Watters Old Coach Inn Armagh Senior Camogie final: Sunday Sep 24 (2pm) in Athletic Grounds: Keady v Granemore
The biggest event of Katrina Kinsella life will take place today (Friday) when she steps up the aisle in St Patrick’s church in Keady to become Mrs Sean Renaghan.
But Katrina has another big match this weekend and success in Sunday’s Watters Old Coach Inn Armagh Senior Camogie final would top off a brilliant weekend for the superb defender.
Katrina is in search of her 10th Armagh championship medal in the Athletic Grounds showpiece (2pm) after bursting into a strong Keady side 16 years ago.
During her early years, the south Armagh club won eight out of nine Orchard titles and went on to take four Ulster club titles.
But they also suffered heartbreak in losing two All-Ireland club deciders to Laois side Harps. The last of their 13 county titles came in 2012 when their final against Tullysaran went to a second replay.
Since 2012,
Madden broke a 33-year losing streak to collect back-to-back titles and there were also maiden titles for Tullysaran in 2013 and Granemore last year.
Indeed last year’s final featured two sides in search of a first ever title with Granemore edging out Middletown on a 2-10 to 2-8 scoreline.
Keady looked to have secured a place in the final last Sunday when they led Madden by 1-7 to 0-2 at half-time. However Madden banged home two goals on the re-start and Keady turned to the bench to bring the experienced Katrina in to steady the ship for the last ten minutes and secure a 2-12 to 3-6 win.
The second game in the double-header had promised to be a cracker, but Rachael Merry scored two early goals to take the sting out of Tullysaran’s challenge and Granemore eased home on a 4-15 to 1-6 scoreline with Merry, Kate Smyth and Laura Carr the stars.
Are Granemore as good as the score-line suggests?
Have they gained enough experience in cracking the glass ceiling last year to see off a Keady side that has a good mix of experience and exciting young players in Aimee Brennan, Caoimhe Short and Catherine Beagan?
Sunday will answer those questions, but I think this game could go to the wire and that will test the character of both teams.
