Drom earn semi-final spot from Silvermines

County Senior Camogie Championship Quarter Final

Drom & Inch 0-17

Silvermines 0-8

Drom & Inch march on to the County Senior Camogie Championship semi-finals after coming through a very stern test against Silvermines at The Ragg on Saturday.

The game had the feel of real knockout championship and little separated the sides in the opening thirty minutes with both teams bringing huge intensity and physicality to the contest.

Eimear McGrath opened Drom & Inch’s account with a pointed free the first of her impressive eight points in total. This score was quickly cancelled out by a Brid Quinn point from play. Another McGrath free and a converted Quinn 45 meant the sides were level at two points apiece on ten minutes and again at the water-break three points each thanks to two excellent points from play by Drom’s Siobhan McGrath and Sarah Madden for Silvermines.

By half-time the home-side had a slender two-point lead thanks to two points in succession from Miriam Campion who put in a huge shift for the county champions. Brid Quinn and Eimear McGrath once again showed their accuracy from frees to leave the halftime score 0-7 to 0-5 in Drom & Inch’s favour with all to play for in the second half.

The third quarter was where this game was decided with Mary Burke setting the tempo with a superb point from play. Drom outscored Silvermines in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half 0-5 to 0-1 to leave the score at the water-break 0-12 to 0-6.

Suddenly the game started to look beyond Silvermines reach as they found it harder to break down the Drom & Inch defence where Maria Connolly, Maureen Ryan and Eimear Cahill formed a solid full backline.

In the final quarter both teams continued to show great workrate but the Drom & Inch attack always looked that bit sharper with Eimear McGrath, Niamh Long and Michelle Woodlock all pointing to finish off some great moves. In the 57th minute Aisling Carey, who was very good throughout the hour, saved from a Michelle Woodlock shot denying the home-side a chance of a goal.

A Sarah Madden point from play completed the scoring for Silvermines. The ‘Mines can be pleased with the excellent workrate and determination that they displayed for the full sixty minutes. They made life very hard for the county champions and got some great scores. They also had some excellent individual displays from Nicola Butler, Miriam Murphy, Sarah Madden, and Brid Quinn. Eimear Murphy was a huge loss to them through injury in the second half.

Unfortunately for them they came up against an excellent Drom & Inch side who look to be improving with every game and Silvermines will know scoring eight points was never going to be enough to beat them.

In a repeat of last year’s semi-final Drom & Inch will now face Cashel where another huge battle awaits.

Player of the Match: Eimear McGrath (Drom & Inch)

Drom & Inch: Caoimhe Bourke, Maria Connolly, Maureen Ryan, Eimear Cahill, Niamh Long (0-1), Aoife McGrath, Niamh Treacy, Mary Burke (0-1), Eimear McGrath (0-8, 6f), Siobhan McGrath (0-2), Anne Eviston, Miriam Campion (0-3), Dee Dunne (0-1), Joanne Ryan, Michelle Woodlock (0-1).

Sub: Mairead Eviston for S McGrath

Silvermines: Aisling Carey, Anna Stapleton, Miriam Murphy, Nessa Murphy, Eimear Murphy, Katie Murphy, Louise McLoughlin, Sarah Cunneen, Ciara Ryan, Brid Quinn (0-5, 3f, 1 45), Sarah Madden (0-3), Nicola butler, Ellen Cunneen, Niamh Cunneen, Emer Tuohy.

Sub: Aine Tuohy for E Murphy

Referee: Pat Murray (Moneygall).