1. Ashling Thompson (Cork) v Niamh Kilkenny (Galway)
Whether or not the two captains and midfielders are marking each other directly, how they fare in their identical duties will play a huge part in determining the outcome of this game.
They are both strong runners who cover both ends of the pitch equally adeptly. Kilkenny really likes to go at defences and is very quick and skilful. Her over-the-shoulder point while moving backwards towards the end of Galway’s narrow win over Cork in the very first game of the championship was a perfect encapsulation of her ability and leadership.
Ironically though, that came after a game in which she had been quieter than usual, while Thompson excelled. Kilkenny had destroyed Cork with her pace in the first half of the league final in Thurles but struggled as the Rebels cut out the space with extra bodies in the Tullamore rematch. She is sure to face similar problems at Croke Park and it will be interesting to see if she can find a way of dealing with that.
Thompson is physical and industrious, a key operator when it comes to winning back possession and setting the attack in motion. She contributes a point or two a game habitually too though and will punish any misplaced clearances. Her fearlessness aerially and on the deck, and willingness to take the battle to the opposition clearly inspires.
There is the distinct possibility that both these players will perform to an extremely high standard, even if they are going toe-to-toe. That’s how good they are. If one gets the upper hand on the other though, it could decide who gets her hands on the O’Duffy Cup.
2. Pamela Mackey & Laura Tracey (Cork) v Ailish O’Reilly & Molly Dunne (Galway)
Galway have been scoring goals all season and were particularly threatening in the league when a full-forward line of Orlaith McGrath, Dunne and O’Reilly made hay with their speed, movement and eye for the onion sack. They tormented Cork in the aforementioned league decider until McGrath suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury towards the end of the first half.
That reduced the danger of the westerners’ attack and it is notable that a number of different players have appeared in the right corner since.
Nonetheless, O’Reilly continues to cause problems for right corner-backs as an outlet and Galway will ensure there is plenty of space in front of her. Meanwhile, Dunne has that priceless capacity for being in the right place at the right time. She would be short-priced favourite if there was betting on first or anytime goalscorer.
Pamela Mackey is acknowledged as one of the best marking defenders in camogie though and her switch back to the corner has had a huge impact on Cork. She has the pace and durability to shadow O’Reilly.
Tracey has graduated to full-back from the corner, having won an All-Ireland in her first full season, and looks comfortable there. Although she has done well generally on Dunne in the year’s two games, the full-forward has still managed to find the net. If Tracey could stop that happening this time, Cork would be feeling good.
One word of warning though. They must curb the threat without conceding frees or Niamh McGrath will make them pay.
3. Amy O’Connor (Cork) v Sarah Dervan (Galway)
The Cork attack has looked forlorn at times as the team has adopted a sweeper system at various stages in recent years. With such a turnover of players this year, particularly in defence, Paudie Murray has been keen to protect his younger players but the transition to the attack has been a struggle.
Ball-winning and particularly ball-carrying are vital traits when there isn’t so much support around and Amy O’Connor is lightning quick. Her close control is excellent and despite not being particularly tall, manages to make it very difficult for opposition defenders to dispossess her once she gets on the ball.
She has a nose for scores of the major or minor variety, and is particularly good at fastening onto the breaks.
This is the challenge for Sarah Dervan but it is one she will relish. A teak tough operator, the Mullagh star is a fine stickwoman so she can play from the front. Her strength means that getting her hands on the ball will only be the start of the battle for O’Connor.
It is the Cork woman’s ability to drift into pockets of space that Dervan must be wary of though, because once she gets going, O’Connor is really hard to stop. And even if she doesn’t get scores herself, she attracts defenders, leaving the equally pacey Julia White and Katrina Mackey with opportunities.
Dervan has been imperious all season and is a leading contender for an All Star. Nullifying O’Connor would be a hammer blow to the champions.
Well instead of paying a premium for 8-9 squad players with low wages why don’t you and the committee start paying top dollar for 2-3 stars that will lift the team and actually win something?
Look at Barcelona 2-6 years ago, the best team ever appearantly. Their bench was barely better than ours is. Infact alot of the time they had kids on it. But their first team….. Same with the United team that one 3 in a row. Even Chelsea and man city’s benches aren’t that great. Meanwhile ourselves and Tottenham have fairly decent benches! But the thing is we only have a fairly decent first 11 aswell…
The fact they were all on drugs helped them not get injured though.
Liverpool are not a big club so why would big names want to go there.pity there suporters cant understand it though!!
Before This season started big names should have wanted to come. Finished second and in the champions league we should have been able to attract bigger names than Lovren and Rickie Lambert.
Liverpool are one of the most supported clubs in the world.
So are celtic but i dont see big names wanting to go there!
