Cork avoid Group of death

On Monday night at Croke Park under the spotlight of a live
broadcast by TG4, Cork the reigning All-Ireland champions for
the past 2 years avoided the “group of death” and will be firm
favourites to advance to the quarter finals. They have been handed
a tough opening game against rivals Galway who they defeated in
the 2006 All-Ireland final, the game will be shown live on TG4
on the 21st of July. The championship will be run on a Champions
league format this year with the top 2 teams from each pool of
4 qualifying for the knockout stages.

Cork were represented at the draw by Manager Mary Collins, players
Valerie Mulcahy and Norita Kelly. Mary Collins was quite pleased
with the draw and was happy to avoid the “group of death which
contains Mayo, Kerry, and Waterford who have won 19 senior titles.
Kerry 10 Waterford 5 and Mayo 4, while Dublin were runners-up
to Mayo in 2003

As well as Galway, Corks group contains Monaghan and Roscommon.
Monaghan like Cork have won the title twice in 1996 and 1997 while
Galway’s sole win came in 2004 and Roscommon won for the only
time in 1978. Group 3 contains Laois, Tyrone, Sligo and Donegal.
And that group has just one winner Laois in 2001. Group 2 consists
of Armagh, Kildare Meath and Down and incredibly the draw should
dictate that none of these counties have ever won the Brendan
Martin cup. Could it be that the eventual winners could come from
this group.

A lot of pundits will have their fancies on who will advance,
my 8 against the field would be, Mayo, Kerry, Cork, Galway, Laois
Tyrone, Armagh and Meath and I wonder what odds Paddy Power would
give on this transpiring. Launched by an Taoiseach. Earlier in
the evening the Championships were launched by and Taoiseach Bertie
Ahern TD, who lauded the foresight of the Association for ensuring
the championship was within the grasp of so many teams.

Ceannasai of TG4 Pol O’Gallchoir again reiterated the commitment
of TG4 to ladies football and an indication of this is the fact
that 16 games will be televised live. President Geraldine Giles
stated “ our Championship season instills great excitement throughout
the country, old rivalries renewed and great anticipation for
success” . We can indeed look forward to an exciting Summer if
and when it returns before the finals take place in Croke Park
on the 23rd of September