By Daragh Ó Conchúir
There are two relegation finals this weekend in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior and intermediate championships, while the Nancy Murray Cup semi-finals are on also.
SATURDAY, JULY 15TH
GLEN DIMPLEX ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION FINAL
Down v Offaly, 12pm, NGDC Abbotstown
Referee: Philip McDonald (Cavan)
Being drawn in the same group as Galway and Cork ensured that survival became the primary goal for Down. They would have liked to have done that by beating Clare but couldn’t manage that. They have been reasonably competitive though and did beat subsequent All-Ireland quarter-finalists Antrim in the Ulster final.
Offaly, unlike Down, have only one bite of the cherry, the Mourne women having been unable to defeat Wexford last weekend in the relegation semi-final. Noelle Kennedy’s Midlanders have endured a miserable season. Not being able to call on the sublime talents of Kate Kenny was a big blow and they were relegated from Division 1B to the third tier of the Very League. Siobhán Flannery remains a key leadership figure, however.
Down lost Sorcha McCartan to Cork since winning the intermediate title in 2020 but possess one of the best forwards in the game in Niamh Mallon.
NANCY MURRAY CUP SEMI-FINALS
Tyrone v Mayo, 5pm, O’Neills Healy Park
Referee: Jerome McAllister (Antrim)
This is a repeat of the Very League Division 4 final, which Tyrone won by three points. They hit a fantastic 18 points but conceded two goals to ensure Mayo were in it right to the end.
Louth v Wicklow, 5pm, Mattock Rangers
Referee: Simon Redmond (Dublin)
These two teams were beaten Division 4 semi-finalists in the Very League. Wicklow edged a barnstorming quarter-final with Offaly by a point to set up this joust.
SUNDAY, JULY 9TH
GLEN DIMPLEX ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE CAMOGIE CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION FINAL
Dublin v Laois, Banagher, 2pm
Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)
Both failed to get any sort of positive result in their group and while Laois drew the short straw of going direct to the relegation final, Dublin were seven-point losers to Carlow in the semi-final.
#OurGameOurPassion
