After long wait, great rivals set to cross swords again

CAMOGIE ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL/Cork v Kilkenny:CORK AND Kilkenny in an AllIreland final just sounds right. It provokes images of intensity, great skill and fantastic scores.

In hurling, it has always been thus and in the past 10 years we have been treated to three memorable deciders between the counties. There was a time when it was a regular occurrence in camogie too, especially in the 1980s, as the balance of power shifted over and back.

Who’d have thought as we watched Cork captain Denise Cronin lifting the O’Duffy Cup in 1995, that it would be another 14 years before the great rivals would cross swords again in the senior final. Cronin is now the manager of the All-Ireland champions, while her regular on-field opponent Ann Downey – who captained Kilkenny to their last success in 1994 – is in the opposite corner.

They are relishing a renewal of the old rivalry, but, in truth, the return of Kilkenny to the top table is good news for everyone in camogie, with the code now possessing five genuine annual contenders for honours.

When Kilkenny overcame last year’s beaten finalists Galway by two points at Nowlan Park to book their place in the final for the first time since 2001, it came as a surprise to many, but it shouldn’t have. The signs were there when they shocked league runners-up Tipperary in the first tie of the round-robin series at Semple Stadium in June. This result was significant, as the Premier women had 14 points in hand when the sides met earlier in the league.

Two weeks after this morale-boosting win, Cork came to Nowlan Park. On a miserably wet and windy day, the hosts were only undone by the concession of two late goals to lose by four points. Cork may have gotten away with the victory, but a marker had been laid down and both sides knew it.

Crucially, there are four players still around from the 2001 defeat to Tipperary and Elaine Aylward, Aoife Neary, Lizzy Lyng and Catriona Ryan will all have major roles to play.

That isn’t much, though, when compared to Cork’s experience. Incredibly, the Leesiders are appearing in their eighth successive final, having won four of the last seven.

If anything, they are even stronger than last year, as Anna Geary and Emer Dillon have returned after a taking a year out to concentrate on studies.

Geary won three minor All-Irelands in a row, as well as winning two senior titles, while Dillon is a former All Star who was player of the match in the 2005 decider and, for good measure, has played hockey for Ireland.

Kilkenny will have plenty of motivation and energy, but Cork possess the greater know-how as well as a stronger panel.

Corkery and Orla Cotter are the top midfield pairing in the country and, with them providing plentiful supply to Gemma O’Connor and co, Cork should prevail.

CORK: A Murray; J O’Callaghan, C Foley, R Buckley; J Duffy, M O’Connor, S Hayes; B Corkery, O Cotter; E O’Sullivan, G O’Connor, U O’Donoghue; S Burns, E O’Farrell, R Moloney.

KILKENNY: C Ryan; L Fennelly, C Doherty, J Frisby; L Lyng, A Butler, E Aylward; C Dormer, A Dalton; T Muldowney, K Power, E Keane; M Quilty, D Gaule, A Neary.

Referee: U Kearney (Armagh).