Borris-Ileigh left broke by Devane winner for Clonoulty

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance County Senior Championship Semi-Final

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-16

Borris-Ileigh 3-6

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds

Clonoulty Rossmore qualified for a fourth Tipperary Senior Camogie Championship final in a row with a one-point win over a gallant Borris-Ileigh side on Sunday.

The West Tipp side just about deserved their win, despite a stirring second-half performance by Borris-Ileigh, who looked dead and buried at the break, when trailing by six-points, and were struggling to make any impact, especially in their forward line.

But, not for the first time this year, last year’s intermediate champions showed great character with a strong second-half comeback but would come up just short in the end, and they will regret their poor showing in the opening half when looking back on the game in the coming days.

Clonoulty/Rossmore came under serious pressure in the closing stages but had the imperious Cait Devane to thank for getting over the finish line, with the Tipp star hitting two monster frees near the end to give her side the victory.

Both teams defended superbly throughout the hour, but it was the Clonoulty forwards who had that little bit of an extra threat throughout, and that would be the difference between the two sides.

Borris-Ileigh would open the scoring in the second minute with a superb point from play from Aoife Fitzgerald, but Clonoulty would hit the next two scores both from Cait Devane, the first from a 45 and then from play.

Clonoulty were starting to get on top now and won a penalty in the eighth minute after Eimear Bourke was fouled. Devane would step up to stake the penalty, but her effort would end up going over the bar for a point.

The game, at this stage, threatened to turn into the Devane show as she would hit the next five scores, three from frees, followed up by two from play as she was causing havoc in heart of the Borris defence.

The maroons then would then switch Julieanne Bourke onto her, and this would curb her influence massively. Borris would start to come slightly into the game at this point and would hit the next two scores from Nicole Walsh frees to leave the score at 0-8 to 0-3 with 27 minutes gone.

Clonoulty would respond with two scores of their own from play, first by Kate Ryan then Courtney Ryan. The final say of the half would go to Borris, with Nicole Walsh on the mark again from a free to leave the halftime score 0-10 to 0-4 in favour of Clonoulty.

Whatever was said in the Borris-Ileigh dressing room at the break certainly had the desired effect, and that plus the introduction of Moira Maher who made a huge difference to the forward line, when she entered the fray. The gap was down to three points within thirty seconds of the restart when Danielle Ryan goaled after a goalmouth scramble.

Clonoulty would respond though once again, and Cait Devane would hit the next two scores both from frees to leave the gap at five. It would be back to one though by the 42nd minute after a Danielle Ryan point from play after a great team move, and then a superb solo goal from Aoife Fitzgerald after a great run through the defence and an emphatic finish.

Clonoulty had a goal chance of their own which to fell to Devane, but her shot was saved for a 45, which Devane would point to put her side two ahead. The gap was out to three soon after thanks to a Courtney Ryan effort from play.

Two minutes later, Borris-Ileigh were level when they got their third goal, after a Nicole Walsh sideline found its way to Ava Bevans who turned her marker smartly and hit an unstoppable shot to the back of the net.

With ten minutes left we were all square, and set for a frantic finish, but not for the first time Cait Devane, now playing further out the field, stepped up to the mark for her team, and started winning key possession, and would put Clonoulty back ahead in the 52nd minute with a monstrous free from out by the sideline, near the halfway line.

However, Nicole Walsh wasn’t to be outdone and hit a superb free from out wide to level again. But it would be Devane who would have the final say with another huge free from near halfway once again, this time from the other side of the pitch.

Borris-Ileigh would push on in search of another leveller and had a couple of chances, but Clonoulty/Rossmore held strong to set-up a final meeting with five-in-a-row chasing Drom & Inch as they go in search of a first senior title.

TEAMS – Clonoulty/Rossmore: Cora Hennessy (6); Katie Murphy (7), Aoife Bourke (8), Kate Ryan (7); Moira Kinane (7), Clodagh Quirke (8), Eimear Loughman (7); Kellie Quirke (8), Sinead Ryan (8); Kate Ferncombe (6), Courtney Ryan (7), Casey Hennessy (6); Eimear Bourke (7), Cait Devane (9), Avril Quirke (6).

Subs: Bernadette Ryan (6) for A Quirke (44); Sophie Maher (NR) for K Ryan (59).

Borris-Ileigh: Kellie Healy (6), Katie Fitzgerald (7), Avril Ryan (7), Niamh McGrath (7), Emma Kelly (8), Julieanne Bourke (9), Teresa Ryan (8), Danielle Ryan (7), Noirin Stapleton (6), Aoife Fitzgerald (7), Nicole Walsh (8), Ava Bevans (7), Teresa Groome (6), Aoife Ryan (6), Jane Delaney (6).

Subs: Moira Maher (8) for Delaney (HT); Eve Maher (6) for K Fitzgerald (51).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og).