Scariff/Ogonnelloe remain on course to claim back provincial crown

*Susan Daly was once again to the fore for the East Clare side. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

Scariff/Ogonnelloe’s quest to claim a second provincial senior camogie crown remain intact with Alva Rodgers’ first half goal proving to be the difference on Saturday afternoon against a highly capable Inniscarra outfit.

Scariff Ogonnelloe 1-08
Inniscarra 0-08
Venue: Inniscarra, Cork

By Derek Dormer

Conditions here in Inniscarra were not conducive to free flowing camoige. Harsh soft underfoot surface and a huge wind would play a massive part in a stop start affair.

Inniscarra won the toss and elected to play with the wind and down a significant hill. With this in their favour they made an electric start opening the scoring inside thirty seconds with a Joanne Casey point. This trend continued and by the tenth minute Inniscarra led four points to no score.

Scariff Ogonelloe were in desperate need of a score and when needed most Alva Rodgers stepped up with an opportunistic strike low to the goalies right in the tenth minute. This major was Scariff Ogonelloe’s only score in the opening quarter and at the first water break they trailed 0-04 1-00.

The second quarter was a stop start affair with referee Mike Flannery quite content to blow his whistle on several occasions preventing a real flow to the game. The period would only provide two scores a Mairead Scanlon wonder point and an Aisling Corbett free which gave Scariff Ogonelloe a half time interval lead of 1-02 0-04.

The third quarter saw only one score from play coming off the stick of Mairead Scanlon and five converted frees, three from Aisling Corbett and two from star forward Joanne Casey.

Heading into the final quarter Scariff Ogonelloe led 1-06 0-06. Inniscarra threw everything at Scariff/Ogonelloe in this quarter but resolute defending and an attitude of defeat being out of the question would prevail.

Susan Vaughan’s dismissal on a red card for a strike didn’t help matters and heading into injury time David Sullivan’s charges led by two points, a very dangerous lead in the GAA.

The score of the game would however would come deep into injury time when Laoibhse O’Donnell showed tremendous skill to stroke over on the run from an acute angle. Moments later the final whistle blew and the 2019 Clare and Munster champions remain on course to repeat the feat, two years on.

Overall, it was a tremendous display of heart and courage with huge performances from Susan Daly Ciara Doyle and Aisling Corbett.

Scorers Scariff/Ogonnelloe: Aisling Corbett (0-05 5f), Alva Rodgers (1-0), Mairead Scanlon (0-2)

Scorers Inniscarra: Joanne Casey (0-7 6f), Claudia Keane (0-1)

Scariff/Ogonnelloe:

1: Rachel Daly

2: Abby Walsh
3: Ciara Doyle
4: Susan Vaughan

5: Rachel Minogue
6: Susan Daly
7: Alison McGee

8: Alva Rodgers
9: Mairead Scanlon

10: Labhaoise O’Donnell
11: Amy Barrett
12: Lynda Daly

13: Jennifer Daly
17: Lorraine Grady
15: Aisling Corbett

Subs :
14: Cliona McNamara for Lorraine Grady (49)

Inniscara:
1: Caoimhe Buckley