Fabulous fourth for Drom as Clonoulty hurt goes on

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance County Senior Championship Final

Drom & Inch 3-10

Clonoulty-Rossmore 0-13

Report: Thomas Conway at the Camogie Grounds

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch)

SCORERS – Drom & Inch: Eimear McGrath 1-7 (0-7 frees), Niamh Treacy, Michelle Woodlock 1-0 each; Mary Bourke, Aoife McGrath, Miriam Campion 0-1 each.

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Cáit Devane 0-12 (11 frees), Eimear Bourke 0-1.

True champions never die!

For a brief period, last Saturday, it looked as if the Drom & Inch juggernaut, that great glorious county-title-winning machine, was about to finally come to a shuddering halt. It looked as if Clonoulty-Rossmore, following years of final heartache at the hands of their mid opponents, were about to banish those demons and secure a coveted county senior title. But things transpired very differently.

Trailing by four at the interval, Drom produced a scintillating second-half display to, quite literally, snatch victory from Clonoulty’s claws. They roared into action after the break, striking the net three on three occasions, each at decisive moments. By the time the final-whistle had arrived, Drom led by a comfortable six-point margin. Another county title in the bag. On to greater challenges, greater heights.

The strange thing was, Clonoulty had played so well. This should have been their finest hour. They had completely overwhelmed Drom in the opening period, dominating the middle third and working relentlessly in all sectors of the field.

Up front, Cáit Devane was, yet again, dazzling. She launched Clonoulty into the game with an early free and followed it up moments later with a gem from play - shaping in from the side-line and sniping from 45 metres. She would slot another before Drom managed their first meaningful attack, which resulted in an Eimear McGrath free.

The entire story of the first-half was embodied by one single passage of play in the nineteenth minute. It featured Devane, charging towards the Drom goal but engulfed by a swarm of defenders. She was dispossessed, but through sheer perseverance and voracious work-ethic, the Clonoulty captain and her teammates managed to seize the ball back, eventually winning a free which she dispatched with typical ease.

It propelled the west side 0-7 to 0-1 in front and seemed to reinforce the feeling that Clonoulty wanted this game more.

And yet, for all Clonoulty’s apparent dominance, they entered the half-time dressing room just 0-8 to 0-4 in front, having failed to contain a surge of Drom attacking in the moments before the interval.

Niamh Treacy’s 35th minute goal altered the complexion of this game.

The goal itself was an individual masterpiece - the combative forward exploded through several Clonoulty tackles and rifled her effort mid-height past Theresa White with the sweetest of strikes.

Almost instantly, the reigning county champions began to play with greater fluidity. McGrath clipped over two further frees, before her namesake in the half-back line, Aoife, burst forward to slot another from play. However, with ten minutes of normal time remaining, Drom still trailed by two, 1-7 to 0-12.

They needed another goal, and in the 51st minute, McGrath was on hand to provide just that. The powerful wing-forward crept in behind the Clonoulty cover, latching onto a loose ball which had been delivered from distance by Mairéad Eviston. With a flick of the wrist, she scooped the ball over the onrushing keeper. It hovered in the air for an eternity, adding to the suspense, before eventually landing in the net, pushing Drom ahead by the minimum.

From there, they never looked back. With stoppage-time just beginning to elapse, substitute Michelle Woodlock landed the killer blow. That third goal was more the product of a defensive mishap than anything else, but Woodlock’s positioning was key. Keeper Theresa White failed to control a long, looping high ball, spilling it out into the six-yard box. Woodlock instantly pounced, bundling the sliotar to the net and effectively sealing the victory.

Further points from McGrath and Miriam Campion would put a gloss on the scoreline, leaving Clonoulty shell-shocked, and probably a little confused.

For Drom to emerge as six-point winners seemed almost remarkable but given the sheer depth of talent and experience in Pat Ryan’s squad, perhaps it shouldn’t have come as any surprise. They are true champions. They know how to win games, even in the most trying circumstances. Last Saturday was just another illustration of that.

TEAMS - Drom & Inch: Caoimhe Bourke (7), Áine Greed (7), Christina Brennan (7), Maureen Ryan (7), Eimear Cahill (7), Mairéad Eviston (8), Aoife McGrath (8), Niamh Long (7), Mary Bourke (7), Eimear McGrath (8), Anne Eviston (7), Caroline Shanahan (7), Niamh Ryan (7), Niamh Treacy (7), Miriam Campion (7).

Subs: Joanne Ryan (7) for N Ryan (39 inj); Michelle Woodlock (7) for Long (46); Katie O’Dwyer (7) for Cahill (51); Gráinne Long (NR) for M Bourke (60+5).

Clonoulty-Rossmore: Theresa White (6), Lorna Ryan (7), Moira Kinane (6), Aoife Bourke (6), Bernadette Ryan (8), Clodagh Quirke (7), Eimear Loughman (8), Sinéad Ryan (7), Courtney Ryan (8), Kate Ferncombe (7), Kate Ryan (7), Cáit Devane (8), Eimear Bourke (7), Casey Hennessy (7), Avril Quirke (7).

Subs: Kellie Quirke (6) for A Bourke (44); Cora Hennessy (6) for A Quirke (44).

Referee: TP O’Sullivan (Nenagh Éire Óg).