Clonoulty Rossmore impress in first Munster sojourn with defeat of Cork champions
Clonoulty Rossmore defeated St. Finbarrs of Cork in the Munster Senior Camogie quarter-final
AIB Munster Senior Camogie Championship Quarter-Final
Clonoulty Rossmore 0-16
St. Finbarrs (Cork) 0-13
By John O’Shea
Tipperary champions, Clonoulty Rossmore, are through to the semi-final of the AIB Munster Senior Camogie championship, following their three-point winning margin over Cork champions, St. Finnbars at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds, Clonoulty on Saturday.
The James Heffernan-managed first-time Tipperary champions, on their maiden voyage in the Munster Senior club, were good value for this victory. From the throw-in they battled strongly in defence with disciplined tackling, not conceding easy frees to the opposition, while supplying good quality ball to their attack.
Goalkeeper Teresa Burke was unerring throughout, while a solid defensive line, led by Courtney Ryan and Clodagh Quirke, withstood huge pressure, particularly during the second period.
Their attack, inspired by captain Cait Devane fought for everything and their ability to draw frees was the difference in the end. Devane hit twelve points over the hour, with ten coming from placed balls.
The game was won and lost in 12 minutes during the second half, between the 48th and 60th minutes, where the home side came from being a point in arrears to going four up, after hitting five without reply, including three from open play.
St. Finbarrs battled hard from the off, with their best spell coming during the opening half, when they came from being two down after six minutes, to lead by two, six minutes later with points from Emma Olden, Kate Wall and Hannah O’Leary.
The second quarter was even enough but the home side shaded it on the scoreboard, hitting five of the eight points to go in level at the break, 0-8 to 0-8.
Following the restart the game continued in the same vane with scores at a premium as both defences tightened up.
St. Finbarrs led by the minimum, 0-11 to 0-10 with thirteen minutes of normal time remaining, but with Cora Hennessy and Sarah Fryday upping their game in attack, Clonoulty gradually got a foothold. Bernadette Ryan and Avril Quirke were added to the attack during this period with good effect.
Three points from open play during this period, one from Cora Hennessy and two from Devane had them four to the good as the game entered added time. In one last attack, Teresa Burke came to the rescue when deflecting a goal-bound shot out for a 45, as they held out for a historic victory.
If Cait Devane was an inspiring figure for Clonoulty, St. Finbarrs had their leaders also. Méabh Cahalane manned the centre of their defence, while in attack Sorcha McCartan and Orlaith Cahalane were always potential match winners.
St. Finbarrs defended the dressing room end for the opening half and were quickly on the scoreboard when Sorcha McCartan converted a placed ball after drawing an early free. From the puck out, Kate Ferncombe won clean possession before splitting the posts at the near end to tie the game for the first time.
Cait Devane was on target with two successive frees before Orlaith Cahalane capitalised on slackness in the Clonoulty defence to pull one back. Three further points in a four-minute spell from the Cork side, one each from Kate Wall, Emma Olden and Hannah O’Leary had them firmly in the driving seat as the game headed towards the second quarter.
Clonoulty Rossmore got to the pitch of the game and Cait Devane converted four placed balls during this second quarter to keep the home side in touch as Sorcha McCartan and Orlaith Cahalane began to influence the game.
One of the highlights of this second quarter was when Eimear Bourke got in for what was the score of the half when she made a run down the open side before firing over from the left corner as half-time approached.
Clonoulty Rossmore were in a good place at half time with the game tied at 0.8 each, having played against a slight breeze during the opening period.
After the restart, scores were slow to come with no real pattern yet emerging, as both defences tightened up.
Clonoulty began to push up on the Finbarrs' defence and Cait Devane converted two placed balls at the far end, either side of a beauty from Orlaith Cahalane. Sorcha McCartan showed her class on forty minutes with a well-worked point to bring the sides level for the sixth time.
The next seven minutes drew a blank on the scoreboard but didn’t take from the intensity or entertainment value, as both sides gave their all to dictate the proceedings. This impasse was finally broken when Sorcha McCartan set up Nicole Olden and the half-forward split the posts with a fine score to go one up.
Following the restart, Cait Devane gained possession out on the open side and her long ball found Cora Hennessy in the right corner, and the centre forward cut in to tie the game from close range.
This score signalled a big revival from the home side as they chased, harried and tackled while putting their bodies on the line. Cait Devane was unerring from two long-range placed balls in 90 seconds, before adding two from open play, the first coming after an assist from Eimear Bourke out at the Stand side.
This gave the home side a three-point advantage with five minutes of normal time remaining, still plenty of time for a St. Finbarrs equaliser.
For the final five minutes plus five minutes of added time, the Clonoulty defence withstood a huge amount of pressure, not allowing the Finbarrs attack any latitude while also keeping their discipline. Cait Devane put over her twelfth white flag on sixty minutes putting four between the sides as the game entered added time.
However, Orlaith Cahalane, who had been subdued for the vast majority of the final quarter, hit her fifth point from a placed ball to reduce the deficit to just one score.
Following a Courtney Ryan interception and long clearance, Sarah Fryday won a ball around midfield and put over a huge effort to restore the four-point advantage.
In a final attack, Teresa Burke held firm and got a deflection to a goal-bound shot deep in added time before Sorcha McCartan closed out the score with a point from the resulting 45.
Clonoulty Rossmore held out for a famous victory and now meet Clare champions, Clonlara in next week's Munster semi-final at a Clare venue.
Clonoulty Rossmore: Teresa Burke; Lorna Ryan, Aoife Bourke, Moira Kinane; Courtney Ryan, Clodagh Quirke, Eimear Loughman; Casey Hennessy, Kellie Quirke; Sinead Ryan, Cora Hennessy (0-1), Kate Ferncombe (0-1); Cait Devane (Captain, 0.12, 0-10f), Sarah Fryday (0-1), Eimear Bourke (0-1).
Subs used: Bernadette Ryan for Kellie Quirke (44); Avril Quirke for Lorna Ryan, (bs, 50-54); Avril Quirke for Kate Ferncombe (57); Kate Ryan for Cora Hennessy (63, inj).
St. Finbarrs: Ciara Hurley; Stephanie Punch, Aisling Egan, Ciara Golden; Hannah O’Leary (0-1), Méabh Cahalane, Aoife O’Neill; Emma Olden (0-1), Aisling Shannon; Nicole Olden (0-1), Kate Wall (0-1), Sorcha McCartan (0-4, 0-1f, 0-1 45), Ella Wigginton Barrett, Orlaith Cahalane (0-5, 0-2f), Keeva McCarthy.
Subs used: Meg Twomey for Nicole Olden (54).
Referee: John O’Donnell (Kilmallock, Limerick)