Kerry to make Munster Senior Camogie Championship bow in May

Kerry manager John Madden said his players wanted to test themselves at senior camogie level. So they applied to the Munster Council

DEBUT: Kerry will face the winner of Clare and Waterford in their opening Munster Senior Camogie Championship game. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Logan

Kerry Camogie is about to take a major leap over the May Bank Holiday weekend when they play in the Munster Senior Camogie Championship for the first time against the winners of the Clare v Waterford game. Team manager John Madden confirmed this after Kerry defeated Derry last weekend 4-14 to 0-9, thus topping the Centra Division 2 table and qualifying to play Meath in the Division 2 final on April 11th.

“We have entered the Munster Senior Championship this year and we'll be playing that on the May Bank Holiday weekend against the winner of Clare v Waterford," said Madden.

"That will be tough, it's a high standard, but again that's where we want to be. For now though, we'll be preparing for Meath and looking forward to a tough test.

“It was always our target to get to the league final. It was a good campaign from our perspective, plenty of tough games, and we knew our fate was in our own hands heading up here to Derry. We were really pleased with our performance. 

"The field (St. Colm's GAC in Ballinascreen) was in immaculate condition and that suited us. We were able to put up a big scoreline. We had been saying among ourselves that there was a big performance in us and today it arrived, the forwards really clicked today and moved the ball really well. We are looking forward to playing Meath in the final.

“After that we have a small bit of a break. So having reached the Intermediate Championship final last August, losing narrowly to Offaly, the girls were disappointed that we did not gain promotion because they wanted to give senior camogie a go.

"They have been successful all the way up with club (Clanmaurice) and county, so this group of girls want to sample senior camogie. So we applied to play in the Munster Senior Camogie Championship and the Munster Council gave us the nod. They have always been very supportive of Kerry camogie and game is growing rapidly in the county."

Countless hours of practice, sacrifices, and unwavering determination had brought Patrice Diggin and her Kerry teammates to the brink of realizing their long cherished goal of playing senior camogie.

It will be a proud and historic day for those players who have been around since they began the long road from rags to potential riches.