Clonoulty’s quality too much for game Shannon Rovers

Clonoulty/Rossmore made it back-to-back wins in Group 1 of the Tipperary Senior Camogie Championship after a hard fought win over a game Shannon Rovers side on Saturday evening.

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 1 Round 4

Shannon Rovers 2-7

Clonoulty/Rossmore 2-15

Report: Joe Scully in Ballinderry

Both sides served up a highly entertaining game despite a strong swirling breeze which made things difficult at times.

Last year’s beaten finalists deserved their victory but will need to improve certain aspects if they are to finally make the breakthrough and win that all elusive county championship after all their heartbreak in recent years.

Shannon Rovers, last year’s intermediate champions, can be happy enough with their performance but left themselves just too much to do in the second half after trailing by eight at the break, and while they got the gap back to five at one stage, they couldn’t close it further and the away side saw out the game comfortably in the end.

The West Tipp outfit were first off the mark in the third minute through a Kelly Quirke point following good build-up play. Rovers would be ahead a minute later when Aine Slattery had the ball in the back of the net after being set up by Bethany Slattery.

Clonoulty nearly responded with a goal straight from the puckout, but Sarah Fryday had her effort well-saved by Rita Burke in the Rovers goal. Clodagh Cahalan extended the home sides lead in the seventh minute with an effort from play after being set-up by the impressive Nicola Kelly.

Tipperary star Cait Devane would hit the next two points from placed balls, while also having a shot at goal well-saved by Rita Burke.

From the puckout after the 45, which went short and intercepted by Eimear Bourke, she played a pass into Cait Devane who found herself free in front of goal and made no mistake in finishing to the back of the net to leave the score 1-3 to 1-1.

Clonoulty would start to take control of the game and hit four of the next five scores with Eimear Bourke and Cora Hennessy both pointing from play, before Aoife McLoughney responded for the Rovers from play.

Five minutes would pass before the next score which came from the stick of Avril Quirke to put Clonoulty four up. A minute later, the gap was out to seven when Sarah Fryday goaled from a tight angle after playing a one-two with Eimear Bourke, which was then added to with another Devane effort from a free in the 30th minute.

The Rovers had the last say of the half through a McLoughney free in added time to leave Clonoulty leading 2-7 to 1-3 at the break.

The home side were quick out the traps at the start of the second half and opened the scoring after just 29 seconds through half-time sub Laura Leenane, but the Clonoulty reply was swift and emphatic with three points in the next eight minutes, two from Devane (1 free) followed by an Eimear Bourke effort, to leave the score 2-11 to 1-4.

The Rovers gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the 42nd minute when Aoife McLoughney found herself in space in front of goal after a long ball in and she made no mistake with the finish.

The gap was down to five by the 45th minute through two McLoughney frees, but that would be as close as the Rovers would get as Clonoulty/Rossmore would hit the next two scores from Cora Hennessy and a Devane free.

Aoife McLoughney would hit her sides last score with another free in the 56th minute, but Clonoulty would see out the game by adding two further points from Cora Hennessy, the first after a Devane free fell short and the second after being set-up following an excellent cross-field ball from Eimear Bourke, as Clonoulty continue to get their championship back on track following their opening day defeat to Thurles Sarsfields.

Player of the Match: Cora Hennessy (Clonoulty/Rossmore).

Shannon Rovers: Rita Burke (8); Áine Cleary (7), Frances Bugler (7), Paula Hannigan (6); Emma Costello (7), Niamh Franks (8), Eimear Fogarty (6); Anna Harding (6), Celine Guinan (7); Aine Slattery (1-0, 8), Nicola Kelly (8), Clodagh Cahalan (0-1, 7); Emma D’Arcy (6), Bethany Slattery (7), Aoife McLoughney (1-5, 0-4f, 8).

Subs: Laura Leenane (7) for D’Arcy (HT); Rachael Hannigan (7) for Hannigan (38); Ava Young (6) for Harding (38), Emma D’Arcy for B Slattery (56).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Teresa Burke (6); Lorna Ryan (7), Clodagh Quirke (8), Moira Kinane (6); Aoife Bourke (7), Courtney Ryan (8), Eimear Loughman (7); Sophie Maher (6), Kelly Quirke (0-1, 7), Sarah Fryday (1-0, 8), Cora Hennessy (0-4, 9), Sinead Ryan (6); Cait Devane (1-7, 0-6f, 7), Eimear Bourke (0-2, 9), Avril Quirke (0-1, 6).

Subs: Kate Ferncombe (7) for S Ryan (HT), Bernadette Ryan (6) for A Quirke (43).

Referee: Eddie Kennedy (Borrisokane).