Ya but Eoin Liverpool can offer United City arsenal Everton Chelsea Spurs each week Celtic can offer motherwell Aberdeen and so on that’s the difference. People claiming Liverpool are no longer a big have not got a clue. A big club in my eyes is a club that has a massive fan base eg: United Arsenal Madrid Barca and so on. Leeds are still a big club they have a draw towards them. I have never seen so many articles on one club especially on theScore then I have on Liverpool. It’s Liverpool this Rodgers that , the only club that comes near is United. What about Leicester Hull Man City Chelsea Newcastle and so on ? Reason being they are not massive clubs (no disrespect) but if they were we’d all know more about them because there’d be articles on them left right and centre.
its down to money.
Because your young eoin you wouldn’t remember for 27 years Manchester Utd only won a couple of fa cups..during that time they were still a big club..the same as liverpool are a big club today..
It’s down to location as well. It’s an issue for city, Liverpool and United. Top players want to go to London, look at hazard, Costa, Cesc and even Erickson.
Let me guess eoin your a utd fan ? Typical utd fan #clueless&obsessed
And deluded
You weren’t complaining last year when every article was about moyes. Liverpool worst squad out if the supposedly big teams in England smallest ground lowest wage bill average manager who was sacked by reading. Leave it out Liverpool aren’t relevant in modern European football note the word modern. Three good seasons in last 25 still no league title in modern football its real barca psg city chelsea united bayern end of. Go back and buy rickie Lamberts brother.
So before United won their first title in 26 years they weren’t relevant no ? Even before they did I still regarded them as a big club and Liverpools chief nemesis.
Last year must have been awful for you Waka….
Or you could just attract them by being a big club look at di maria falcao mata rooney rvp van nistelrooy veron vidic roy keane. Location is not relevant if you are relevant they will go.
You mean if you pay them bags of cash to go there…… It’s well documented that Di Maria wanted to stay at Madrid and United was the only club who would pay the 65 million for him.
What age are you john lpools chief nemises through 70s and 80s was leeds villa and forest united chief nemises through 90s and 00s were arsenal chelsea and city. Liverpool aren’t relevant end of story that is the real reason they csnt attract the players. Sanchez and shaqiri would have went to united if offered. Noy relevant
At this stage there’s no point talking to you lad. For your sanity Liverpool aren’t a big club but on that basis neither are United or Leeds or Villa. When I say nemesis I mean you always wanted to beat United no matter their position like United with the Pool a few years back. It’s the two fixtures every year you look out for. You come across as the type of fella who’d take great fun in a club that goes to the wall a bit like Leeds nearly packed up. Don’t be holding your breath on Liverpool pal they’ll be around for another while yet to upset you.
Liverpool were offering shaqiri more money over a million more then inter were to offer him,and were prepared to off munich more money,the player wanted inter so was let go there.Simple fact is ,top players are not interested in going to liverpool any more
Luke stay quiet di maria was being touted all over Europe all summer he didn’t have to leave but he did. Was it because of money of course it was thats why united are relevant they pay the big bucks as do real barca psg city chelsea and bayern wheras you won’t give sterling a 120 grand. United have the biggest shirt deal in football history coming this summer if they get champions league football which they will. You have Lambert we have rvp you have coutinho we have di Maria you have Henderson we have rooney it goes on. Get over it keep dreaming about the 80s and 05. The teams that matter are all that matters.
Well it can hardly be said they are interested in going to inter either, probably the only major club in Europe on a worse run than Liverpool.
He went there because Switzerland is just across the border.
Hard yaka you have hit the nail on the head there. Liverpool are becoming less relevant and this process has been going on for a while however painful it is for their fans to hear it. The games against united hark back to a different time
Liverpool should be selling the dream to the big stars, the romance, chance to be a real legend, at an historical club. Will not happen with Rodgers…. You need a big manager to attract. You need to develop the ground, which thankfully is happening, finally. Worldwide support, Liverpool are top ten, but for too long they were run terribly. Right now, many big players are like Rockstars, with rockstar babes/wives….. Many things need to change for Liverpool…
You must be about twelve. Typical moron united fan that thinks football was invented in 1993.
Getting the excuses in earlier eh Brendan?
Think pool need to careful they are not on a really slippery slope.
@John Hayes:
The reason Liverpool get so much press is because of the amount of interviews Rodgers feels the need to do. If he spent less time talking about how big Liverpool are,and their history he might actually make his own squad good,and make his own history. He loves the sound of his own voice and would rather talk about great players than actually trying to recruit them. Players want to work for successful manager,and play in front of big crowds every week,and Liverpool can’t offer either at the moment.
The reason they get so much press is because they are one of the most followed and successful clubs in the world.
These quotes are coming from press conferences that he is obliged to give. Same so any other manager.
I didn’t know Rodgers was ringing the press and asking for interviews John McCann ……..let it with me.
Wakawakawakawakawaka !!
@colin:
Tell me 1 thing I said in my comment that was true. The only real fact I statedwas that he has spent over £200m and hasn’t got 1 superstar to show for it? Is this not true? whats there to like about Rodgers,his smugness will be his downfall. The best thing Rodgers has purchased at Liverpool is his new teeth!!!
