Camogie Club Championship coverage proudly sponsored by Clare Credit Unions
*Linda Daly, Rachael Daly and Bonnie Wiley Murphy celebrate for Scariff/Ogonnelloe. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BACK-TO-BACK victories for Inagh.Kilnamona and Scariff/Ogonnelloe have them sitting top of their respective groups after the opening two rounds of the Clare Credit Unions Senior Camogie Championship.
Title holders Inagh/Kilnamona put in another impressive attacking display, scoring 3-23 in their seventeen-point win over Newmarket-on-Fergus after racking up 1-26 against Clooney/Quin in round one.
After having the bye-week in the opening round, Kilmaley also got off to the ideal start as they began their campaign with a hard-fought 1-9 to 1-5 victory over Clooney-Quin.
Meanwhile, Scariff/Ogonnelloe have put themselves in pole position for top spot in group two after accounting for Truagh/Clonlara. David Sullivan’s side take on Feakle/Killanena in Clonlara this Friday, who got their first points on the board against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in their second outing.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe scrape past Truagh/Clonlara in thriller
Scariff-Ogonnelloe 1-10
Truagh-Clonlara 0-11
Venue: Killaloe
Caoimhe McNulty’s goal after just two minutes proved to be the decisive score in Smith O’Briens GAA grounds as Scariff/Ogonnelloe edged past their East Clare counterparts Truagh/Clonlara.
Truagh/Clonlara grabbed the first score of the game directly from the throw in through Áine O’Loughlin. Scariff/Ogonnelloe responded with the crucial green flag two minutes later after Aoife Power produced a sumptuous flick over her own head to put the ball into Caoimhe McNulty’s path who duly dispatched the ball to the net.
A point from Jennifer Daly pushed Scariff/Ogonnelloe ahead by three points before Laura Foley responded with a superb free from distance which was followed by a Hannah Horgan point from play to settle last year’s beaten county finalists back into the contest.
Aoife Power slotted over her first score from play on fourteen minutes, Róisín Begley answered back with a pair of points, one of which was from play, and with nineteen minutes on the clock, the sides were level on a scoreline of 1-2 to 0-5.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe Rachael Daly then produced an excellent double save after O’Loughlin kicked the sliotar soccer-style, with the rebound falling straight to Eimear Kelly, whose somewhat timid effort was also kept out.
They then notched the next four points of the tie, the pick of the bunch coming from Lorraine Grady after an incisive team move which saw her effort blaze just over the crossbar.
Leah Hawes got the last point of the half for Truagh/Clonlara and at the interval McNulty’s goal proved the difference as Scariff/Ogonnelloe led 1-6 to 0-6. During the half-time break, both clubs’ Under-10 sides, alongside the hosts, played a series of blitzes.
Within five minutes of the restart, the deficit was back to the minimum following a brace of frees from Begley, Power responded with her second point from play. Another Power score, this time from a free, pushed the gap back out to two with ten minutes remaining.
Truagh/Clonlara levelled proceedings on fifty-seven minutes after points from Hannah Horgan and a tremendous equaliser from Michelle Caulfield. In the final minute of normal time, Power converted her third free and Lynda Daly then made it a two-point game once more. Truagh/Clonlara had one last chance from a Róisín Begley free which failed to find the net and with that, the final whistle was sounded.
Scorers Scariff/Ogonnelloe: A Power (0-6, 3f), C McNulty (1-1), L Grady (0-1), J Daly (0-1), L Daly (0-1)
Scorers Truagh/Clonlara: R Begley (0-5, 3f), H Horgan (0-2), M Caulfield (0-1), L Foley (0-1, 1f), Á O’Loughlin (0-1), L Hawes (0-1)
Scariff/Ogonnelloe: Rachael Daly; Robyn McKenna, Holly McGee, Bonnie Wiley Murphy; Áine Rodgers, Susan Daly, Abby Walsh; Tara Murnane, Danielle Beston; Jennifer Daly, Aoife Power, Lorraine Grady; Alva Rodgers, Lynda Daly, Caoimhe McNulty
Subs: Labhaoise O’Donnell for Beston, Mairéad Scanlon for Alva Rodgers, Rachel Minogue for Áine Rodgers
Truagh/Clonlara: Sophie Cullen; Taylor Morris, Michelle Powell, Sinéad Hogg; Niamh Powell, Michelle Caulfield, Ellen Horgan; Laura Foley, Eimear Begley; Hannah Horgan, Áine O’Loughlin, Joanne Egan; Eimear Kelly, Róisín Begley, Leah Hawes
Subs: Aoibhin Marren for Hawes, Lauren Slater for Hogg
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
Gallery of photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Feakle/Killanena get off the mark following first round loss
Feakle/Killanena 0-15
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-08
Venue: Dr Daly Park, Tulla
Feakle/Killanena got their campaign up and running when defeating St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield by seven points.
