Leinster final beckons for O’Moores Camogie Club

Pace and power helped O’Moores see off a spirited Rower-Inistioge and book their place in the Leinster intermediate camogie club final.

The Laois side delivered a strong second half performance as they marched to an impressive win in Graignamanagh.

O’Moores 1-10

Rower-Inistioge 1-7

O’Moores showed confidence and resilience to keep themselves in a tight game where scores proved hard to come by. The dangerous pace of Mary Keating and Liadan Fennell was a key factor in their win; so too was the threat posed by Laura Marie Maher, who struck what proved to be a telling blow six minutes from time.

Having worked their way back on to level terms - the sides were all square on four separate occasions - O’Moores hit what proved a decisive score when Maher latched on to Mary Hyland’s snappy delivery up the right flank. Gathering possession, a sharp turn and quick burst of pace gave Maher room to cut inside. She didn’t need a second invitation, cutting through the Rower defence before bearing down on goal and lashing an unstoppable shot to the net.

In what was a tight game O’Moores led by the odd point in three after 10 minutes, Lorna O’Sullivan and Amy McKane on target for the Laois club, but they were rocked when livewire forward Caoimhe Keher-Murtagh ended a searing run with an unstoppable shot to the net.

That 11th minute goal proved invaluable for the Rower as, in a game where scores proved hard to come by, it helped them stay in front for the remainder of the half. Although Maher strung three frees together in quick succession for O’Moores, a like score from Aine Gannon and one from play by Rachel O’Dwyer kept them ahead with 20 minutes on the clock (1-3 to 0-5).

The visitors suffered a setback when they lost defender Aoife Hyland to injury, but drew level when Amy McKane finished a good move with a point. However, the Rower had just enough time to get their noses in front again before the break, Cria Langton converting an injury-time free (1-4 to 0-6).

The Rower were quickest off the mark on the restart, Langton picking off a point, but only after her instinctive pull flashed over the bar - it could easily have ended up in the net.

It was a let-off for O’Moores, and they duly heeded it. Stepping up the pace they took control of midfield and poured into attack. With Maher (2) and Lucy Conroy on target they were ahead by the 51st minute, a position they cemented when Maher struck for that all-important goal a few minutes later.

With a four-point lead (1-9 to 1-5) to their name O’Moores were determined to see the game out. They didn’t panic, instead using their pace to play their way out of trouble, with Mary Keating and Liadan Fennell doing most of the legwork.

The Rower didn’t give up and piled on the pressure, pulling back two points through Aine Gannon, but one more Maher free ensured O’Moores had that final to look forward to.