Senior title race begins

Eight teams start their campaign to win the senior camogie title next weekend. There are two groups of four, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the cup semi-final while third and fourth-placed teams will play in the Glenorma Shield semi-finals.
Newmarket are the reigning county camogie champions and will be endeavouring to win back-to-back titles. Also in their group are Sixmilebridge, Clooney/Quin and last year’s intermediate champions, Corofin.
In the other group, Kilkishen, Wolfe Tones, Kilmaley and the combined intermediate sides Scariff/Ogonnelloe will do battle. In recent years, it has been Newmarket and Kilmaley who have battled it out on county final day and these two clubs raised the bar in senior camogie to a new level. However, Scariff/Ogonnelloe, a young ambitious Sixmilebridge side, along with the ever-improving Kilkishen and Clooney/Quin will all want to cause an upset in the 2011 campaign. Wolfe Tones have been steadily rebuilding over the last few years and will be looking to take a scalp or two, whilst Corofin will relish the battle at senior level, having finally made the breakthrough in 2010 on their third attempt.
Of the eight teams, five have seen action in the Munster LIT Summer Leagues, Clooney/Quin taking honours over Corofin, with Wolfe Tones losing out to Moycarkey Borris of Tipperary in the Division 2 cup final. The winners of the Senior Camogie Championship will go on to represent Clare in the Munster Intermediate Club Championship in October.
Group 1
Kilkishen v Scariff/­Ogonnelloe
Both sides made it through to the league semi-finals in April and each came out the wrong side at the final whistle. Kilksihen already got the better of Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the opening round of the league but the combo side are expected to do better on this occasion.
Kilmaley V Wolfe Tones
Kilmaley, league champions, will be going all out to win back the senior championship title and will be fancied to make a winning start.
Group 2
Corofin v Newmarket-on-Fergus
It could be a baptism of fire for newcomers Corofin, who take on current senior champions Newmarket-on-Fergus in their first game. While the intermediate champions will be expected to do well, Newmarket are fancied to make a winning start.
Clooney/Quin v ­Sixmilebridge
An emerging Sixmilebridge side, beaten finalists in 2009, will be looking to make a return to the top.  They face Clooney/Quin who, despite a poor league campaign, bounced back in the LIT Munster League and claimed silverware. The ’Bridge, however, should prove too strong.