Truagh/Clonlara through to All-Ireland final

*Eimear & Ger Begley celebrate. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

TRUAGH/CLONLARA qualified for a first-ever All-Ireland senior camogie final with a deserving win over Dublin champions St Vincent’s.

Truagh/Clonlara 0-11
St. Vincents 0-9
Venue: Walsh Park, Waterford

The Clare champions put in a magnificent performance to deservingly overcome St. Vincent’s from Dublin in the All-Ireland senior camogie semi-final.

They will head to Croke Park in two weeks to face either Sarsfields from Galway or Antrim’s Loughiel Shamrocks in the final.

A powerful second performance from the Clare side proved decisive and they hit the final three points through Áine O’Loughlin, Aoibhin Marren and Becky Foley to seal a superb win
Three points separated the sides at half time when the Dublin and Leinster champions led on a score of 0-7 to 0-4.

It was an evenly fought affair with scores exchanged twice in the opening ten minutes
St. Vincents then opened a two point lead and soon after this it took a superb save from Sophie Cullen in the Truagh/Clonlara goal to deny them a goal.

Truagh-Clonlara made a blistering start to the second half firing over three point in seven minutes to level the tie, the leveller a superb score from Eimear Kelly.

St. Vincents goalie Dara Cooke then made a superb save from Rebecca Foley before Aine O’Loughoin converted a 40m free to put the Clare and Munsrer champions into the lead for the first time since the opening minute.

St. Vincents levelled three minutes later and the game ws in the twentieth minute of the half when Teresa Lambe put the dublin side back into the lead.

Four minutes from time Aine O’Loughlin landed the leveller tieing up the sides for the fifth and final time.

Having been replaced at the three quarter stage Aoibhin Marren returned to the action with five minutes to play and she immediately struck a vital blow when putting her side back into the lead.

The Clare champions were still ahead by one when four minutes of added time were signalled and in the second of these they dealt St Vincents a huge blow.

Aine O’Loughlin brilliantly fielded possession some 50m from goal before delivering the ball to Becky Foley who split the posts to the delight of the big Truagh-Clolara following..

St. Vicents battled to the end but a superb Truagh-Clonlara defence held firm.

In what a a magnificent all round team display, Michelle Powell, Laura Foley, Ellen Horgan, Eimear Kelly, Rebecca Foley and Aine O’Loughlin who picked up another player of the match award, stood out.

Corofin native and former Clare player Muireann Kelleher was at midfield for St. Vincents while Kilmihil’s Ailish Considine was a second half substitute for them.

Scorers; Truagh-Clonlara; Aine O’Loughlin (0-4 4f) Eimear Kelly (0-4); Becky Foley (0-2), Aoibhin Marren (0-1)

Scorers St. Vincents; Ashling Maher, Ali Maguire (0-2) each; Muireann Kelleher, Claire Donnelly, Aine woods, Anna Sullivan, Teresa Lambe (0-1) each

Truagh Clonlara
1: Sophie Cullen

2; Sinead Egan
3; Michelle Powell
4; Sinead Hogg

5; Ellen Horgan
6; Laura Foley
7; Louise Egan

8; Eimear Begley
9; Eimear Kelly

10; Aoibhin Marren
11; Joanne Egan
12; Hannah Horgan

13; Roisin Begley
14; Becky Foley
15; Aine O’Loighlin

Subs

19: Niamh Ryan for A. Marren (45)
10: Aoibhin Marren for J. Egan (55)
17: Leah Hawes for J. Egan (57)

St. Vincents;
1;Dara Cooke

22; Aoife Traynor
17; Deirdre Johnstone
18; Lara Smith