The messaging from the Sarsfields camp has been ultra-consistent since their breakthrough as a national force, reaching their first AIB All-Ireland final in 2017. They were a young, callow side then, having only broken through in Galway.

They were forced to learn some hard lessons, losing the following year’s final in a repeat battle with Slaughtneil, who then ended their interest in the subsequent season’s semi-final.

The haven’t missed a decider since, finally laying their Robert Emmetts bogey in 2020 and now have three triumphs on their roll of honour, delivering twice in  2022, the latter of which was the first calendar year campaign.

It says a lot for them that they are back again, having fallen short to Kilkenny crew Dicksboro 12 months ago. Consistent success has been known to take the edge off the most ruthless, hard-working groups but Michael McGrath and his gang remain as hungry as ever. They have said, time and again, that they know such golden periods do not last forever and so they are intent on farming this one for as much as they can before their run ends

The return of Niamh McGrath to the fold is a huge boost of course, the eldest of the manager’s talented progeny having missed out last year as she was expecting a baby.

The former club player of the year and All-Ireland-winning captain hasn’t missed a beat it seems, since coming back and remains hugely influential, along with younger siblings Siobhán, Clodagh and Orlaith, as well as Maria Cooney, Tara Kenny and Caoimhe Kelly among a strong squad of contributors.

They beat St Thomas’ by nine points to secure a sixth consecutive county championship at the end of October but were made to call on their undisputed character in the All-Ireland semi-final by Loughgiel Shamrocks, in a repeat of the 2022 final.

The Antrim outfit pushed Sars all the way on that occasion and three goals had the westerners treading water once more but a fortunate major from Niamh McGrath was the hop o of the ball they needed and there was a sense of inevitability about the verdict from there as they came out the right side of a semi-final by a one-point margin for an incredible fifth time. Caoimhe Kelly’s point at the clock ticked into injury time was the first occasion they hit the front.

Having faced opponents from Derry, Wexford, Antrim and Kilkenny in previous deciders, Sarsfields are now crossing swords with a team from Clare. The Banner have never been represented in a senior club final before but Truagh-Clonlara have left a trail of high-class victims in their wake and represent a serious threat to the Galwegians bagging a fourth crown.

After confirming county supremacy for the second year in a row with a four-point defeat of Inagh-Kilnamona, the week before Sarsfields emerged from the neighbouring bailiwick, Bob Caulfield’s charges continued to improve, clearly benefiting from their provincial championship experience of last season.

Áine O’Loughlin has carried her Clare form into club colours in the autumn and winter, and with Laura Foley and Becky Foley, Eimear Kelly and Leah Hawes also influential, they progressed to a Munster Final, where they beat Waterford champions Gailltír in a dramatic 45s shootout.

The darkness descended as was Róisín Begley provided the winning strike, having missed an earlier attempt. After they had finished extra time on 4-12 to 3-15, the 45s ended 9-8 in Truagh-Clonara’s favour. O’Loughlin scored 2-6 and Kelly 2-4 for the Banner representatives, who were securing a first ever Munster title.

The All-Ireland semi-final was a very different affair, hard-fought but without any goals. Truagh-Clonlara were three points behind St Vincents at the interval but had the elements in their favour after the resumption. They held the Dubliners to two points after the restart, and finished strongly with points from O’Loughlin, Becky Foley and Aoibhinn Marren to advance by two.

Coach Ryan Morris revealed afterwards that he would have to postpone his honeymoon to be at Croke Park, giving an indication of what is at stake. Sarsfields will be desperate to get their hands back on the Bill and Agnes Carroll Cup but Truagh-Clonlara have a chance of making history for club and county. It seems like a recipe for a corker.

 

The Clanmaurice story continues and they are back in the final, 12 months after defeating Meath’s Na Fianna by a goal in their first appearance at this level.

They made their first All-Ireland club final appearance in the 2017 junior decider, which they lost to another Meath outfit, Kilmessan, after a replay. Setbacks and seemingly insurmountable odds are like fodder to this group of players, however. 

They became champions in 2019 after a replay with Raharney but the Westmeath girls got their revenge in the following season’s decider, while Eoghan Rua denied them by the minimum in the 2021 final.

They made little of the step up to intermediate, winning the Munster championship in each of their three seasons at that level to date. They scaled new heights last year but that should have come as no surprise as they have also brought the Kingdom to intermediate at county level and the second tier of the League, although they dropped to Division 2A in the spring.

They have continued this rise, despite their pick being reduced as more adult teams begin to sprout up in Kerry, thanks in large part to their success and, of course, the labour of the county’s camogie cognoscenti.

The names remain familiar, Jackie Horgan, Patrice Diggin, Niamh Leen et al leading the charge and they were all prominent along with the likes of Kate Lynch and Aoife Behan as the Clan beat Ballinora (Cork) by five points to complete their provincial three-in-a-row.

Diggin did the scoring damage on that occasion but it was Horgan who inflicted the pain on St Brigid’s (Laois) in the All-Ireland semi-final in Bansha. The powerhouse’s goal gave the winners vital breathing space as the midlanders came at them hard after the resumption and in the end, they had two points in hand despite the concession of two late goals.

We know the strength of the Galway club game and so Ahascragh/Caltra are sure to represent extremely stern opposition. They were worthy victors against 2011 All-Ireland senior champions Killimor in the county final on a 1-11 to 0-5 scoreline, conceding only two points from play.

They faced a stiffer test from Roscommon representatives Oran in the Connacht final but emerged with three points in hand and it was tighter still as they cleared the penultimate hurdle.

Extra time was required for them to overcome Tyrone champions, Eglish in Kinnegad, 1-8 to 0-10. It was a real grind of an encounter and a Sarah Noone point earned the Galway girls a reprieve. They had another when they fell two points down but Noone’s free from distance went straight to the net. And it was the fabulous joint skipper that struck the winner in the second half of the added time.

This is by no means a one-player outfit, as Aoibhe Glynn and Emma Glynn are others of note in what is a very well rounded outfit moulded by Paddy Hartigan.