last weekend beat Galway in the quarter finals by 1-13 to 0-10. Cork had too much for Antrim when they met in the round robin section of last season’s championship, but to their credit the Saffrons learned from that defeat and turned things around to go on and win the All Ireland title. Tomorrow’s game with be a massive test for the Antrim girls but they have added incentive of getting back to Croke Park if they win, as the League finals are fixed for headquarters next weekend.