Molly Lynch hopes Cork fans travel for semi-final
It might be viewed as a potential negative in some quarters, but as far as captain Molly Lynch is concerned, the Cork camogie team have reaped the benefits of being away from competitive action for an extended period.
Courtesy of finishing at the summit of Group Two with five wins from as many games – and a score difference of +91 – the Leesiders automatically qualified for this weekend’s All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship semi-finals. A curtain-raiser to the clash between Galway and Tipperary in the same venue, defending champions Cork will take on surprise package Dublin at Nowlan Park on Saturday (throw-in 1.15pm) for a spot in the O’Duffy Cup decider in Croke Park on August 11.
By the time the action gets underway in Kilkenny, it will have been four weeks since Ger Manley’s charges last took to the field of play – a group stage win over Galway in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on June 29 being their most recent fixture. While remaining idle for this length of time can be a challenge, Lynch and her inter-county colleagues are content with how the past few weeks have gone.
“We got a down week, so we were able to regroup. Then had three hard weeks of training, which is really beneficial. You get time to focus on little areas of your game that mightn’t have gone well in the group stages. We’re really happy with the last couple of weeks,” Lynch explained.
Lynch was speaking at Croke Park on Monday at a launch for the All-Ireland camogie championship semi-finals – a day after she was in the Jones’ Road venue to see a Cork team managed by her Sarsfields club-mate Pat Ryan losing out agonisingly to Clare in a gripping All-Ireland senior hurling championship final.
Although disappointed to see the Rebels coming out on the wrong side of an epic contest, she commended them for the manner of their display on Sunday.
“A disappointing day, but they tried their hearts out. They were incredible. An amazing match and just unlucky at the end. They’ve given Cork a great lift, so hopefully now we can keep that going for Cork people.” Indeed, with the Cork ladies footballers suffering semi-final heartbreak at the hands of Galway in Tullamore on Saturday, the Rebel County’s last remaining shot at All-Ireland glory in 2024 is on the camogie front.
Yet Lynch and her senior team-mates aren’t alone in flying the flag from this perspective as the Cork intermediate camogie side are taking on Offaly in their own All-Ireland intermediate semi-final at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday (throw-in 6pm). Given there is a more than realistic prospect that the county could have two teams on All-Ireland finals day next month, Lynch is hopeful that the Cork public will get behind their respective bids for championship success.
“There was such a scramble for tickets at the weekend, but there’s an opportunity for people to go to a semi-final this weekend. Hopefully now they’ll take that opportunity and travel up,” Lynch added.