Inter-county Season Back With A Bang With Thomastown Double Header

The inter-county season is back with a bang this weekend as the Kilkenny intermediate team begin there Liberty Insurance Division Two Camogie league against Meath and the Kilkenny Minor team begin there All Ireland Championship campaign against Clare. Both games are being played as a double header in Thomastown.

Irish Daily Star Division 2

Round 1

Kilkenny vs Meath Thomastown 3pm (Referee Jenny Byrne)

Kilkenny will be hoping to bounce back from last Septembers All Ireland defeat to Limerick when they take on Meath in Thomastown on Sunday. The intermediate team had a mixed league campaign last season recording two wins and three losses and a one point final day loss to Laois meant they did not qualify for the knockout stages of the league. Kilkenny bounced back well and ran though the All Ireland Championship campaign undefeated and qualified for the semi final where they easily defeated Kildare only too come up short in the final to Limerick.

2015 is a big season for this side having the experience of the All Ireland final last year they would be classed as the favourites for the league and championship this season. The side contains a good mix of young and experience players and will see the league as an opportunity to identify a couple of new players to bring into the fold. Training is going well and they had a good outing against Carlow in a challenge game recently and was an opportunity for new players to stake a claim for the opening league clash.

It will be a interesting clash as Meath provided a stern test for Kilkenny in the final group game of the All Ireland Championship last year and being under new management they will aim to provide the same test for Kilkenny on Sunday. In saying this I feel this Kilkenny team will have too much for the royals and with this Kilkenny side having September in there sights they will be looking down to lay down a marker on Sunday.

Minor A All Ireland Championship – Sighle Nic an Ultaigh

Round 1

Kilkenny vs Clare Thomastown 1.15pm (Referee Ray Kelly)

The Kilkenny minor team will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing All Ireland Championship campaign in 2014 where they were unlucky to suffer some narrow losses only to bounce back and record a comfortable final day win over Sundays challengers Clare 3-17 to 1-03. The team bounced back well in the Leinster championship and qualified for the final where they came up short against Wexford in a game that can only be classed as one that got away.

Sunday’s game will be provide a stern test for the kittens against a developing banner side that will be hoping to avenge last seasons defeat. I feel the Kilkenny side will have too much for the Munster side and with the experience of some close fought games last season will provide the experience to push on in Sundays clash and in 2015.