CHRISTMAS WILL BE arriving a few days early for either the Sarsfields or Dicksboro clubs this weekend, as their camogie outfits wrestle over the All-Ireland senior title.
For Sarsfields of Galway, there’s an All-Ireland three-in-a-row in the offing while Kilkenny’s Dicksboro are chasing their first at the top grade.
The Galway champions saw off the challenge of their Cork counterparts of the same name, while Dicksboro earned their place in the showpiece after a comeback victory over Loughgiel Shamrocks.
Before the 5.15pm throw-in at Croke Park, The 42 takes a look at some of the key players on each side who could decide which team will be climbing up the Hogan Steps in victory.
Siobhán McGrath (Sarsfields)
A mainstay of the Sarsfields team, Siobhán McGrath bagged 1-2 in the semi-final in a Player-Of-The-Match display. Along with her sisters Orlaith, Ciara and Clodagh, and their father Michael who manages the side, the McGrath clan is the backbone of the Sarsfields cause.
Siobhán is also a top forward with the Galway camogie team, and has tasted All-Ireland success with the Tribeswomen. She was named the 2022/2023 camogie club championships Player of the Year while her other sister Niamh received that honour for the previous season. Niamh is absent from the Sarsfields side this season, but Dicksboro will still be occupied with McGrath forces on the field later this evening.
Siobhán will most likely be perched at the edge of the square where she could devastate the opposition.
Maria Cooney (Sarsfields)
The Sarsfields centre-back is another seasoned member of the back-to-back All-Ireland champions. Similar to McGrath, Maria Cooney also has inter-county experience which makes her a tough prospect for Dicksboro’s forwards in the final.
Cooney comes from hurling pedigree that has a long association with successful Galway county and club teams. Her father Joe and uncle Jimmy were part of a golden period for Galway hurling in the 1980s while her brother Joseph helped the Tribesmen end a 29-year-wait for Liam MacCarthy glory in 2017.
Maria is carrying on that family tradition with Sarsfields who have reached six of the last seven All-Ireland finals. Cooney has played in the forwards in the past but has reinvented her game as the spine of the Sarsfields defence.
Sarah Spellman (Sarsfields)
Sarah Spellman is another important leader for Sarsfields. Another player with inter-county credentials, she progressed from the Galway intermediate team to the senior squad under Cathal Murray who is also from the Sarsfields club.
Her workrate around midfield was crucial in powering Sarsfields to All-Ireland final victory over Oulart-The-Ballagh in the 2021 decider, having lost out to the Wexford team in the final the year before. She scored a vital point towards the end of last year’s final win against Loughgiel Shamrocks to complete their back-to-back charge.
Spellman will be an important outlet for Sarsfields this evening, and a major threat to Dicksboro’s defence.
Ciara Phelan (Dicksboro)
A key defender for both Kilkenny and Dicksboro, Ciara Phelan will be a prominent figure in Croke Park today. She lined out at in the full-back line for Kilkenny’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Cork this year but with the club, she appears to be operating around the half-back line.
Her ability to wield her influence there could help swing the momentum in Dicksboro’s favour and prevent Sarsfields from feeding possession into their forwards. Klara Donohue — who scored 2-1 in the All-Ireland semi-final — and Orlaith McGrath were in the Sarsfields half-forward line in the other final-four tie, which could make for an interesting battle in the showpiece.
Aoife Prendergast (Dicksboro)
Aoife Prendergast is another inter-county representative on the Dicksboro team, who captained the Cats to an All-Ireland crown in 2022. A skilled free-taker, she scored six points from dead ball opportunities against Loughgiel. Her other point came from a penalty, making her the joint-highest scorer from that game along with Asha McHardy who helped herself to 2-1 that day.
Prendergast bagged the same tally in her side’s county semi-final win over Piltown before tapping over eight points in the county decider, and six frees in the Leinster final win over St Vincent’s.
Prendergast is also a known goal poacher and she can hurt the Sarsfields defence if left unwatched.
Jenny Clifford (Dicksboro)
Jenny Clifford joined Prendergast in the Dicksboro full-forward line in the All-Ireland semi-final, finishing her shift with one point from play. The captain of the side grabbed one of the three goals which helped Dicksboro to triumph in the county final, and makes a consistent appearance on the scoresheet for her side.
Clifford has been the provider of important scores for Kilkenny too, including a late goal in the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin to kill off their opponent’s chances and assure their safe passage to the final. She’s also a proficient soccer player who represented Ireland at U17 level.
Clifford will be another name for Sarsfields to draw a circle around ahead of their showdown.
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