Teehan stars in Moneygall’s impressive away win in Cashel

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 2

Cashel King Cormacs 1-12

Moneygall 2-10

Moneygall made an impressive start to the County Senior Camogie Championship on Saturday evening as Mairead Teehan inspired them to a thrilling victory over Cashel King Cormacs at Leahy Park, Cashel.

Offaly senior player Teehan was the star of the show for the North side, accounting for a remarkable 2-8 of their total, with her two first-half goals providing the platform for Moneygall to take both points.

Cashel, despite being without several key players, pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages, but a succession of late chances went wide as Moneygall survived to make the perfect start to the championship in a tough away opener.

Anna Fahie opened the scoring from a free after four minutes before Teehan responded two minutes later. Karin Blair restored Cashel's advantage from a long-range free, but Moneygall were about to make their first significant move.

Teehan levelled from a free before dispossessing Lisa Blair close to goal in the tenth minute. With the Cashel defender seemingly in control, Teehan stole possession, raced through and buried the sliotar beyond Aoife O'Brien.

Cashel responded immediately with a point before another Fahie free left Moneygall 1-2 to 0-4 ahead after seventeen minutes.

Teehan continued to impress, converting two more frees either side of a fine Nicole Shelly effort, but Cashel refused to allow their opponents to pull clear and were back level by the 22nd minute.

Moneygall struck for their second goal three minutes later, and again Teehan was the difference. Latching onto a long delivery from Orlaith Treacy, she raced beyond the final defender before burying a low strike from around 20 metres into the bottom corner.

Cashel responded with a goal of their own just before the break. Fahie's point attempt rebounded off the post and Aideen Bergin reacted quickest to fire the loose sliotar into the net.

A late Teehan free ensured Moneygall still held the advantage at the interval, and they emerged strongly for the second half.

Teehan converted another free within two minutes of the restart before Amy Ryan landed an excellent point on the run and Caithlyn Treacy followed with another as Cashel threatened to become cut adrift.

The home side responded, however, and goalkeeper Eimear Ryan was required to produce a brilliant save to deny Bergin's powerful strike in the 38th minute; a fine reflex save to maintain Moneygall’s advantage.

Cashel continued to grow into the contest. Grace Moloney and Shelly found the target, and although Teehan responded with her first point from play, substitute Aine O'Dwyer reduced the deficit to a single point in the 45th minute after good work from Moloney.

Teehan and Fahie subsequently traded frees, leaving Cashel chasing an equaliser during a tense finale.

They had opportunities to find it. Karin Blair was off target from a free, Fahie missed an effort from play, and Anna O'Brien also saw a promising attempt drift narrowly wide of the right post.

Moneygall were hanging on by the finish, but the final whistle came three minutes into added time, confirming a memorable one-point victory that puts them on firm footing in the early stages of the championship.

Player of the Match: Mairead Teehan (Moneygall)

Cashel King Cormacs: Aoife O’Brien (6); Jill Shanahan (6), Lisa Blair (7), Ella O’Dwyer (7); Katelyn Downey (7), Lily Fahie (7), Karin Blair (0-1f, 6); Anna Fahie (0-4f, 7); Rebecca Delahunty (6); Anna O’Brien (6), Nicole Shelly (0-3, 8), Grace Moloney (0-3, 8); Aisling Cully (6), Aideen Bergin (1-0, 6), Eimear Dwan (6).

Sub: Aine O’Dwyer (0-1, 7) for Bergin (38).

Moneygall: Eimear Ryan (7); Katelyn Deane (7), Stephanie Kenny (7), Shauna Kirwan (7); Mary Teehan (6), Mary Ryan (6), Katie Hayes (7); Edwina King (7), Orlaith Treacy (7); Mairead Teehan (2-8, 0-7f, 9), Caithlyn Treacy (0-1, 7), Emma Costello (6); Emily Whyte (6), Orlaith Cleary (6), Amy Ryan (0-1, 6).

Subs: Stephanie Treacy (6) for Cleary (HT); Alice Maher (6) for Whyte (54).

Referee: Declan Hickey (Skeheenarinky).