Camogie - Down open their All-Ireland account with home game against Kilkenny

Saturday 21st May 2022

DOWN open their All-Ireland account with two home games against 2020 league champions Kilkenny and the Ulster derby with Antrim on May 28. Home venue is welcome at any time, but both are very difficult games.

Kilkenny travel to Liatroim a week after convincingly beating Dublin to retain the Leinster title and they looked pretty impressive in that game.

By contrast, Down’s last outing was three weeks ago when they lost their Ulster title to Antrim in a game that didn’t go well for them in the early stages.

Not only were they carved open for two goals that put Antrim in control, but they lost the leadership of the recently returned Paula O’Hagan to a hamstring injury in the ninth minute. O’Hagan’s availability for this game is still in doubt.

Management had to bring Dearbhla Magee out from full-back into attacking from deep through the middle and that was when they were most effective. However it also left them vulnerable at the back and they were punished by the third Antrim goal that killed off the come-back ten minutes from time.

Niamh Mallon provides the team were their only consistent scoring threat and there is little doubt that Kilkenny will make provision to see that she doesn’t get to run up the totals she did in her maiden season in the top flight. Kilkenny have title aspirations. Most will expect them to win and win easily. Down will do well to stay with them deep into the second half as they did when Galway visited in the league.