Sarsfields hold on to win maiden Senior Camogie title

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Final

Thurles Sarsfields 5-11

Clonoulty/Rossmore 4-10

Report: Joe Scully at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields).

SCORERS – Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum 3-6 (1-0 pen, 0-4 frees); Karen Kennedy 1-1; Marie Creedon 1-0; Aoife Dwyer, Andrea Loughnane, Lucy Purcell, Sarah Stakelum 0-1 each.

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Cait Devane 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-8 frees); Eimear Bourke, Courtney Ryan, Sarah Fryday 1-0; Casey Hennessy 0-1.

The first ever County Senior Camogie Championship final at Semple Stadium got the contest it deserved on Saturday as Thurles Sarsfields became champions for the first time, with a four-point victory over holders Clonoulty/Rossmore, and in doing so exacted revenge for last year’s final defeat.

They had to withstand a late rally as Clonoulty reduced a twelve-point deficit at one stage down to four in the final minutes but held on to be deserved winners as they were the better side over the hour.

It was another impressive team performance by the new champions, and they defended outstandingly well, particularly their full back lie who kept a tight rein on the Clonoulty full forward line who had been in impressive form throughout the championship, while their forwards proved once again how dangerous are.

The games key stage came in the 36th minute when after Cait Devane goaled from a penalty to cut the deficit to four, Thurles would react with a vengeance, when straight from the resultant puckout, they went up the other end and goaled through Caoimhe Stakelum, and within five minutes had scored 2-1 to go eleven points ahead, and this was the sort of power we have seen from the them throughout the championship.

Clonoulty/Rossmore would respond with 1-1, but after the goal, Thurles responded with another green flag once again from the resultant puckout, this time Karen Kennedy put the game beyond doubt despite the late push from the defending champions.

There were some fine individual performances throughout the Thurles Sarsfields side, most notably Emer Kennedy, Emma Carey, Karen Kennedy, and Caoimhe Stakelum who as superb and notched a hat-trick for herself.

Clonoulty/Rossmore will be disappointed, never reaching their full potential and will look back at some key moments throughout where they had goal chances but just couldn’t get the ball up and let the ball slip, especially in the first half, but will know they just were second best overall.

Thurles Sarsfields, as they have done so many times this year, got off to a flyer and had the ball in the back of the Clonoulty net after 31 seconds when Marie Creedon knocked in the rebound after a Caoimhe Stakelum effort was well saved by Teresa Burke in goal.

Two minutes later, Clonoulty had a great chance to get level when Eimear Bourke picked out Sarah Fryday in space in front of goal but the ball wouldn’t come up for her and Thurles eventually cleared.

Clonoulty opened their account through a Cait Devane free. Four minutes later, a Clonoulty puckout went wrong and Aoife Dwyer punished them with a tidy finish.

A minute later, Thurles had their second goal after Caoimhe Stakelum finished at the second attempt after Sarah Stakelum saw her effort saved and then Caoimhe had her first effort blocked before finishing to the back of the net.

Clonoulty responded with two points, the first for Casey Hennessy after a fine move, then a Devane free, before Caoimhe Stakelum pointed after a fine catch and turn.

The lead was out to six in the 21st minute through a Stakelum 45 and then Devane and Stakelum traded three frees in a row, before Karen Kennedy, in added time, hit the final score of the half to leave it at 2-5 to 0-5 at the break.

Thurles got off to a flyer in the second half too as Lucy Purcell pointed after fifteen seconds, and Andrea Loughnane added another in the third minute.

A Devane free reduced the lead, and then Clonoulty were awarded a penalty in the 36th minute when Sarah Fryday was fouled, and Devane stepped up and hit a bullet to the back of the net.

Clonoulty’s intention to use the boost was immediately wiped out as Thurles went straight up the other end, and following a great run from Karen Kennedy, she passed to Caoimhe Stakelum who hit an unstoppable shot to the back of the net.

Stakelum added a free two minutes later, and she completed her hat-trick in the 41st minute from the penalty shot after she had been fouled when her initial shot was saved and rebounded to her.

A 45 from Devane left the score at 4-8 to 1-7 after 43 minutes, and Clonoulty had the gap back to eight in the 45th minute when Eimear Bourke goaled after being set up by Sarah Fryday.

But once again the Thurles response was swift and from the resultant puckout the ball found its way to Karen Kennedy who went on a trademark run before finishing to the back of the net.

Devane and Stakelum exchanged frees, and then the two Stakelum’s, Sarah firstly then Caoimhe added two more from play to leave the score at 5-11 to 2-8 with five minutes left.

Clonoulty, as champions, they are fought till the very end and finished the game stronger but had left themselves too much to despite a Courtney Ryan goal after she doubled on a Devane free, and then Devane added two points, before in the last play of the game, Sarah Fryday found the back of the net after being set up by Devane.

But it was Thurles Sarsfields who were celebrating an historic success when the final whistle sounded.

TEAMS – Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy (6), Leanna Coppinger (7), Niamh McCormack (7), Rebecca O’Mara (7), Emma Carey (8), Emer Kennedy (7), Marie Creedon (7), Ciara Cummins (6), Aoife Dwyer (7), Andrea Loughnane (6), Lucy Purcell (7), Sarah Stakelum (8); Karen Kennedy (8), Caoimhe Stakelum (9), Laura Loughnane (6).

Subs: Roisin Corbett (NR) for S Stakelum (60+1); Aoife Butler (NR) for McCormack (60+1); Kate Stakelum (NR) for L Loughnane (60+1).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Teresa Burke (6); Kate Ryan (6), Bernadette Ryan (6), Moira Kinane (7), Eimear Loughman (7), Courtney Ryan (7), Aoife Burke (6), Sinead Ryan (6), Casey Hennessy (8), Cora Hennessy (6), Cait Devane (8), Kellie Quirke (6), Kate Ferncombe (6), Sarah Fryday (7), Eimear Bourke (6).

Subs: Orla Ryan (6) for K Ryan (51), Avril Quirke (6) for Ferncombe (51).

Referee: David Kennedy (Nenagh Eire Og).