*Truagh/Clonlara players celebrate with the McMahon Cup. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
TRUAGH/CLONLARA ended Scariff/Ogonnelloe’s quest for a third Clare senior camogie chamxpionship in a row and in the process won the title for the first time in their history.
Truagh/Clonlara 2-11
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 1-13
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Áine O’Loughlin is the toast of Truagh/Clonlara this October Bank holiday weekend. Six days after her brother Micheál delivered a man of the match performance which steered Clonlara to the Clare senior hurling title, Áine’s goal in the third minute of ‘injury time’ helped her side to a one point win over holders Scariff/Ogonnelloe on Saturday afternoon.
Meeting in the final for the third successive year, Scariff/Ogonnelloe were edging towards completing their third success in as many years when they led by two points when four minutes of added time were signalled.
Three of those additional minutes were played when referee Fergal O’Brien signalled for a 20m free for a foul on Roisin Begley. Up stepped full forward Áine O’Loughlin and she blasted the resultant free low to the net, sparking off wild celebrations amongst Truagh/Clonlara fans.
Seconds later those supporters charged onto the pitch to acclaim their heroes who had just completed a memorable senior double for the South-East Clare parish.
Remarkably full forward O’Loughlin had also struck a vital blow in added time at the end of the opening half when she found the net from a tight angle to leave the sides level at 1-7 each at the interval.
Points were exchanged four times in the opening ten minutes before the new county champions opened a three point lead, 0-7 to 0-4 by the end of the first quarter. Roisin Begley was key to a number of those scores as her pace caused a lot of problems for the title holders.
A point worthy of any game from Aoife Power sparked a strong response from Scariff/Ogonnelloe and the same player had her side in front in the twenty first minute when she found the net after Jennifer Daly’s effort had been well saved by Sophie Cullen.
Labhaoise O’Donnell and Mairead Scanlan followed with points to put their side a goal clear as the half time whistle approached.
The defending champions struck for the opening three points of the new half through Mairead Scanlan (2) and Lynda Daly.
Player of the match winner Laura Foley and Hannah Horgan responded with points for Truagh/Clonlara but an Aoife Power effort saw the holders stay two clear as the game moved two minutes into the final quarter.
Scores from Roisin Begley and Laura Foley in the space of a minute had the teams level with ten minutes to play.
Six minutes from time Aoife Power had Scariff/Ogonnelloe back in front and they doubled their advantage two minutes later when Mairead Scanlan hit her eighth point of the afternoon.
As the game went into added time it looked like it might be heartbreak again for Truagh/Clonlara but they refused to accept defeat and Áine O’Loughlin struck the vital blow to spark off another flurry of celebrations for GAA followers in Clonlara.
Their achievement is made all the more remarkable given that they lined out without the injured quartet of Eimear Kelly, Becky Foley, Michelle Powell and Liza Moloney, all of whom had been first-choice starters in the past three seasons and longer.
Sophie Cullen, Roisin Powell, Sinead Hogg, Michelle Caulfield, Laura Foley, Roisin Begley and Aine O’Loughlin played key roles in this win.
For Scariff/Ogonnelloe the Daly sisters, Susan Vaughan, Amy Barrett, Mairead Scanlan and Aoife Power were prominent.
After the game Clare camogie chairman Joe O’Donnell presented the McMahon cup to the joint captains of the winning team, Michelle Caulfield and Laura Foley.
Scorers Truagh/Clonlara: Aine O’Loughlin (2-1, 1-0 f); Laura Foley (0-6, 3 f); Roisin Begley (0-2) Hannah Horgan, Niamh Ryan (0-1) each;
Scorers Scariff/Ogonnelloe: Mairead Scanlan (0-8, 6f); Aoife Power (1-3)Labhaoise O’Donnell, Lynda Daly (0-1) each;
Truagh/Clonlara:
1: Sophie Cullen
2: Sinead Ryan
3: Roisin Powell
4: Sinead Ryan
5: Ellen Horgan
6: Michelle Caulfield, Joint captain
7: Louise Egan;
8: Laura Foley, Joint captain
9: Niamh Powell
12: Eimeaar Begley
11: Joanne Egan
10: Hannah Horgan
13: Roisin Begley
14: Aine O’Loughlin
15: Niamh Ryan
Subs:
19: Aoibhinn Marren for H. Horgan (46)
18: Leah Hawes for N. Ryan (57)
17: Aoife Dillon for S. Ryan (58)
Scariff/Ogonnelloe;
1: Rachel Daly
2: Bonnie Wiley-Murphy
3: Suan Daly
4: Robyn McKenna
5: Rachel Minogue
6: Susan Vaughan
7: Amy Barrett
8: Ciara Doyle (Captain),
9: Abby Walsh
12: Jennifer Daly
11: Lynda Daly
10: Dankelle Beston
15: Mairead Scanlan
14: Labhaoise O’Donnell
13: Aoife Power
Subs:
20: Alva Rodgers for D. Beston (41)
19: Lorraine Grady for B. Wiley Murphy (55);
Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford)
