AIB All Ireland Senior Club Championship Camogie semi-final
Loughgiel v Dicksboro of Kilkenny in Ashbourne, Co Meath
Loughgiel bid to make it back to back All Ireland appearances when they take on Kilkenny and Leinster champions Dicksboro in Saturday’s All Ireland Senior Camogie semi-final in Ashbourne, Co Meath. Beating the Leinster champions is a formidable task for the Shamrocks but Dicksboro may not strike fear in them as some of their semi-final opponents have done in the past, teams like Oulart the Ballagh of Wexford.
Experience can play a big part in these games and though the Kilkenny champions have had a great run to the semi-final they may not carry the same threat as some of the real heavyweights of the game like Pearses of Galway, or Slaughtneil of Derry, the team the Shamrocks beat in the Ulster final.
Dicksboro had a fairly easy win in the Kilkenny final when they beat first time finalists Windgap, but their task became harder in the Leinster semi-final when they faced St Martin’s of Wexford. Their provincial final opponents were reigning champions St Vincent’s of Dublin and for a while during the third quarter it appeared their great run was coming to an end. However the Kilkenny city side dug deep and showed how good they were by hitting seven points in a row to seal a famous win and calim their first provincial crown.
The Boro certainly have some momentum built up coming into Saturday’s game and Benny Dillon’s side will have a big task on their hands tomorrow. However they have been improving slowly as the season has progressed, and their win over Slaughtneil in the Ulster decider has certainly saw them gain in confidence.
Their Ulster final opponents Laoitrim were out of their depth in that provincial decider in Armagh, and Loughiel got the chance to show their scoring prowess that day. Up until that game the Shamrocks had relied heavily on their two top stars Roisin McCormick and Caitrin Dobbin, but against the Down champions in Armagh that day there was a much wider spread of scorers.
They will need them all against Dicksboro in Ashbourne tomorrow. Dicksboro have proved they are a very good side, and a team very much on the up, but they won’t strike fear into their opponents like some of the giants of the game would have done and if Loughgiel can play anywhere near their best, and manage to grab a couple of goals, then they have every chance of making it through to another final.
