Sarsfields retain crown as Clonoulty come up short again

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Final

Thurles Sarsfields 2-11

Clonoulty/Rossmore 0-15

Report: Joe Scully at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Caoimhe Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields)

SCORERS – Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum 1-9 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘45); Laura Loughnane 1-1; Karen Kennedy 0-1.

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Cait Devane 0-12 (9 frees); Kellie Quirke 0-2; Sarah Fryday 0-1.

Thurles Sarsfields successfully defended the County Senior Camogie title after beating rivals Clonoulty/Rossmore in a well contested final on Saturday.

It is yet more final heartbreak for Clonoulty as they have now suffered defeat in seven of the last eight finals.

In what was a close game which swung back and forth for the most part, Thurles’ ability to score goals was the main difference in the end. The game itself wasn’t of the highest quality with only ten points coming from play, but it was a tough, hard-hitting game played in glorious sunshine with both teams giving it their all with every battle fiercely contested and a game where defences were very much on top.

Thurles, overall, deserved their win as defensively they were very strong keeping the Clonoulty quiet for the most part with only Cait Devane, who scored twelve points, their main threat.

For Sarsfields, it was Caoimhe Stakelum who did the majority of their scoring as she hit 1-9, ably supported by Karen Kennedy and Lucy Purcell who both had excellent games.

Thurles opened the scoring after just eighteen seconds through Karen Kennedy, but it would take a few minutes for the game to get into a proper rhythm, as both sides were feeling the other out.

Cait Devane had the sides level in the seventh minute when she found herself in loads of space forty metres out and had the easiest of finishes. Kellie Quirke had the 2024 champions in front in the tenth minute with Devane adding two more to put Clonoulty three ahead in the 14th minute.

Thurles struck back in fine fashion with Caoimhe Stakelum converting two frees before she found the back of the net in the 18th minute following a great ball in from Aoife Dwyer and finished with aplomb.

A super catch and finish from Laura Loughnane pushed Thurles four ahead and it was five when Caoimhe Stakelum added another in the 21st minute.

This would be the champions last score of the half as Clonoulty finished the stronger and four frees in-a-row from Devane, the second after she had seen her goal-bound effort brilliantly saved by Thurles keeper Siobhan Hennessy on an advantage, brought the sides level at the break, 1-5 to 0-8.

Caoimhe Stakelum had Thurles two ahead in the 33rd minute via two frees, before Sarah Fryday reduced it to one after being set up by Devane before she brought the sides level in the 39th minute via a free.

Thurles went straight up the other end and answered with a Caoimhe Stakelum free, before adding another two minutes later with a nice finish from play. From the puckout, Thurles won possession and a long ball in saw Laura Loughnane through on goal and she pulled along the ground past the advancing keeper to the back of the net.

The gap was at six points in the 45th minute through a Stakelum 45 but Clonoulty/Rossmore weren’t done yet and a Cait Devane free in the 48th minute reduced the lead to five, and she added another in the 52nd minute to leave the scoreline at 2-10 to 0-12.

Devane would then hit the score of the game as she won a superb ball before firing over under pressure from the sideline to leave three points in it. She added a free to leave it at two heading into the closing stages.

Thurles were feeling the heat but Caoimhe Stakelum converted a free albeit awarded rather controversially as Clonoulty felt it should have been awarded their way.

A Kellie Quirke in the first minute of added time reduced it to two and Clonoulty had one last chance deep into added time when a free was dropped in to the square but Thurles managed to keep it out and were awarded a free with the final whistle going soon after as they retained the O’Dowd Cup joining their senior men’s team as the best in the county.

TEAMS – Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy (7), Leanna Coppinger (7), Nicola Loughnane (7), Aoife Butler (6), Ciara Cummins (6), Emer Kennedy (Capt 7), Emma Carey (7), Karen Kennedy (7), Aoife Dwyer (7), Andrea Loughnane (7), Anna Derby (6), Marie Creedon 6), Laura Loughnane (7), Caoimhe Stakelum (8), Lucy Purcell (8).

Subs: Sarah Stakelum for M Creedon (20-28 blood); Robyn Fanning (6) for A Butler (HT), Sarah Stakelum (6) for Derby (43); Roisin Corbett (nr) for N Loughnane (60).

Clonoulty/Rossmore: Eva Ryan (6), Moira Kinane (6), Clodagh Quirke (7), Eimear Loughman (6), Julie Murphy (6), Kate Ryan (6), Bernadette Ryan (6), Courtney Ryan (6), Casey Hennessy (7), Kellie Quirke (7), Cáit Devane (8), Sinead Ryan (6), Sarah Fryday (6), Kate Ferncombe (6), Eimear Bourke (6).

Subs: Aoife Bourke (6) for B Ryan (50); Aoife Bourke (6) for Ferncombe (56).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og).