Sixth time is the charm for Clonoulty/Rossmore

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Final

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-20

Thurles Sarsfields 1-12

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Eimear Bourke (Clonoulty Rossmore)

SCORERS – Clonoulty/Rossmore: Cait Devane 0-11 (10 frees); Eimear Bourke 0-4; Sarah Fryday 0-3; Casey Hennessy 0-2; Kellie Quirke 0-1.

Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum 0-8 (6 frees); Karen Kennedy 1-0; Lucy Purcell 0-2; Aoife Dwyer, Andrea Loughnane 0-1 each.

Clonoulty/Rossmore are finally the Tipperary Senior Camogie champions as they ended years of heartbreak with a deserved victory over Thurles Sarsfields in the final on Saturday.

After suffering heartbreaking defeats in the four of the last five finals (2018 to Burgess/Duharra, and 2020-23 by Drom & Inch), the West Tipp outfit finally got over the line with a strong second-half performance.

The opening ten minutes of the second period would prove to be the key period as Clonoulty went on a five point scoring run to turn a level game at the break into a five point lead, a margin Thurles were unable to turnaround, despite a late flurry, where Clonoulty had Casey Hennessy sent off in the 57th minute for a second yellow card not long after Karen Kennedy goaled to leave just three points in it.

However, Clonoulty would show tremendous character despite being a player short and would hit the final three points to win their first ever senior title, and in doing so denying Thurles Sarsfields their first also, in what was their first final appearance.

Clonoulty/Rossmore had many stars in the likes of Moira Kinane, Clodagh Quirke, Eimear Loughman, Cait Devane, Sarah Fryday, and player of the match Eimear Bourke outstanding.

Thurles Sarsfields will be disappointed with the outcome and will rue that opening period of the second-half where the game got away from them as they couldn’t live with the intensity Clonoulty brought in that spell.

The first half was a real back and forth affair with both sides slowly feeling their way into the contest in front of a huge crowd. It was Thurles who were first on the scoreboard when minor star Caoimhe Stakelum pointed from a free with just 38 seconds gone.

Casey Hennessy had Clonoulty level less than a minute later, with a fine effort from play before Lucy Purcell had Thurles back in front after a Clonoulty puckout went awry, but Cait Devane had the sides level in the tenth minute. She would hit the next three scores, all from frees, before Thurles, through an Aoife Dwyer effort, and then a Caoimhe Stakelum free had the score at 0-5 to 0-4 after nineteen minutes. Devane increased the lead with another free, but two frees from Stakelum in the space of a minute had the game level again, by the 23rd minute.

Clonoulty had a great chance for a goal three minutes later, but Cora Hennessy’s shot flashed wide of goal. Caoimhe Stakelum punished that miss by hitting the next two scores both from play, the first after robbing Moira Kinane and finishing well, and the second after being set up by Nicola Loughnane.

Casey Hennessy responded before Cait Devane hit the leveller in the 32nd minute with a free to leave the score deadlocked at the break at eight points apiece.

Whatever was said in the Clonoulty/Rossmore dressing room at the break certainly worked as they came out like a team possessed, taking control of the game, with their full forward line of Devane, Fryday and Eimear Bourke wreaking havoc.

It was Fryday who hit the opening score of the half after 49 seconds, with Bourke was next on the mark with a fine effort from play, before two Devane frees and another from play by Fryday pushed them 0-13 to 0-8 clear.

Caoimhe Stakelum replied with her sides first score of the half in the 42nd minute before Devane restored the five point lead from a free, added to be Kellie Quirke for a 0-15 to 0-9 advantage after 48 minutes.

Thurles Sarsfields nearly replied with a goal but Karen Kennedy’s effort, following a trademark run, but it lacked any real power and her effort was easily saved by Teresa Burke.

Andrea Loughnane had the gap back to five in the 50th minute when her effort from close range went over when a goal chance was on.

The Clonoulty full forward line showed their class once again with all three hitting the next three scores from play, the first from Fryday, then she setup Devane for another, and then Bourke added the third to leave it 0-18 to 0-10 after 56 minutes.

Lucy Purcell responded for Thurles with a fine individual score, and Caoimhe Stakelum added another from a free after Casey Hennessy received her marching orders for a second yellow card.

The gap was back to three as the game entered added time after Karen Kennedy went on another run, played a one-two with Lucy Purcell, and after rounding a couple of defenders, batted the ball to the back of the net.

Any nerves that might have entered Clonoulty’s minds were soon put to rest with a fine Eimear Bourke point in the second minute of added time, then Cait Devane added another free a minute later, with the icing put on the cake in the 64th minute when Bourke added a magnificent score from out by the sideline to bring her tally to four points from play.

There was then joyous scenes when the full time whistle went as years of hurt came to an end and Clonoulty/Rossmore had finally become Tipperary senior champions.

TEAMS - Clonoulty/Rossmore: Teresa Burke (6); Lorna Ryan (7), Aoife Bourke (8), Moira Kinane (8); Courtney Ryan (7), Clodagh Quirke (8), Eimear Loughman (8); Casey Hennessy (7), Kellie Quirke (7); Sinead Ryan (6), Cora Hennessy (7), Kate Ferncombe (6); Cait Devane (8), Sarah Fryday (8), Eimear Bourke (9).

Subs: Bernadette Ryan (6) for A Bourke (HT), Avril Quirke (BR) for Cora Hennessy (60).

Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy (6); Aoife Butler (6), Emer Kennedy (6), Leanna Coppinger (6); Laura Loughnane (7), Emma Carey (8), Robyn Fanning (7); Ciara Cummins (7), Karen Kennedy (7); Aoife Dwyer (7), Lucy Purcell (8), Nicola Loughnane (6); Rebecca O’Mara (6), Andrea Loughnane (7), Caoimhe Stakelum (8).

Subs: Roisin Corbett (6) for N Loughnane (37); Maria Ralph (6) for O’Mara (49).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og).