Liberty Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Preview- Senior’s face Derry trip in All Ireland opener

Saturday 18th June 2016
Liberty Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Grp 2
Derry vs Kilkenny
Venue: Swatragh 5.15pm Referee: Owen Elliott

The Kilkenny senior team will hope to get there All Ireland championship bid off on a good footing when they make the long trek to Swatagh in Derry on Saturday to take on the home side at 5.15pm.

Kilkenny will be hoping to bounce back from there Leinster semi final defeat a month ago to Wexford when the league champions came up short against there Leinster rivals 2-19 to 2-09.  The last time the sides met Kilkenny recorded an easily opening round league victory over the Mourne side in Ann Downey’s first game 5-09 to 0-01. Kilkenny went on from that victory with a win over Waterford (3-16 to 3-07) a narrow loss to Cork (1-09 to 0-11) and final game victory over Limerick (2-12 to 0-14), to set up a league semi final spot with Tipperary which they won after extra time (2-13 to 0-15). This victory set up a league final showdown with Galway in which the Cats easily defeated the Tribeswomen (2-07 to 0-07). After this victory as outlined above Kilkenny came up short to Wexford in the Leinster semi final.

Derry on the other hand had a disappointing league campaign and suffered four losses to Kilkenny as stated above (5-09 to 0-01), Cork (1-18 to 0-09), Limerick (2-15 to 1-08)  and Waterford (3-13 to 2-09), to finish bottom of the league table.

The sides met also in the All Ireland series last season where the Cats easily recorded an 8-22 to 2-10 victory. Derry have talented players among there ranks with Karen Kelt pivotal to the Mourne side attack. In saying this it is hard to see anything but a Kilkenny victory on Saturday and they should get there opening points of the campaign.