Meath to take title

Some days before Brendan Skehan's charges defeated Westmeath in the All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final at Semple Stadium a member of the camogie fraternity in Meath pointed out, with justifiable pride, that the camogie players were the last team standing from the Royal County in the race for All-Ireland glory.

While they face a formidable looking Derry side there are some solid reasons for believing that they can go all the way and land the prize on Sunday; that they can win the Intermediate title last claimed by Meath in 2017.

Right up there is the undeniable fact that Meath will gain a massive boost of confidence from having won their semi-final against Westmeath. It wasn't only that they won, it was the way they did it, showing a real hunger with Amy Gaffney's late goal sealing a morale-enhancing victory if ever there was one.

They mixed up their game to considerable effect, stitching together some neat moves at times, while at other stages of the engrossing contest hitting the ball into space behind the opposition backs, sparking mayhem that way. Manager Skehan and his selectors encourage the players to mix up their game, base their choices on what they see in front of them, and against Westmeath more often than not they made the right calls. It helped also that Meath players were relentless in their pursuit of the ball, regularly emerging from rucks in possession and finding colleagues with passes.

The hunger - the "fire" as the manager called it - displayed by the players was a central foundation of their victory. They simply HAD to win and they did. Defensively too Meath rarely looked like conceding a goal.

It can also be assumed Meath will be on a mission on Sunday because they have a point to prove in this game also. Having lost to Kerry, 0-13 to 0-14, earlier this year in the Div 2A final at Croke Park, the Meath players no doubt feel they left the game behind them.

They missed a series of chances that day. That must still be a sore point - and serve as a massive source of motivation.

There was little evidence either in that league decider that the Meath players, even the newcomers, suffered in any way from stage fright.

The experience the newcomers - and the other players as well - will have gained from that day, is sure to be invaluable as they once more head for Croker.

Those same newcomers have brought a new, fresh impetus to the Meath cause. Players such as Tara Murphy, Rachel O'Neill, Abbye Donnelly, Ciara Foley and Emma O'Connell have all nailed down starting places and really made their mark. More seasoned campaigners such as Claire Coffey, Tracy King, Aoife Minogue, Meave Clince, Ellen Burke are arguably playing their best camogie of their careers. It all augers well for the Royals.

Yet it would serve Meath very well to be ultra cautious going into Sunday's showdown. Derry positively sailed through their group games in this year's championship. They were never really tested. The team that got closest to them was Kilkenny in the semi-final. In that game Derry were five or six points comfortably in front only to lose their way. Kilkenny hit back to force extra-time but Derry took control in extra-time.

It was an impressive demonstaration of a team reasserting themselves with Aine McAllister ending the game with eight points, three frees, while Aoife Shaw hit six scores, four frees.

It's clear with these players around Meath cannot afford to concede much space in defence or concede soft frees, something that has plagued them in the past. It proved costly against Kerry in the league final and they almost paid a big price for it against Westmeath.

While Meath won't be short of motivation going into the final, Derry too will have cause to make up for past pain. They were defeated by Cork in last year's final, and then only by a point.

Like Meath the Ulster side have also introduced a raft of players who have brought a new energy, a fresh purpose. Only five of the team that started last year's semi-final, plus two subs, have played in this year's group games.

Those five form the central core of their team and inlcude McAllister, Mairead McNicholl, Aoife Ni Chaiside, Dervla O'Kane and Shaw. Two subs from last year have also being introduced to the defence, Rachel Downey and Sinead McGill and, by all accounts, have done well.

Some of Derry's score-taking against Kilkenny was of the highest quality, again something Meath defenders will need to guard against.

Meath and Derry last met in the league at Ashbourne in late March. That day the home side won, 1-9 to 0-10. Caroline Quinn grabbed the Meath goal while Aoife Minogue and Grace Coleman scored three points apiece.

It was a cracking good game too, played at a relentless pace. It will be something similar this time.

That Ashbourne result, added to other factors, suggest the Royals can be crowned champions on Sunday.