Elaine O’Meara believes Dubs will challenge for league honours

Elaine O’Meara expects Dublin to challenge for this year’s National Camogie League.

The Dubs get their campaign under way on Sunday with a trip to Offaly, O’Meara revealing that Dublin’s aim is to finish in the top two of Division One Group One and to battle for the tittle.

“We want to come out of the group and go into the semis,” explained a determined O’Meara. “We have Offaly on Sunday, that’s a tough one to start, we’ll just focus on each match at a time.”

Last year’s All-Ireland quarter-finalists have a tough challenge ahead, Division One featuring Tipperary, Galway, Clare, Wexford and first opponents Offaly.

“The whole campaign is going to be tricky,” accepted O’Meara. “Nothing is going to come easy to us. Hopefully we’ll start off with a win against Offaly and we can drive on from there.”

“It’s always a dogfight between ourselves and Offaly each time we play, there’s never that much between us.”

The Dubs lost out in last year’s Leinster semi-final to the Faithful county, 2-11 to 0-7.

Captain in 2012, O’Meara believes Dublin are set for a big year revealing the early season panel was as big as 28.

“Our panel is huge. I don’t think there’s been less than 28 or so training.

“There’s girls with college and stuff like that and we lost a couple of players last year through travelling and things like that.” “Players are just a bit more interested in playing this year. The younger girls are more interested in coming up. The set up in the last year has been a real bonus.

With strength in depth, O’Meara expects the team to change somewhat during the league campaign.

“I’ll be happy wherever I am on the pitch. Anyone could be on the pitch, anyone could be off the pitch at this stage of the season, it’s too early to tell. It’s a really decent panel.

“Everyone is fighting for a place and it’s like dog fights at training. Our challenge matches between ourselves have been fierce.”

Lidl’s ladies football’s ‘Ladyball’ campaign split opinion throughout the country last month although O’Meara believes football has already benefited and a similar camogie campaign could be beneficial for her own code.

“It wouldn’t be any harm. It would be nice to get something for ourselves and at least with the Ladyball it brought attention to ladies football and women’s sport in general.”