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THE National Sports Campus in Abbotstown will host the 102nd Ashbourne Cup festival this Saturday and Sunday, with teams competing for the Ashbourne, Purcell and Fr Meachair Cups.
 
As ever, the weekend offers up the cream of the Camogie crop from around the country in one venue and here are just some of the players to keep an eye on.
 
DENISE GAULE (WIT & KILKENNY)
CAMOGIE’S reigning Player of the Year after an exceptional season that saw Kilkenny end a 22-year drought to be All-Ireland champions, having earlier garnered the National League. It makes for a neat double for Gaule, having been named Young Player of the Year in 2009. It was a fine double too for WIT, as Hurler of the Year Austin Gleeson is also a student Suirside. Gaule won All-Irelands at Intermediate, Minor and Schools’ level in 2008 and repeated the Minor/Schools double the following year, captaining St Brigid’s Callan to the latter success. She has played in four Senior All-Ireland Finals and scored seven points as Kilkenny finally got over the line last September. An accurate point-taker from play and dead balls, the Windgap star was a key winner of primary possession in either the half-forward line or at midfield for the Cats. Back at the college where she has already won two Ashbourne Cups to study building services and engineering in preparation for joining the family business, the gifted sharpshooter will aim to propel WIT towards a seventh success in nine seasons.
 
PATRICE DIGGIN (UL & KERRY)
SCORED eight crucial points in last year’s Ashbourne Cup Final and it was her free that landed in the square for captain Laura McMahon to flick to the net for the dramatic injury-time winning goal. Diggin produced an action-packed performance, showcasing the talents that have been the talk of a football heartland for a number of years now. The flame-haired midfielder is supremely skilful and strong and is not solely reliant on placed balls to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The Causeway camóg has been central to Kerry’s progress in recent years. In 2015 they won Division 4 of the National League, beat Cork in the Munster Junior A Final and reached the All-Ireland Junior A decider, only losing to a Carlow side that went on to bag Premier Junior honours 12 months later and will know be plying their trade at Intermediate level. The 21-year-old is the perfect role model for promoters of Camogie in Kerry, proving that players good enough to compete with the very best in the land can be developed in the county. 
 
LAURA TREACY (WIT & CORK)
ONLY 22 but Treacy has already established herself as one of the best defenders in Camogie. A Third Level All-Star, she earned an intercounty nomination after playing corner-back as Cork won the All-Ireland in 2014. When a number of experienced players retired, Paudie Murray and his fellow selectors had no qualms about entrusting the No. 3 jersey with the inexperienced Killeagh back the following season and she made it her own, providing vital protection as the Rebels retained the O’Duffy Cup. Earlier in 2015, the nursing student had been hugely influential as WIT claimed the Centenary Ashbourne Cup, getting their hands back on the trophy after having their five-in-a-row run ended in 2014. Although Cork lost the All-Ireland last year to a Kilkenny team that included WIT teammates Meighan Farrell, Denise Gaule, Sarah Ann Quinlan and Julie Ann Malone – who is a fellow trainee nurse – Treacy was one of their outstanding performers throughout the season. WIT have a lot of scoring power but Treacy offers vital stability as well as invaluable leadership.
 
Some other stars who will be parading their talents this weekend:
Julie Ann Malone (UL & Kilkenny), Hannah Looney (UCC & Cork), Méabh Cahalane (UCC & Cork), Orla Cronin (UCC & Cork), Pamela Mackey (UCC & Cork), Katrina Mackey (UCC & Cork), Ereena Fryday (UL & Tipperary), Niamh O’Dea (UL & Clare), Beth Carton (UL & Waterford), Úna Leacy (UCD & Wexford), Úna Sinnott (UCD & Wexford), Róisín Baker (DCU & Dublin), Ali Twomey (DIT & Dublin), Edwina Keane (ITC & Kilkenny), Ciara Storey (ITC & Wexford), Eleanor Treacy (ITC & Carlow), Melissa Lyons (MU & Kildare), Ali Ruschitzko (MU & Carlow), Kate Nolan (MU & Carlow), Niamh Mallon (UUJ & Down), Rachel Merry (QUB & Armagh)
 
Fixtures:
 
Fr. Meaghair Cup
Saturday February 11th
Semi-Finals
11am ITT v AIT
12.45pm St. Pat's v St. Mary's
 
Purcell Cup
Saturday February 11th
Semi-Finals
11am DIT v ITC
12.45pm QUB v MU
 
Ashbourne Cup
Saturday February 11th
Semi-Finals
2pm UCC v WIT
3pm UL v UCD
 
FINALS
Sunday February 12th
11am Fr. Meaghair Cup
1pm Purcell Cup
1.30pm Ashbourne Shield – DCU v CIT
3pm Ashbourne Cup 
 

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