On initial viewing, the race for the Fr. Murray Memorial Cup (intermediate camogie) appears fairly straight-forward. After all, with all three semi-finalists from 2023 (Tulla, Whitegate and Éire Óg) and senior demotee Clooney-Quin split evenly between the two groups, the business end overtly looks clear-cut.
Clooney-Quin’s senior experience along with negotiating their way to intermediate glory as recently as 2021 makes them the stand-out candidates, with Tulla currently ranking a close second having contested back-to-back intermediate finals, three if you include the replay in 2022 against eventual champions Clarecastle/Ballyea.
They won’t want to see another mid-Clare side join them in the second tier but for Tulla, it’s all about learning from their previous deciders and leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of reaching the promised land of senior.
Whitegate were beaten finalists to Clooney-Quin in 2021 and actually meet them first this Thursday evening at 7pm, in what is potentially a Group A decider in Clooney and the same goes for Tulla who take on 2017 champions Éire Óg in a similarly pivotal Group B round 1 clash on Thursday at 7.30pm in Dr. Daly Park.
There is a large element of the unknown about the new combination of Broadford/Bodyke as the former garnered the Intermeidate shield crown on their own last year while Bodyke’s representatives have been operating at senior level.
Add in a momentum-fuelled Ruan backed by a sizeable inter-county contingent along with being defending Junior A champions and Group B could be the one to watch for a potential spanner in the works.
This year’s Junior A Championship only has four participating teams, with last year’s Shield winners Crusheen looking to maintain their run of championship triumphs, having secured the Junior B crown in 2022.
They will be wary of fellow flagship side Parteen-Meelick who romped to the Junior B silverware last October while Scariff-Ogonnelloe’s second string did reach last year’s Junior A Final against Ruan but were decidedly beaten on the day.
2023 beaten finalists Wolfe Tones will be favourites for a bolstered Junior B Championship that also includes neighbours Cratloe who are the reigning Junior C champions and an ambitious Smith O’Brien’s who secured the Junior C Shield.
Finally, Banner, in their second season as a lone entity will be eager to start climbing the adult ladder and will be determined to go one significant leap further than last year’s semi-final finish in this year’s Junior C Championship challenge.