*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
SCARIFF/OGONNELLOE advanced to the Munster senior camogie club final for the second year in a row.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 0-16
Sarsfields (Cork) 1-11
Venue: Dr Stuart Park, Ogonnelloe
Alphie Rodgers’ side emerged victorious in a see-saw affair with Cork side Sarsfields on Sunday afternoon in what was a fantastic advertisement for camogie in the province.
It was the never say die attitude of the reigning county and provincial champions that saw them over the line by two points in what was truly an epic battle. Kaitlyn Sheehan opened the scoring in the second minute before four unanswered points in a row gave Scariff/Ogonelloe a lead their intense tackling and overturning of possession merited.
Patrons then were treated to some unbelievable point taking in tough weather conditions with Aoife Power to the fore.
In the twenty fifth minute Power plucked the sliotar from the heavens, jinked in and out of tackles before firing off her hurley on the run for a sensational score.
The hosts held a 0-08 0-06 lead at the interval.
They say in sport how one responds to adversity dictates success or failure. This can most certainly be applied to the camogie queens of the county as 1-1 from Maeve McCarthy levelled this contest in the thirty eighth minute. McCarthy finishing low to the bottom corner after being inexplicably left unmarked at the edge of the square.
Suddenly all the momentum was with the visitors but in the style of champions Scariff/Ogonelloe raided for the next four scores courtesy of Abby Walsh, Aoife Power and two placed balls from Mairead Scanlon and substitute Aisling Corbett. In fact Corbett’s free lifted the roof off the stands, converting from a full 70 yards.
The Cork side kept coming though and in an enthralling battle Ciara Doyle was truly phenomenal. Time and time again Doyle along with Amy Barrett, Labhaoise O’Donnell and their colleagues in blue threw their bodies on the line for the cause in what was a magical team effort.
Their gallant effort tees up a repeat of Scariff/Ogonnelloe and Drom & Inch in the Munster decider.
Scorers for Scariff/Ogonelloe: Mairead Scanlon 0-5 (4f),Aoife Power 0-4,Aisling Corbett 0-3(2f, 145),Abby Walsh 0-2,Alva Rodgers 0-1
Scorers for Sarsfields: Cliona Lynch 0-5(3f,2 45),Maeve McCarthy 1-1,Orlaith Mullins, Kate Fennessy 0-2 each, Kaitlyn Sheehan 0-1
Scariff/Ogonnelloe:
1: Rachael Daly
17: Holly McGee
3: Susan Daly
4: Alison McGee
5: Ciara Doyle
6: Rachel Minogue
7: Amy Barrett
8: Abby Walsh
9: Lynda Daly
10: Jennifer Daly
11: Mairead Scanlon
12: Labhaoise O’Donnell
13: Alva Rodgers
14: Aoife Power
15: Lorraine Grady
Subs:
19: Aisling Corbett for Jennifer Daly (40)
20: Cliona McNamara for Lorraine Grady (60)
Sarsfields
1: Molly Lynch
7: Meabh Mullins
22: Sinead Hurley
4: Tara Elliot
20: Rachel Roche
3: Ellen Murphy
6: Amy McNamara
8: Ava Fitzgerald
9: Clare Mullins
10: Ella Woods
11: Orlaith Mullins
5: Cliona Lynch
23: Kate Fennessy
24: Maeve McCarthy
12: Kaitlyn Sheehan
Subs:
21: Laura Dunlea for Tara Elliot (HT)
13: Hollie Herlihy for Ella Woods (HT)
Referee: Mike Ryan (Tipperary)