Moneygall take the final step to Intermediate Camogie glory

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate Championship Final

Moneygall 0-14

Moycarkey/Borris 2-6

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caithlyn Treacy (Moneygall).

SCORERS – Moneygall: Caithlyn Treacy 0-11 (7 frees); Mary Ryan, Ciara Maher, Niamh Larkin 0-1 each.

Moycarkey/Borris: Sarah Corcoran 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3 frees); Eva Ralph 1-1; Kate Ralph 0-1.

Moneygall were crowned County Intermediate Camogie champions after a hard fought two-point victory over a gallant Moycarkey/Borris side on Sunday afternoon.

In doing so, Moneygall made up for the disappointment of losing last year’s decider to Shannon Rovers, and in the process, ended Moycarkey’s hope of three championships in a row after success at both Junior ‘B’ and ‘A’ grades in the last two years.

Overall, it was a deserved victory for the North outfit, in the main thanks to an excellent defensive performance, especially in the second half where they only conceded 1-1, which laid the foundation for the victory.

While Moneygall were good value for their win, Moycarkey/Borris will look back at the game as a missed opportunity as a few good chances went abegging, most noticeably a free from thirty metres to the right of the goal which went wide.

It wasn’t the freest flowing game of camogie ever, with a lot of frees throughout, but the commitment and passion shown by both sides was of the highest standard, as the large crowd were treated to an exciting contest, which was in the melting pot right to the very end.

In what was a real back and forth encounter, it was Moneygall who came flying out of the blocks and raced into a four point lead before Moycarkey opened their account in the twelfth minute. Ciara Maher opened the scoring after just 32 seconds, and then the very impressive Caithlyn Treacy took centre stage hitting the next three scores, the first from play after Moycarkey failed to clear. Treacy converted a 45 after a Mairead Teehan effort was well saved by Molly O’Dwyer in goal before she added her third from a placed ball.

The Mid Tipp side finally opened their account through a super point by Tipperary minor star Sarah Corcoran from out by the sideline, although Moneygall went straight back up the field and Niamh Larkin pointed.

Less than a minute later, Caithlyn Treacy was once again on the scoresheet with a fine effort from way out the field. Moycarkey would then come into the game and would be ahead by the thirteenth minute.

Eva Ralph added their second point, before the same player scored the opening goal in the fifteenth minute after a shot from distance dropped short and Moneygall keeper Eimear Ryan batted the sliotar down but only into the path of Ralph who pulled to the back of the net.

Sarah Corcoran added the next two points from frees as last year’s Junior ‘A’ champions took the lead for the first time. The lead wouldn’t last long though as two points from Caithlyn Treacy had Moneygall back ahead by the 22nd minute. Kate Ralph had the sides level again before Mary Ryan hit the final score of the half to leave Moneygall ahead 0-9 to 1-5 at the break.

Moneygall, as they did in the first half, came out the better side at the restart and hit the opening two scores, both through Treacy, once again the first after a fine catch and finish, and the second from a free. Sarah Corcoran, like as in the first half, hit her sides first score from a 45 to leave it 0-11 to 1-6 after 38 minutes.

Treacy added to her tally five minutes later from a dead ball, to put her side three points up. However, Moycarkey would be level two minutes later after Eva Ralph was fouled while bearing down on goal and a penalty was awarded, which Sarah Corcoran duly dispatched with a bullet of a shot into the top corner of the net.

That though would be Moycarkey’s last score of the game as the Moneygall defence would get on top for the rest of the match, and Caithlyn Treacy once again was on the mark in the 47th minute to restore her sides lead.

That would be the last score until added time as both sides found it hard to find a way through as defences really got on top. Both sides had chances during the scoreless period as the game entered the final few moments, but it was none other than Caithlyn Treacy who had the final say in the 61st minute when she hit her sides eleventh point to leave Moneygall two ahead.

They would see out the final minute or two fairly comfortably to make it a double for Moneygall, after their hurlers victory in their own Intermediate final on Saturday.

TEAMS – Moneygall: Eimear Ryan (6); Katie Hayes (6), Stephanie Kenny (7), Alice Maher (7); Mary Teehan (8), Julie Kelly (8), Shauna Kirwan (7); Mary Ryan (8), Lauren Maher (7); Edwina King (Capt 7), Ciara Maher (7), Caithlyn Treacy (9); Niamh Larkin (7), Orlaith Treacy (6), Mairead Teehan (7).

Sub: Emma Costello (6) for C Maher (54).

Moycarkey/Borris: Molly O’Dwyer (6); Emily Carroll (6), Rebecca Hogan (7), Caitlin Shelly (8); Amy McGovern (7), Maria Kinnane (7), Amy Callanan (8); Kate Ralph (7), Joan O’Keefe (6); Sarah Corcoran (7), Lucy Callanan (6), Eva Ralph (8); Caitriona Walsh (6), Ciara Shelly (7), Emma O’Sullivan (6).

Subs: Alisha Kearney (6) for O’Sullivan (45); Kate Dowling (6) for Walsh (50).

Referee: David Kennedy (Nenagh Eire Og).