*Mia Smith of Newcastle West is tackled by Inagh/Kilnamona defender Tierna Hegarty. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
INAGH/KILNAMONA fell at the first hurdle in their bid for a first-ever Munster senior camogie title.
Newcastle West (Limerick) 1-10
Inagh-Kilnamona 0-09
Venue: Inagh
It ultimately proved a step too far for Inagh-Kilnamona as only eight days after wrestling back control of the county honours, they prematurely exited the provincial campaign at the hands of Limerick champions Newcastle West in Inagh on Sunday afternoon.
Following a near 90 minute slugfest against Truagh/Clonlara, the home side battled hard to maintain their flawless six match momentum but essentially couldn’t match a ravenous Newcastle West.
The West Limerick side were short motivation of their own having failed to win a single Munster Club match in their previous four attempts and demonstrated that determination throughout to upset their hosts.
Another major upset to proceedings was the over-officious refereeing from Mike Ryan who failed to allow for the conditions and proved whistle happy over the entire hour. Indeed, with not a dirty stroke in the entire game despite an incessant squall that enveloped Inagh, the Tipperary referee awarded almost 40 frees and handed out five yellow cards and a red to Inagh/Kilnamona’s Teresa O’Keeffe entering the final ten minutes.
That dismissal wasn’t the decisive moment though, that arrived in only the 24th minute when Newcastle West defied the conditions with the only goal of the game.
A bright start for the visitors of two of the first three points through Hazel Horgan and Mia Smith were soon quenched by a six point unanswered blitz that saw all their chief attacking influencers Clare Hehir (2), Aoibhin Ryan, Sinead Power, Danielle Griffin and Andrea O’Keeffe get in on the scoring action to help their side to a 0-7 to 0-2 advantage.
The damage could have been greater when Newcastle West defender Yvonne Lee slipped just as she was about to receive a pass in front of goal, with Sinead Power capitalising to offload to Aoibhin Ryan to shoot, only for a last ditch block to deviate it away from the target.
The Limerick champions would be clinical when they got a rare sighting at the home goal as the impressive Rebecca Delee passed inside to Hazel Horgan to fire to the left corner of the net and slash the arrears to just two.
Buoyed by that shot-in-the-arm against the run of play, Kate Ambrose arrowed over a late free to ensure that Inagh/Kilnamona’s hard work would be undone at 0-7 to 1-3 by the break.
Now backed by a gale, Newcastle West incrementally turned the tide with a four point rally in the opening twenty minutes of the new half to carve out a 1-7 to 0-7 cushion.
Inevitably there would be a kick in the Clare champions as Sinead Power superbly split the post from an acute angle to finally end an almost 30 minute barren patch.
A harsh second yellow for Teresa O’Keeffe didn’t halt the backlash as Clare Hehir converted a 54th minute free to lower the arrears to just one at 1-7 to 0-9.
However, the home side simply couldn’t find an elusive equaliser and now numerically disadvantaged, they would be duly hurt on the counter-attack as the inter0-county experience of Rebecca Delee and Karen O’Leary helped the Limerick champions to the last three points to seal a Munster Semi-Final against Cork champions St. Finbarr’s on away soil in a fortnight’s time.
Scorers for Newcastle West: Hazel Horgan 1-2; Kate Ambrose 0-3 (3f); Rebecca Delee 0-2; Mia Smith 0-1, Geri Mai O’Kelly 0-1, Karen O’Leary 0-1
Scorers for Inagh-Kilnamona: Clare Hehir 0-3 (1f, 1’45); Aoibhin Ryan 0-2 (2f), Sinead Power 0-2; Danielle Griffin 0-1, Andrea O’Keeffe 0-1
Newcastle West:
1: Aoife Corbett
2: Grace Lee
3: Roisin Mann
4: Yvonne Lee
5: Roisin Ambrose
6: Lucy O’Brien
7: Ellie Woulfe
8: Karen O’leary
9: Deborah Murphy
10: Kate Ambrose
11: Rebecca Delee
12: Ella Whelan
13: Hazel Horgan
14: Geri Mai O’Kelly
15: Mia Smith
Sub
18: Eabha Collins for Whelan (59)
Inagh-Kilnamona
1: Cara McInerney
2: Tierna Hegarty
3: Shauna Queally
4: Cathy Cullinan
5: Jane Fitzgerald
6: Laoise Ryan
7: Teresa O’Keeffe
8: Danielle Griffin
9: Andrea O’Keeffe
12: Laura Rynne
11: Sinead Power
10: Aoife Keane
13: Aoibhin Ryan
14: Clare Hehir
15: Elisha Rynne
Subs:
16: Fiona Lafferty for A. Ryan (22-27, BS)
16: Lafferty for A. Ryan (HT, inj)
18: Kate Dowling for for E. Rynne (41)
17: Hannah Shannon for Fitzgerald (44)
13: Ryan for Power (52)
19: Mary McInerney for L. Rynne (52)
Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)