Doora/Barefield had the wind advantage in the first half and were in the driving seat for large spells during the opening thirty minutes, with Aisling Hannan getting them off the mark early on.
Although the Parish held the lead for much of the opening half, it was Feakle/Killanena who went in ahead by the minimum, leading 0-6 to 0-5 thanks to a Robyn Conway point just before the break.
After the teams re-emerged, St Joseph’s had levelled things up inside the first thirty seconds, with Sophie Torpey finding the equaliser.
With just over ten minutes to go, it remained a nip-and-tuck contest, but Feakle/Killanena’s experience became prevalent as they began to gain the upper hand. It wasn’t all plain sailing for them in the closing stages however, with Doora-Barefield creating two goal chances, one of which they felt had crept over the line before Joe Mullins awarded a free for the sliotar being laid upon, which was tapped over by Katie Callaghan.
Shauna Canny, who was unable to start the game for Feakle/Killanena due to a knock, was sprung in the second half and played a crucial role, scoring two points during her cameo off the bench.
Two of their county contingent also stepped up when needed most, with Róisín McMahon contributing three points from midfield and Zi Yan Spillane excelling in attack. Spillane finished as the game’s top scorer with six points, three of those coming from play.
Scorers Feakle/Killanena: Z Yan Spillane (0-6, 3f), R McMahon (0-3), R Conway (0-2), Shauna Canny (0-2), B Brady (0-1), E Daly (0-1)
Scorers St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: A Hannan (0-2), E O’Driscoll (0-1), A Reynolds (0-1), K Callaghan (0-1, 1f), S Torpey (0-1), C Duggan (0-1), S Flynn (0-1)
Feakle/Killanena: Róisín Quilligan; Áine Daly, Rachel McNamara, Meave Brady; Aoibheann Daly, Claire McNamara, Ella McNamara; Róisín McMahon, Sinéad Canny; Bronagh Brady, Robyn Conway, Sophie Conway; Maria Moloney, Eileen Daly, Zi Yan Spillane
Subs: Shauna Canny for Moloney
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Karen McMahon; Kate Moran, Sinéad O’Connor, Fiona Tuohy; Hannah Doyle, Orla Moloney, Maeve O’Driscoll; Eabha O’Driscoll, Shauna Moloney; Amy Reynolds, Sophie Torpey, Katie Callghan; Ciara Duggan, Aisling Hannan, Lauren Shannon
Subs: Aoibheann Creaven for Callaghan, Siobhán Flynn for Shannon
Referee: Joseph Mullins (Clonlara)
Gallery of photographs by Ruthie Griffin
Two from two for champions Inagh/Kilnamona
Inagh/Kilnamona 3-23
Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-6
Venue: Clareabbey
Sharp shooting forwards stood out in the clash of the two victors from round one with Elisha Rynne scoring a brace for Inagh/Kilnamona while Aoibhe O’Leary’s hat-trick came in vain as Newmarket-on-Fergus fell short against the county champions.
O’Leary was a constant threat but was not hit with sufficient possession while at the other end of the field Newmarket struggled to contain the lively attackers at Inamona’s disposal.
It was a bright start from the Blues who had the first two scores via O’Leary and Kaci Toomey after two minutes. Inagh/Kilnamona then scored seven points on the trot, Aoibhin Ryan, Clare Hehir, Andrea O’Keeffe and Aoife Keane among their scorers.
For the second quarter, Inagh/Kilnamona took complete control scoring 1-3 without reply, the goal from Aoibhin Ryan. A lifeline fell Newmarket-on-Fergus’ way when Aoibhe O’Leary pounced for goal in injury time to leave it 1-12 1-5 at the interval.