*wasn’t
” the amount of interviews Rodgers feels the need to do”
That’s the point I was arguing, I didn’t dispute what he has spent, although it’s a transfer committee that makes the decisions in Liverpool not just Rodgers but he will take the flack for it. Liverpool’s scouting network also has to be questioned as well as the owners philosophy on buying young potential to nurture rather then proven talent. And when they have tried they didn’t want to go ( Sanchez)
And he wont be gone by the end of the season.
Is Rogers normally that sweaty looking? Could sail a boat across his forehead. Christ!
@John Hayes & Colin McNamara:
Every day there is something in the press with Rodgers,not just on his Friday pre-match press conference. He is an ego-maniac. He is either having to defend his piss poor signings,his players wanting out,his players behaviour or being rejected by yet another half decent player. With the money he has spent you would think Liverpool would have a team full of superstars,over £215m since he took over,and who have they got to show for it,not 1 world class player,and for any Liverpool fan to say it’s about money is lies because Suarez was on £200,000+ a week. Gerrard was one of the first players to earn over £150,000 in England. He won’t spend money this window because he isn’t trusted with it,he’ll be gone before the end of the season.
Press conferences, pre match and post match. That’s where these quotes are coming from. Find me an interview that he’s given outside of press conferences in the last month apart from the LFC website which he is, again, obliged to do. And EVERY manager in the premier league is an ego-maniac, it’s one of the requirements of the job. You obviously have a problem with Rodgers, and probably with Liverpool, which you are entitled to but when you are spewing bile try and keep it to facts.
Colin it’s not doing the press conferences. It’s what he says !
That wasn’t the point I was arguing.
I got the point you were making. The point still stand Rogers is his own worst enemy in a press conference. You swear last year in his slow earnest tones that he
discovered how to split the atom. Finding out know that he hadn’t
I think the problem for liverpool at rating players is that as a club they have failed to show real ambition like that shown by the United’s, city’s and Chelsea’s of this world. We sell out biggest players in Suarez, Torres, mascherano and alonso. Failing to sign any recognised star player to replace these sends out a message that were not an ambitious club that wants to compete at the highest level.
As a result its gets to even sign mid range players like shaquiri who could easily be signed if the clubs ambition matched its size. We’re a big club with modest ambitions at the moment I fear.
Ah Colin. To be fair. He is on sky sports news or quoting to the press nearly every day. That’s hardly an obligation in his contract. He’s on sky sports more than harry rednapp ever was. That’s not a dig. Just the truth. As a Liverpool fan told me if his team could defend as good as he defends himself , they’d be laughing.
The other argument here is about club size and draw for players to join. I am a united fan. I won’t get into us being big now even though we were in limbo for 26 years at one stage. The difference now is the money. Simple. It’s about the player and not the club. Sad truths.
I did say one thing last year that hopefully United can weed out the mercenaries out there and get players who want to get United back into the champions league and not just take it as a given. It brings a sense of achievement and togetherness in a team.
Liverpool and United are still the 2 biggest clubs in the world from a fan base point of view. In my opinion, things will change and they will both help each other get back to the top. They have been too fair when it comes to TV rights etc. And if that’s what football is about with the other big teams mentioned and the players they can attract then it will be short lived…..football should be about the fans….that way you earn the money on merit….
Great manager great coach, we’ll get top 4
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/08/brendan-rodgers-steven-gerrard-liverpool
There’s an interview he gave the guardian the other day
Not much of an interview, just a couple of quotes but i’ll give you that.
Says it all really …… had a sneak preview of the Van Gaal story and no sign of McCann or half the United boys there all on a Liverpool thread hahaha you couldn’t make it up. LIVERPOOL FC officially the biggest team on TheScore.ie! !! Lads if Liverpool were so insignificant why do you feel the need to post ? Liverpool get under yer skin boys don’t they ? It hurts they’re still in existence Liverpool!!!! Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool. I heard if United fans say Liverpool backwards 5 times in a mirror Benitez appears hahaha.
Why do we feel the need to post ?? Are you having a laugh !!!! Ahh no sorry that’s us …
Benitez , why Benitez , the little spanish waiter done a great job too in the league
The rage and panic in some of these comments make me chortle.
For that post is exactly why I used Benitez Baz. How ya been chief ? What’s Van Gaal gonna do January player wise ? We all know what Liverpool are doing (setting players up for everyone else) plus BR won’t be given the cash to do anything after the muck of the summer.
Hopefully Hummels , be happy with that
Ye need three at least chief being honest.
Lfc fan ynwa. When we get the players back from injury and of rest spirt we will do good we have got to hold your heads up high and with guts and heart in our hands we will do good. Brendon and you fellows show the premier league show them wot we are made of. Good luck On the fourth position.