Home advantage gives Cats the edge

The choice of Nowlan Park in Kilkenny as the venue for the All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie semi-final will seem to many observers as a odd choice for the game.

The match was originally due to be played in Banagher but was changed to the home of Kilkenny hurling with the throw in at 2pm - a strange choice perhaps as Meath will be required to make a lenghty trip.

The change to Kilkenny's home ground surely gives the team in black and amber a better chance of carving out a win and makes an already very challenging assignment even more difficult for Brendan Skehan's team.

Meath played Kilkenny in a National Camogie League Div 2 quarter-final last June but that match was in Birr and it might have been expected this latest contest between the counties would be at a neutral venue.

In that Birr game Meath ended up as winners by 3-7 to 1-12 but it was very close with the Royals snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with a Maire Kirby goal deep into injury time.

Tipperary’s Derek O’Mahoney will take charge of this Saturday’s All-Ireland MFC final between Meath and Tyrone at Croke Park.

Meath ensured their place in a first minor football decider since 2012 last Saturday by defeating Sligo at Kingspan Breffni.

They face a very talented Tyrone side who had 14 points to spare over Cork in Tullamore last weekend.

O’Mahoney will throw-in the ball at 1pm at headquarters. Later Kerry and Tyrone will take on each other for a place in the All-Ireland SFC final against Mayo on Saturday 11th September.