Once again, Newmarket started well, this time they had 1-1 without reply, Ellen Casey converting a free which was followed by O’Leary’s second major.
Their cause came crumbling when Inagh/Kilnamona issued an emphatic response, scoring 2-10 without reply, corner forward Elisha Rynne netting twice.
It would take until additional time for the Blues to get on the board again, O’Leary completing her hat-trick.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: A Ryan (1-11 8f), E Rynne (2-1), A O’Keeffe (0-5), S Power (0-3), C Hehir (0-1), A Keane (0-1), L Rynne (0-1).
Scorers Newmarket-on-Fergus: A O’Leary (3-2), E Casey (0-3 2f), K Toomey (0-1),
Inagh/Kilnamona: Helen Hehir; Cathy Cullinan, Cliodhna Queally, Shauna Queally; Jane Fitzgerald, Laoise Ryan, Clare Hehir; Sinead Power, Aoife Keane; Andrea O’Keeffe, Hannah Shannon, Laura Rynne; Aoibhin Ryan, Kate Dowling, Elisha Rynne.
Subs: Danielle Griffin for Shannon, Fiona Lafferty for O’Keeffe.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Emma Jones; Laura-Mae Hannon, Jessie Hogan, Aoife Griffin; Caoimhe Hegarty, Kate Kennedy, Carol O’Leary; Caoimhe Lally, Emma Crowe; Aoibhe O’Leary, Laura McMahon, Kaci Toomey; Ann Marie Hayes, Ellen Casey, Kate Clancy.
Subs: Sophie McNamara for Clancy, Ella Woods for E Crowe, Avril Crowe for Toomey
Kilmaley kickstart their campaign with victory over Clooney/Quin
Kilmaley 1-09
Clooney-Quin 1-05
Venue: Fr McNamara Park, Doora
With a game already under their belt, it was Clooney/Quin who made the brighter start of the two sides. Kilmaley goalkeeper Maria Burke was called into action on a handful of occasions inside the opening five minutes, producing a brilliant save from an Emma Deegan shot before somehow getting her hurley onto a close-range pull from Nicole O’Riordan.
Despite that, Clooney-Quin still managed to hit the net early on, with Ciara Grogan converting a penalty to put the reigning intermediate champions into an early lead.
As half-time loomed, Kilmaley grabbed a goal of their own after a dropping ball was spilled by Deirdre Murphy and finished to the net by Keela Markham. The goal resulted in Shane Slattery’s charges holding a narrow 1-3 to 1-2 lead at the break.
Kilmaley were leading by two points heading into the closing stages, and as Clooney-Quin hunted for another major, Regan Conway struck her third point of the game which was shortly followed by the final score of the tie from Kate Hayes to secure a four-point victory in what was their championship opener.
Having scored just one point outside of Ciara Grogan’s placed balls, Clooney/Quin will once again be disappointed with their scoring return from open play. It wasn’t a case of not creating chances, as their wide total was well into double figures.
Among the standout performers for the victors were shot-stopper Maria Burke, midfielder Emily Carmody, and Regan Conway at centre-forward.
Scorers Kilmaley: C McMahon (0-5, 5f), K Markham (1-0), R Conway (0-3), K Hayes (0-1)
Scorers Clooney-Quin: C Grogan (1-4, 1-0p, 0-4f), E Deegan (0-1)
Kilmaley: Maria Burke; Helen McMahon, Sinéad O’Keeffe, Jodie Cahill; Moira Maher, Eimear Considine, Chloe Neylon; Emily Carmody, Martina Keane; Caoimhe Carmody, Regan Conway, Grace Carmody; Kate Hayes, Claire McMahon, Keela Markham
Subs: Maeve Clancy for Keane
Clooney/Quin: Deirdre Murphy; Moya Dunne, Bebhinn Gallagher, Claire Murphy; Sinead McGee, Ciara Grogan, Órna Moynihan; Emily Costello, Mary Kate McCarthy; Sarah Costello, Ciara Halpin, Aoibheann Duggan; Sheena Beirne, Emma Deegan, Nicole O’Riordan
Subs: Ellen Collins for Duggan
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
