?Golden Days In Croker

Thousands of excited children and their parents will head for Croke Park on Monday and Tuesday next - June 12th and 13th - for the annual Allianz Cumann na mBunscol festival of hurling and camogie. 20 finals will be played over the two days and many of the stars of the future will get their first taste of the big time as they showcase the skills they have been learning in schools and clubs and enjoy the unique pleasure of playing in our games’ headquarters. At the end of the action, all will go home with a gold medal - the prize for achieving a place in the finals.

Tuesday at 12.10 will see a titanic battle between old rivals St. Mary’s, Rathfarnham, previous winners on several occasions, and St. Laurence’s, Kilmacud, for Corn Herald. This iconic cup was first presented in 1938 and always produces a cracking contest. Corn Tom Ryder was presented for the first time last year to commemorate one of the founding fathers of the Cumann. It will be presented by Tom’s daughter, Kay Ryder, a camogie legend with 10 All-Ireland senior medals won with Dublin.

The Div 1 camogie final - Corn Uí Phuirséil - will be played at 11.10 on Tuesday and will see Bishop Galvin NS face Northsiders from Belgrove, Clontarf. Corn Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien was first won in 1938 by Éire Óg - Oblates, Inchicore. This year, St. Canice’s, Finglas, former school of Mick Deegan, will be up against NDNSP - North Dublin National School Project.

Two days of thrills, spills and excitement and of, course, top skills, courage and commitment are in store. The action begins at 10am each day. Two games will be played simultaneously with 10 finals each day. Full details on cnmb.ie.