Glen Dimplex Intermediate Camogie Championship Group 1
Saturday, 3.30pm, Fontenoy Park, Liatroim
Down v Derry
By Seamas McAleenan
WHAT a lift it would have been for the Down camogie team had they held out for a draw or even a win in Tralee in round one of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate Championship.
They were so close to either of those scenarios, despite having a player red-carded ten minutes before half-time. A lead of 1-6 to 0-8 into added time. Then a free conceded that led to an equalising point. Two minutes later another free conceded around the midfield area. Again, Patrice Diggin fired it over, her eighth of the day.
As with the last outing, the Ulster final a fortnight earlier, there were many positives for Domhnall Nugent and his players to take from the game – but no cigar at the final whistle.
The defence once again was superb and probably more disciplined than the referee thought. By all accounts a few of the frees that led to scores were of the questionable variety.
Niamh O’Toole was brave between the posts the few times the defence was breached while Niamh McConville got back on the line to save a first half rebound after O’Toole had saved the first effort.
Niamh McGrath’s goal was top drawer. She took on the Kerry defence, ran in from 45 metres and then finished with a cracking shot.
Deirbhile Savage and Dearbhla Magee also got through on a couple of occasions, only to be denied by decent saves.
However, the team still needs to reach double figures in points to be in with a chance of winning games.
This Saturday’s opponents are Derry who have faced Antrim in their last two games. For 45 minutes in both games, they have managed to contain the threat posed by the Saffron forwards.
They were expected to be carved open on a regular basis by the pace of their opponents but in each game, Antrim only managed to break loose in the last quarter and inflict damage. Therefore their 3-14 to 0-7 defeat last day out looks a lot worse than it actually was.
Plus, Derry had a player red-carded after picking up a second yellow early enough in the second half.
Derry’s problem is in front of the posts – perhaps more acute than Down’s issue. In the last two games against Antrim they have managed a total of 1-10. Down scored 1-11 in their Ulster final defeat to the same opposition.
They have a good free-taker in Carla Collins, but some of the other forwards are quite inexperienced at this level.
Therefore I would expect the Down defence to knuckle down to contain them fairly well to the type of scoring they have averaged this season.
There is plenty at stake in this game in the sense that defeat will mean an All-Ireland quarter-final on July 4th while victory would keep open the possibility of an automatic semi-final spot. That’s for the future however.
One feels that Down, with home advantage against a team that has struggled all season, need to make a statement of intent, a confidence boost ahead of the final group game with Antrim.
That means they need to avoid an early goal that could give Derry oxygen and then maintain pressure at the other end from start to finish.
