Cashel overcome battling Duharra challenge

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 1 Round 4

Burgess/Duharra 1-11

Cashel King Cormacs 1-17

Report: James Hayden in Kilcoleman

Cashel King Cormacs staved off a spirited second-half Burgess/Duharra challenge to secure victory in an entertaining County Senior Camogie Championship encounter on Saturday evening.

Played in balmy conditions with little breeze to contend with, this was a closely fought contest for long periods, with Cashel ultimately deserving the spoils after surviving a determined third-quarter resurgence from the hosts.

Cashel impressed with their pace, movement and disciplined approach, their incisive short-passing game causing Duharra problems. Outstanding attacker Anna Fahie was the chief orchestrator of their attack, while Aine O’Dwyer and Grace Moloney provided the fulcrum around which much of their offensive play revolved.

For Burgess/Duharra, experienced attacker Jenny Grace was outstanding from placed balls, contributing seven points from frees, while Tara & Amy Kennedy also exerted considerable influence with two points apiece.

Burgess/Duharra made the brighter start, opening their account with points from Tara Kennedy and Jenny Grace from a free. Cashel responded emphatically in the sixth minute; Katelyn Downey and Grace Moloney combined superbly to play in the inrushing Anna Fahie, who made no mistake as she rattled the net with a superb finish.

That early major underlined the pace and directness of the Cashel attack and, with two points quickly following, they had established a 1-3 to 0-2 advantage after ten minutes. Cashel continued to dominate the opening quarter, with points from Fahie and Aine O’Dwyer further extending their lead.

In an effort to curb Cashel's attacking threat, Burgess/Duharra introduced a sweeper system and it began to have an effect. Two well-struck Grace frees reduced the deficit before a sublime Amy Kennedy effort, followed by another Grace free, brought the home side back to within two points with 22 minutes played.

Fahie responded in style for Cashel with a scintillating score and the influential attacker struck again from play in the 27th minute to restore a four-point advantage.

Burgess/Duharra refused to buckle, however, and Amy Kennedy produced a magnificent effort to leave just three between the sides as half-time approached.

Cashel had the final say before the interval when Grace Moloney bisected the uprights to ensure the visitors carried a deserved 1-8 to 0-7 lead into the dressing room.

Burgess/Duharra emerged from the break with renewed determination and immediately set about reducing the deficit.

Although Fahie opened the second-half scoring for Cashel with a pointed 45, Pat Cremin's charges responded with 1-3 without reply to completely wrestle back the initiative.

Jenny Grace got the revival underway with a superb long-range free before Lily Duffy pounced for a 38th minute goal after a powerful run through the heart of the Cashel defence from Tara Kennedy.

Kennedy then added a sublime point to bring the sides level, before Burgess/Duharra hit the front for the first time on the 40-minute mark when Jenny Grace coolly converted a close-range free.

Cashel, however, refused to panic. Stung by the resilience of the home side, they responded with a brace of points from Grace Moloney and substitute Eadoin Bonnar before Fahie restored their advantage with a well-struck 47th minute free, leaving Cashel 1-12 to 1-10 ahead.

The outstanding Fahie then produced another telling contribution moments later, embarking on a searing run through the heart of a Burgess/Duharra defence that was beginning to creak under the sustained pressure.

With the clock ticking down, Cashel seized control and dominated the closing stages. Further scores from Aine O’Dwyer, Fahie and Moloney saw the visitors pull clear and ultimately secure a deserved five-point victory.

For Burgess/Duharra, there was much to admire in their performance, particularly their character in overturning Cashel's half-time advantage. However, Cashel's greater attacking efficiency and ability to regain control when the game entered its decisive phase proved crucial.

Burgess/Duharra now find themselves drawn into a relegation battle alongside Silvermines and Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams from Group 2, with a relegation semi-final to come.

Cashel King Cormacs still have one round to play and will face table-toppers Thurles Sarsfields as they bid to steer clear of any relegation concerns by progressinh to the quarter finals.

Player of the Match: Anna Fahie (Cashel King Cormacs).

Burgess/Duharra: Ciara Houlihan (7); Kara O’Carroll (7), Gemma Grace (8), Ella Slattery (7); Lucy Slattery (7), Kaitlin Halloran (7), Malwina Dziewiatka (7); Katie Grace (7), Roisin Duffy (7); Jenny Grace (0-7, 6f, 1 ‘45) 8), Amy Kennedy (0-2, 8), Caoilfhionn Maher (7); Tara Kennedy (Capt 0-2, 8), Lily Duffy (1-0, 7), Danielle Nealon (7).

Sub: Ruby Power (6) for Maher (52).

Cashel King Cormacs: Aoife O’Brien (7); Meabh Elle Ryan (7), Lisa Blair (7), Jill Shanahan (7); Emer Dwan (7), Lily Fahie (7), Ella O’Dwyer (7); Katelyn Downey (7), Rebecca Delahunty (7); Grace Moloney (0-4, 8), Aine O’Dwyer (0-2, 8), Emma Bonnar (0-1, 7); Anna Fahie (1-8 (0-2f, 0-1 ‘45) 8), Aideen Bergin (6), Ashling Cully (7).

Sub: Eadoin Bonnar (0-1, 7) for Bergin (HT).

Referee: Pay Murray (Moneygall).