Camogs prepare for All Ireland semi final

Sunday 2nd February will see another milestone for Eoghan Rua’s camogie team as they will travel to Ashbourne in North County Meath to take on the reigning champions. Eoghan Rua got to this stage with a shock win over the Antrim champions Rossa from Belfast who were themselves All-Ireland senior club champions as recently as 2008/09. It is a measure of how far Eoghan Rua have travelled in recent years that they were playing in the Intermediate grade at Inter-provincial level back in 2010 and 2011. Mind you they were not a bad outfit back then as they were the inaugural All-Ireland Intermediate champions in 2010 and backed that up with a repeat in 2011, both finals taking place in Croke Park.

Eoghan Rua’s preparations have been moving along quietly but efficiently with a number of challenge games under their belt, the latest against St Marys College, Magherafelt last Sunday. While one or two players are carrying a few niggling injuries, at this stage management expect to name their side from a fully fit panel.

The Derry and Ulster champions will go in as heavy underdogs against the reigning champions Milford, an outfit that will surely prove to be a massive step up in quality for the Derry champions. However Milford took a little while to scale the heights to senior glory in their own county, in fact their first Cork title only arrived as recently as 2012. They then went on to a maiden Munster title before lifting the All-Ireland title in 2013 at their first attempt. The good times just kept on rolling for Milford as they retained their Cork and Munster crowns in 2013 and now have Eoghan Rua in their sights as they seek to take a step closer to retaining their All-Ireland title. Mind you Milford were never that far away in Cork having been in three finals in the last eight years before winning their first in 2012.

It will be a tall order for Eoghan Rua but that much they already know, their preparations are geared towards facing a huge challenge against the top club side in the country bar none. The club will be hoping for a big travelling support for the 2.00pm start in Asbourne on Sunday 2nd February and will be organising supporters buses from their clubrooms.