Cappamore 1-16 (0-7) Crecora 3-9 (2-2)
Intermediate Camogie Championship Final
Sunday 25th September in Banogue
Cappamore edged a thrilling Intermediate County Final by a single point in Banogue. It was heartbreak again for Crecora as they lost out by the narrowest margin for the second year running.
Crecora opened the scoring with a point from Úna O'Connor but from then on Cappamore, who opened up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead through points from Muireann Creamer, Molly Hammersley, Róisín O'Malley and Claire Keating, dominated the opening 20minutes of the half. But Crecora's minor star Dearbhla Egan got her chance on the 20 minute mark cutting in from the left and when her initial effort was saved was on hand when the ball broke and made no mistake the second time to put her team back in the game.
Cappamore responded strongly and created two great goal chances in the immediate aftermath only for Crecora keeper Aislinn Condon to pull off two excellent saves to keep her side in the game. The next score went to Crecora when Mairéad O'Connell bundled home after a Dearbhla Egan effort was parried by the Cappamore keeper. She added a point to extend the lead to three but in a crucial passage Cappamore responded to close the gap to a single score at the break. One of these was a fantastic solo effort from Lisa Leonard who showed great pace to solo from the half-back line shimmying past the Crecora defender to score a point of the highest quality.
Crecora were to face into a strong breeze for the second half, but in the initial period they extended their lead to four. But as the half progressed Cappamore began to come back into the game and had pegged Crecora back to two points with scores from Elizabeth O'Dwyer and Elaine Berkery, who was accurate from placed balls throughout. Then it was Cappamore's turn to hit the back of the net when full-forward Geraldine Ryan struck from close range. Indeed they could have had more were it not for more heroics from Aislinn Condon in the Crecora goal.
From here on Cappamore lead throughout with Elaine Berkery and Anna Kennedy exchanging frees as Cappamore tried to open up a decisive lead but the gap remained only a single point at the end of ordinary time. In injury time points from Elaine Berkery and Muireann Creamer pushed Cappamore into a decisive four point lead. However this enthralling game was not without a final twist as a late free from Anan Kennedy found its way through a mass of bodies to find the back of the Cappamore net. But it was too late for a dramatic comeback as the final whistle blew to see Cappamore crowned Intermediate Camogie Champions just twenty four hours after their male counterparts had achieved the same feat.
Cappamore captain received the Cup from County Secretary Bríd Kennedy to the delight of their support.
Cappamore Scorers:
Muireann Creamer 0-4, Lisa Leonard 0-1, Geraldine Ryan 1-0, Elaine Berkery 0-5 (4F), Róisín O'Malley 0-2, Elizabeth O'Dwyer 0-2, Claire Keating 0-1 (1F), Molly Hammersley 0-1
Crecora Scorers:
Dearbhla Egan 1-3, Anna Kennedy 1-3 (1-3F), Mairéad O'Connell 1-1, Una O'Connor 0-1, Trish Condon 0-1
Ahane 2-10 (1-8) Newcastle West 0-15 (0-10)
Senior Championship Semi-Final
Saturday 24th September in The Bog Garden, Rathkeale
A very closely fought Senior Camogie Semi-Final saw Ahane win through to their first final in three years by a single point over Newcastle West. It was despite the weather an excellent and competitive game all through from 2 evenly matched teams
Newcastle West got off to a great start and lead 0-5 to 0-0 after 10 minutes with Ahane slow to settle and the movement of the young Newcastle West side creating space that lead to early scores.
Ahane responded well and two frees from Niamh Mulcahy and a very good Roisin O'Mara score brought them back to 0-5 to 0-3 by the quarter hour mark.
Ahane then hit a purple patch with veteran full-forward Pauline McCarthy rolling back the years hitting the back of the net and adding an excellent individual point. Niamh Mulcahy hit another 3 points to extend the Ahane lead.
Newcastle West were not to lie down and responded with points of their own to close the gap to the minimum at the half-time break.
Indeed they started the second half like the first and cancelled out Ahane's lead and went ahead again. Rebecca Delee, Karen O'Leary and Grace Lee were the dominant players with strong running and crisp hurling causing difficulties for the Ahane defence.
But Pauline McCarthy showed her experience to get her second goal after great play in the forwards to put Ahane ahead again. Newcastle West again replied instantly with a point to have the teams level with 10 minutes remaining.
As the finish line closed in it was level again on two occasions, a super reflex save from Sile Moynihan was a key turning point to keep Ahane in the game. Niamh Mulcahy showed all her experience to land the winning free from distance after 2 difficult misses.
Newcastle West had a chance to send game to extra time however a solid defending effort forced the ball wide. This was followed by a difficult free that was pushed wide of the upright. In the two minutes of injury time there were bodies on the line all over the pitch but Ahane held out to win by the narrowest of margins.
It was a game that could have gone either way but the goals were the difference.
Granagh Ballingarry 1-7 Klleedy 0-8
Senior Championship Semi-Final
Saturday 24th September in Effin
Granagh Ballingarry showed all their experience as they edged Killeedy by two points in the Senior Semi-Final on Saturday in Effin to set up yet another final appearance.
Little has separated the two West Limerick sides in recent encounters at this stage of the championship and this game was once again another very tight affair. There was very little between both sides in the first half and the sides went in level at half time with 4 pts each on the scoreboard.
The second half continued in a similar vein with both sides trading points. It was Killeedy who had the advantage leading by a single point as the game edged towards the final whistle. Then Granagh's Mairéad Fitzgerald did very well to cut in from the by line to float in a cross for Siobhán Enright to bury the sliotar into the back of the net. This proved to be the game-changer and Granagh Ballingarry dug in to defend their lead as Killeedy pressed looking for a reply that was not to come and it is Granagh who progress to the final looking for their fourth successive title.
OTHER RESULTS:
Intermediate Camogie Championship Relegation Play-off
Na Piarsaigh 1-12 Ballybrown 2-3
Junior Camogie Championship Quarter-Finals
Galbally 1-9 Patrickswell 1-5
Tournafulla 2-2 Killeedy 1-5
U 14 A Cup
Galbally 2-8 Crecora 0-4
U14 A Plate
Newcastle West 6-3 Monaleen 3-4
U14 C Plate
Ahane 2-6 Na Piarsaigh 2-6
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