All-Ireland junior club camogie quarter final
October 27, 2014
Super sub, Una Flynn is the toast of Clanmaurice after an injury-time goal broke the hearts of London champions, Tara in the All-Ireland junior club camogie quarter-final at Ruislip.
Both sides had given their all in a thoroughly entertaining and at times spiky affair with plenty of physicality. Nobody would have complained had the sides finished level, as a continuation of the action would have been welcome.
There was also the sense that neither side deserved to lose but Flynn was understandably concerned only with the fate of Clanmaurice and secured a famous 2-13 to 3-7 victory for the Kerry queen pins.
Flynn was only on the field a matter of minutes but the yield from her effort was high-end. The sides were equal when the substitute snatched the prized semi-final spot by finding the Tara net in the third minute of added time.
While Flynn will quite rightly be feted by Clanmaurice supporters, the role of team captain, Patrice Diggin cannot possibly be overplayed. Diggin was absolutely lethal, finishing with 12 points, including four from play.
Diggin opened with three points to give the visitors an encouraging start and when Jessica Fitzell goaled after Alanna Maunsell's long delivery, it was looking bad for the Exiles. Three goals in eight minutes in the second quarter turned things around completely though, with Niamh Dolan finding the Clanmaurice net twice, book ending Róisín O'Grady's major. That left it 3-2 to 1-7 at half time.
The second half was much tighter but despite the efforts of Tara skipper Caroline Kelly, Clanmaurice edged clear. Laura Collins was in fabulous form and the unerring Diggin added six points from placed balls to open up a three-point lead with two minutes remaining..
Tara displayed tremendous courage to peg their opponents back though, with points from Fiona Morrissey and Denise Gilligan (two). Gilligan's converted free that brought parity arrived in the second minute of injury time but there was still time for Flynn to grab the honours for Clanmaurice.
SCORERS - Clanmaurice: P Diggin 0-12 (7fs, 1 65); J Fitzell, U Flynn 1-0 each; A Mauncsell 0-1
Tara: N Dolan 2-0; D Gilligan 0-4(fs); R O'Grady 1-0; F Morrissey 0-2; E O'Neill 0-1
