Sars finish well to hold off Duharra

CAMOGIE: Tipperary Senior Championship Group 2 Round 2

Burgess/Duharra 1-9

Thurles Sarsfields 1-16

Report: Joe Scully at Pairc na nGael, Kilcolman

Photos: Bridget Delaney

Thurles Sarsfields made it two wins from two in the Tipperary Senior Camogie Championship after a hard fought seven-point win over Burgess/Duharra on Saturday.

It was a deserved win for last years defeated finalists, who over the hour were the better side, despite a strong second half rally from the home side, who now have suffered two defeats from two, and have very little room for error in their remaining games in their quest to make the knockout stages.

For Thurles it was another impressive performance, and they look like they could go all the way this year. They are very impressive throughout the field, with the likes of Emma Carey who was superb all through, marshalling the defence, and letting nothing past her while Laura Coppinger was excellent in defence also and then Karen Kennedy and Caoimhe Stakelum impressing further up the field, while for Burgess/Duharra, Caoimhe Maher, Jenny Grace, and Danielle Nealon impressed.

It was the home side who got off to the quickest start, when a Jenny Grace effort from out by the sideline, managing to find its way to the back of the Thurles net, although Siobhan Hennessy in the goal will be disappointed not to have kept it out.

The visitors got off the mark in the fifth minute through a Caoimhe Stakelum 45, before Burgess through Jenny Grace who punished a mistake from a Thurles defender to point.

Thurles would hit five unanswered scores to put themselves two points ahead in the 20th minute. A Caoimhe Stakelum free, was followed by points from Laura Loughnane and Sarah Stakelum after a fine team move, before two more from Caoimhe Stakelum (1 free).

Jenny Grace added another point for her side from a dead ball, but from the resultant puckout, won by Andrea Loughnane, and following a fine team move, Karen Kennedy found herself through on goal and the Tipperary star made no mistake, blasting to the back of the net.

Two minutes later, Thurles added to their lead through a Lucy Purcell point, and Caoimhe Stakelum had the final say of the half in the last minute when she pointed another free, to leave her side ahead at the break 1-8 to 1-2.

At the start of the second half, Caoimhe Stakelum and Jenny Grace traded 45’s, before Tara Kennedy became the second Burgess player to score when she landed a brilliant individual score in the 37th minute, and they had the gap back to four following another free from Grace.

Thurles responded with two points, firstly through Karen Kennedy with a trademark run and finish, and then Caoimhe Stakelum added to her tally with another free.

Burgess would then build a bit of momentum and would hit the next three points in-a-row to leave the gap at just three with eight minutes to play, with Jenny Grace converting two frees, before Amy Kennedy added one from play with a great finish from out by the sideline.

Karen Kennedy and Kaitin O’Halloran with a fine finish traded scores, to leave just a goal in it, with just over three minutes to play.

However, Thurles would find an extra gear to see out the match as tnhey hit four unanswered points in the remainder of the game, with Caoimhe Stakelum landing two-in-a-row including a superb effort from play from out near the halfway line.

Ciara Cummins was next on the scoresheet, before Stakelum finished the scoring in the first minute of added time with another free, as Thurles ran out comfortable winners in the end, and in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.

Player of the Match: Emma Carey (Thurles Sarsfields).

Burgess/Duharra: Ciara Holohan (7); Iris Grace (6), Fiona Kirwan (6), Ella Slattery (7); Lucy Slattery (7), Caoimhe Maher (8), Malwina Dziewiatka (6); Kaitlin O’Halloran (0-1, 7), Katie Grace (6); Ciara McKeogh (6), Jenny Grace (1-6, 0-4f, 0-1 ‘45, 7), Katie Flaherty (6); Tara Kennedy (0-1, 7), Danielle Nealon (7), Amy Kennedy (0-1, 7),

Subs: Kara O’Carroll (7) for Kirwan (23), Amy O’Dwyer (6) for Flaherty (35), Laura Kennedy (6) for Dziewiatka (42), Caoilfhionn Maher (6) for T Kennedy (51), Roisin Duffy (NR) for I Grace (60).

Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy (6); Leanna Coppinger (8), Niamh McCormack (7), Rebecca O’Mara (6); Emma Carey (9), Emer Kennedy (7), Robyn Fanning (6); Ciara Cummins (0-1, 7), Aoife Dwyer (7); Andrea Loughnane (6), Lucy Purcell (0-1, 7), Sarah Stakelum (0-1, 6); Karen Kennedy (1-2, 8), Caoimhe Stakelum (0-10, 6f, 2’45s 8), Laura Loughnane (0-1, 8).

Subs: Marie Creedon (6) for L Loughnane (39); Maria Ralph (6) for S Stakelum (52).

Referee: TP O’Sullivan (Lorrha).