Same again for Dublin in All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie decider

Sat, 9th September 2017

Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship Final

Dublin v Westmeath, Sunday, Croke Park, 12pm

Dublin Camogie is on the crest of a wave right now. The Seniors, Minors and U16s all made All-Ireland Semi-Finals but the Premier Juniors took it one step further. The overall picture is one of blooming health in the Capital County.

Shane Plowman’s outfit took all before them in the League on the way to Division 3 honours but now they are crossing swords with a unit that played well in Division 2.

Indeed Westmeath only missed out on a place in the last four on score difference, finishing just five points worse off than Kildare, who also reached the Intermediate Semi-Final. Indeed the Lakesiders defeated the Lilywhites in the round-robin phase as well as another Intermediate side Antrim, and only lost by a point to Galway.

Both had already qualified when they faced off in the final Group 1 game so it is difficult to know what to take from that. On face value, we can say that there will be a puck of the ball in this, as Westmeath prevailed by the minimum.

A goal from Evelyn Twomey seven minutes into the second half broke the Kerry resistance as Dublin moved to within 60 minutes of a sixth title at this grade with six points to spare. Aoife Bugler and skipper Emer Keenan will be among the players they will need to perform if they are to achieve it.

Dinah Loughlin, Pamela Greville and Denise McGrath stood out once more for Westmeath, although they had a couple of anxious moments as last year’s runners-up Armagh launched a late rally and closed to within a point by the time the final whistle was blown.

They are pursuing their first Premier Junior Championship, having established themselves in recent years following their Junior A success in 2012.

Dublin have named the same 15 that beat Kerry in the semi final for Sunday's Liberty Insurance All-Ireland final against Westmeath.

The team will be captained by Emer Keenan. The sides last met on 29 July in the Round Robin phase with Westmeath shading matters 1-10 to 2-6.

Dublin last won the Premier Junior crown in 2006 - Gráinne Power's sister Catríona was on that 2006 side.

Ciara Buchanan of St Finians in Swords and Róisín MacLoughlin of Naomh Olaf (Sandyford) will be the first representatives from their clubs to feature in an All-Ireland final in any code in Croke Park.