Cork seeking to avenge Munster final result

CLARE’S opening game in the All-Ireland Camogie Championship on Saturday against Cork should be an interesting affair.
Three weeks ago the sides met in the Munster final, where Clare caused a big surprise. Their win at the Ragg in Tipperary was fully merited and is sure to have made Cork more determined than ever to bounce back.
The Leesiders have dominated this game over the past decade and from the moment they got together at the beginning of this season, they made it clear that winning the All-Ireland title is their target.
That Munster final win will have boosted the confidence of the Clare girls, whose run in the National League showed this panel have started to believe in their abilities. This year, Clare have displayed a physicality that has also helped add to their confidence.
With four group games to play, Clare will want to come out at the business end of things and secure at least a quarter-final spot. The Clare panel returned to training straight after their Munster success and in the week when they finalised preparations for the opening round of the championship, Clare travelled to Banagher to play Offaly. John Troy’s team put up a battle but Clare won out, 3-12 to 2-8.
The management will be satisfied enough with the performance, glad to have come through without injury and have a clean bill of health heading into their battle with Cork.
Siobhán Lafferty hasn’t been available for the past few months due to a ligament injury and she is unlikely to play any part in this week’s game as she has been unable to train.
Kilkishen’s Kate Lynch picked up an injury last week and is a doubtful starter for this week’s game but officials are confident she will have recovered in time to play a part in the tie.
A blow to the team’s hopes is the news that Naomi Carroll will be absent due to her hockey commitments with Ireland. She was the player of the game in the Munster final.
On the credit side, joint captain Fiona Lafferty has made a full recovery from the injury she suffered in the early minutes of the Munster final.
“We know that Cork will travel to Newmarket with all guns blazing. We have trained well since the Munster final and we are ready. We want to be meeting teams like Cork,” said team manager John Carmody.
It’s an attractive fixture and one that should attract a large attendance to Newmarket-on-Fergus, where the throw-in time is 1.30pm.
The Clare team will be chosen from the following panel: Deirdre Murphy, Aishling Hannon and Orlaith Duggan (Clooney-Quin); Claire McMahon, Niamh O’Dea, Denise Lynch, Ailish Considine, Katie Cahill and Shónagh Enright (Kilmaley), Fiona and Siobhán Lafferty and joint captain Sinéad O’Loughlin (Inagh-Kilnamona); Susan Fahy (Whitegate); Suzy O’Shea (Ballyea); Kate Connors, Maire McGrath, Chloe Morey, Naomi Carroll and Sinéad Tuohy (Sixmilebridge); Ann Marie McMahon (Crusheen); Carol O’Leary, Aimee McInerney and Sharon McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus); Kate Lynch (Kilkishen); Susan Vaughan and joint captain Marian O’Brien (Scariff-Ogonnelloe); Laura Linnane (Wolfe Tones) and Louise Woods (St Joseph’s).