Carey stands tall to fire Silvermines to victory over Burgess/Duharra

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 2 Round 4

Burgess/Duharra 0-11

Silvermines 0-12

Report: Joe Scully at Pairc na nGael, Kilcolman

A free in added time by Aisling Carey gave Silvermines a hard fought one-point victory over Burgess/Duharra in the fourth round of the County Senior Camogie Championship on Saturday.

In what was a quintessential game of two halves, with the wind playing a massive factor, Silvermines came away with the victory to qualify for the knockout stages, as do Duharra, despite recording one win from their four games.

Carey’s winning point was the ‘Mines only score of the second half, after a gallant comeback from the home side, who were behind 0-11 to 0-2 at the break, slowly reeling in the visitors with Jenny Grace, levelling things with just over three minutes of normal time remaining.

And despite all the momentum being with the home side, it would be Carey who stood up to break Burgess/Duharra hearts, with her eighth point, and the winning score.

Both teams deserve tremendous credit for the effort over the hour with the conditions far from ideal.

Silvermines opened the scoring in the third minute when Kellie O’Dwyer pointed from close range and extended their lead in the sixth minute through an Aisling Carey free.

The home side hit their opening score in the tenth minute through former Tipperary Junior All-Ireland winner Jenny Grace from a free.

Silvermines started to get on top, using the strong breeze at their backs to their advantage as they would hit eight points in a row with Aisling Carey converting four frees, before Ellen Cunneen played a quick free to Carey who returned the pass to Cunneen, and she finished nicely from 50 metres.

Nessa Murray then hit two points in the space of a minute, the second an excellent finish from out by the sideline. Carey added another point in the 26th minute, her first from play to leave her side ahead 0-10 to 0-1.

Burgess ended the ‘Mines scoring run in the final minute of the half through a Danielle Nealon effort from close range after being set up by Amy O’Dwyer.

The final say of the half went to Aisling Carey with a free in added time to leave her side nine points ahead at the break.

With the wind now in their favour, Burgess/Duharra came out a different team, upping their game, and started to take control, with Tipp star Caoimhe Maher in particular starring from centre back.

They had the lead back to four points by the mid-way point of the half through five frees by Jenny Grace, the fifth a monstrous from well inside her own half. A minute later, and the home side had the score at 0-11 to 0-8, when Danielle Nealon added her second of the game.

With all momentum behind them, Burgess/Duharra kept pushing and had the gap at just two in the 48th minute when Grace added another free, and she converted another a minute later to leave just a single point in it with eleven minutes to play.

The game would swing back and forth with both sides having chances, before Grace once again stood over a free in the 56th minute and once again found the target to level proceedings.

Burgess/Duharra came very close to taking the lead in the final minute but Grace saw her free come back off the post before being cleared.

Less than a minute later, with Silvermines on the attack, they were awarded a free close in which Aisling Carey made no mistake with for her sides first and only score of the half, and what would turn out to be the winning one in what was a huge win for Silvermines ahead of the knockout stages.

Player of the Match: Aisling Carey (Silvermines).

Burgess/Duharra: Ciara Holohan (6); Lucy Slattery (7), Fiona Kirwan (6), Ella Slattery (7); Kara O’Carroll (6), Caoimhe Maher (8), Malwina Dziewiatka (6); Kaitlin O’Halloran (6), Katie Grace (7); Ciara McKeogh (7), Jenny Grace (0-9f, 7); Katie Flaherty (6), Amy O’Dwyer (6), Danielle Nealon (0-2, 7), Amy Kennedy (7).

Subs: Laura Kennedy (7) for Flaherty (27 inj); Iris Grace (7) for O’Carroll (38), Roisin Duffy (6) for Dziewiatka (56), Caoilfhionn Maher (6) for A O’Dwyer (56), Aisling Cremin (6) for Kirwan (56).

Silvermines: Elaine Murphy (6); Eimear Murphy (6), Katie Murphy (7), Ava Quigley (7); Jane Ryan (7), Sarah Madden (8), Phoebe Sage (7); Ellen Cunneen (0-1, 7), Ailbhe Treacy (7); Dearbhla Slattery (6), Niamh Cunneen (7), Kellie O’Dwyer (0-1, 7); Maeve Cunneen (6), Aisling Carey (0-8, 7f, 8), Nessa Murray (6).

Sub: Marian Murphy (6) for M Cunneen (44).

Referee: David Kennedy (Nenagh Eire Og).