Shannon Rovers make Senior bow a winning one

Last year’s intermediate camogie champions Shannon Rovers got their senior campaign off to a winning start thanks to a strong first half performance which proved enough to see off Silvermines on Saturday evening.

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 1 Round 1

Shannon Rovers 1-9

Silvermines 0-10

Report: Joe Scully in Ballinderry

Leading 1-7 to 0-3 at the interval, the Rovers had to withstand a strong second half comeback from the ‘Mines who were much better after the break but left themselves with too much to do in the end.

The away side will have a few regrets, especially with their finishing, notably in the first half having just a 20% conversion rate, with a lot of their efforts dropping short or going wide, some easy enough chances. While their conversion rate was upped in the second period it was still only at 36% by the full-time whistle, as opposed to 56% for their opponents.

Shannon Rovers will be delighted with the win and overall it was a deserved one for the red & whites, with the likes of Julie Brennan, Niamh Franks, Aoife McLoughney, and Tipperary’s junior All-Ireland winning keeper Laura Leenane playing corner forward and Tipperary senior Celine Guinan all impressing.

For Silvermines with their own junior All-Ireland winner Ciara Ryan, and Tipperary senior players Sarah Madden and Ellen Cunneen and Nessa Murray were to the fore.

Both sides traded scores in the opening few minutes with Aoife McLoughlin opening the scoring in the third minute for the Rovers which was followed up by a Sarah Madden leveller for the ‘Mines a minute later.

Ellen Cunneen had the blues ahead in the eighth minute from play after a free was dropped in by Nessa Murray and Cunneen finished expertly, but from the resultant puckout Nicola Kelly won the ball played it to Aoife McLoughlin who beat the oncoming Silvermines keeper Aisling Carey to the sliotar and had the simple task if putting it into the empty net to put her side 1-1 to 0-2 up.

This goal inspired the Rovers, and they would go on to hit the next six points in a row, the first a fine effort from McLoughlin then two from Laura Leenane, the first after a McLoughlin effort on goal was saved.

Then it was the turn of Aine Slattery to get on the scoresheet with a super effort from 50 metres, before Bethany Slattery pointed following a strong solo run in the 25th minute, before McLoughney pointed a free.

Silvermines would have the last say of the half through an Ellen Cunneen free to leave it 1-7 to 0-3 at the break.

The visitors were a different team in the second half and had the gap reduced in the 33rd minute through a Sarah Madden effort from play, a great individual score from the Tipp star, which was followed up by two Ellen Cunneen frees, the second not long after Madden had a great goal chance, but her effort which lacked any real power was well saved by Rover’s keeper Rita Burke.

The homes side responded with their first score of the half in the 38th minute through an Aoife McLoughlin free. The game would then turn into the Ellen Cunneen show as she would hit the next four points, two from play, the second an excellent effort from distance to leave just one point in it with nine minutes left.

Last year’s intermediate champions had the gap back out to two in the 53rd minute through another free from Aoife McLoughlin and despite both sides pushing for the remainder of the game, but not really creating many chances apart from a free each, both of which were missed, this would be the last score of the game as Shannon Rovers would run out victors by a two point margin much to the delight of their players and management team, as they showed they are well able to compete at senior level and will be a threat as the championship progresses.

While for Silvermines they can take a lot from their second-half performance and can be quietly optimistic going forward.

Player of the Match: Celine Guinan (Shannon Rovers).

Shannon Rovers: Rita Burke (7); Frances Bugler (6), Julie Brennan (8), Paula Hannigan (6); Emma Costello (7), Niamh Franks (7), Eimear Fogarty (6); Celine Guinan (9), Anna Harding (6); Nicola Kelly (6), Bethany Slattery (0-1, 7), Áine Cleary (6); Laura Leenane (0-2, 8), Aine Slattery (0-1, 6), Aoife McLoughney (1-5, 0-3f, 9).

Subs: Clodagh Cahalan (6) for N Kelly (48), Ava Young (NR) for Slattery (60).

Silvermines: Aisling Carey (7); Maria Moroney (7), Ciara Ryan (8), Abbie O’Dwyer (6); Nessa Murray (8), Katie Murphy (7), Ciara Grace (6); Miriam Murphy (6), Niamh Cunneen (6); Aoife Ryan (6), Sarah Madden (0-2, 8), Ellen Cunneen (0-8, 5f, 8); Dearbhla Slattery (6), Anna Stapleton (7), Maeve Cunneen (6).

Subs: Maeve Steed (7) for O’Dwyer (17), Ciara Dwan (6) for M Cunneen (42).

Referee: Eddie Kennedy (Borrisokane).