Strong start lays platform for Clonoulty progression
CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Quarter Final
Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-14
Eire Og Annacarty/D 2-9
A blistering start from Clonoulty/Rossmore which yielded two goals in three minutes was key to their success over neighbours Eire Og Annacarty in Saturday’s County Senior Camogie Championship semi-final at the Dillon Quirke Grounds, Clonoulty.
Annacarty had the opening score of the game with a point before Sarah Fryday fired home a goal for Clonoulty to continue her impressive run of form.
A minute later, the impressive Eimear Bourke had a second goal in a dream start for Clonoulty. Cait Devane converted three frees and Cora Hennessy a point from play to open up an eight point lead after just eight minutes.
It was the worst possible start for Annacarty and they needed a response. That came in the form of a brilliantly struck Eva O’Dwyer free which caught everyone off guard and into the back of the Clonoulty net.
The goal settled Annacarty as Jean Kelly, Lucy Heffernan, and Eva O’Dwyer added points.
Clonoulty’s attack continued to look sharp though with Eimear Bourke, Kelly Quirke, and Cait Devane adding to their side’s tally as last year’s beaten finalist led 2-9 to 1-6 at half time.
Trailing by six points, Annacarty needed to get off to a bright start after the break but instead it was Clonoulty who hit the first three points, two from Eimear Bourke and a free from Cait Devane who had a great battle with Jennifer Heffernan throughout.
There was some great camogie on display as both sides battled to get into a county semi-final in two weeks’ time. Orla O’Brien was excellent in defence for Annacarty while also scoring three points. Sarah Burke was also solid on the opposite wing back spot and pointed a free from distance while Eva O’Dwyer always looked threatening in attack.
The Annacarty forwards however struggled to open up a resolute Clonoulty defence led by Eimear Loughman and Courtney Ryan, only managing three second half points.
The scores didn’t come too easy for Clonoulty either in the second half and they had to settle for three Cait Devane frees and two points from Eimear Bourke.
However, they always had the cushion of the two first half goals with their quick start proving very costly for the visitors.
Eire Og Annacarty will be relatively pleased in the manner in which they held many of Clonoulty’s big guns after the opening ten minutes but ultimately, they didn’t have the fire power up front to cause enough damage when they did have possession.
Clonoulty/Rossmore will now face familiar foes Drom & Inch in the county semi-final in two weeks’ time.
Player of the Match: Eimear Loughman (Clonoulty/Rossmore).
Clonoulty/Rossmore: Teresa Burke (6); Lorna Ryan (7), Aoife Bourke (7), Moira Kinane (7); Courtney Ryan (7), Clodagh Quirke (7), Eimear Loughman (8); Bernadette Ryan (6), Sinead Ryan (6); Kelly Quirke (0-1, 6), Cait Devane (0-8f, 7), Cora Hennessy (0-1, 6); Kate Ferncombe (6), Sarah Fryday (1-0, 7), Eimear Bourke (1-4, 8).
Sub: Avril Quirke for Cora Hennessy.
Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill: Danielle Butler (6); Caoimhe Brady (6), Rosanna O’Donnell (7), Orlagh Walsh (7); Orla O’Brien (0-3, 8), Ciannait Walsh (7), Sarah Burke (0-1f, 7); Rachel O’Dwyer (7), Eibhlis McDonald (7); Jennifer Heffernan (7), Jean Kelly (0-2, 7), Danielle Ryan (6); Leah Heffernan (6), Eva O’Dwyer (1-2f, 7), Lucy Heffernan (0-1, 7).
Referee: Paul Carew (Lattin Cullen).