Improved Duharra fall short to Moycarkey

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Championship Group 1 Round 5

Moycarkey/Borris 0-18

Burgess/Duharra 1-12

Report: Joe Scully in Littleton

Moycarkey/Borris secured the win that put them into the quarter finals of the Tipperary Senior Camogie Championship after seeing off an improving Burgess/Duharra on Saturday evening.

A strong opening fifteen minutes where they outscored the visitors 0-9 to 0-3 laid the foundation for the victory.

Duharra, to their credit, played their part in what was a very entertaining game and can take a lot from this ahead of their upcoming relegation semi-final.

It will be a game the North outfit will look back on with a bit of regret, as with a bit more composure and accuracy in front of goal they might well have won, but credit to last years intermediate champions, when they were put under pressure in the second half they responded with a fine final quarter to secure the victory and set-up a quarter-final against Drom & Inch

Burgess, meanwhile, will take on Silvermines in the relegation semi-final and if they can bring the same type of performance but be a bit more clinical with their finishing, they should be okay.

Moycarkey came flying out of the traps and two placed balls from Emma O’Sullivan had them up and running after three minutes, before two excellent points from play from Joan O’Keeffe doubled the advantage by the sixth minute.

Burgess opened their account a minute later when Jenny Grace pointed from a dead ball, but straight from the puckout the home side hit their fifth point through Alisha Kearney, and O’Keeffe hit her third in the tenth minute as Burgess were struggling to come to terms with the Moycarkey attack.

Two minutes later, former Tipperary minor All-Ireland winning captain Sarah Corcoran extended the lead with a brilliant catch and finish, before Burgess struck back with two scores from Danielle Nealon and Tara Kennedy to leave the gap at four points.

An Emma O’Sullivan free and another Sarah Corcoran point stretched the lead back out to six after sixteen minutes but Moycarkey would only score two more points in the half as Duharra shored things up defensively with Kaitlin Halloran in particular very impressive.

Neither team would get on the scoresheet again until the 23rd minute when Jenny Grace added a free, before Emma O’Sullivan did likewise in the 27th minute, with both Grace and O’Sullivan exchanging frees in added time to leave Moycarkey ahead at the break, 0-11 to 0-5.

The lead was out to seven within a minute of the restart when Kate Ralph pointed, but Burgess would hit a purple patch with points from Tara Kennedy, Jenny Grace (free) and a fine finish from Katie Grace to leave the gap at four with 35 minutes gone.

Four minutes later and following a fine team move Kate Ralph found the target again, before Burgess went straight up the other end and responded with a Tara Kennedy point, with Moycarkey doing likewise as Kate Ralph hit her third as the action really heated up.

Jenny Grace struck two in a row from a 45 and then a monstrous effort from all of 65 metres from the sideline from play to leave three in it with fifteen minutes to play.

But just when it looked like Burgess might mount a comeback, Moycarkey showed their quality and retook control of proceedings, firstly Sarah Corcoran with a brilliant finish and then Joan O’Keeffe following a strong run.

It was then Alisha Kearney who added her sides 17th score in the 49th minute and two minutes later Amy O’Sullivan added another free which never went up on the scoreboard.

This would be the last score until added time when Burgess were awarded a free 30 metres out and despite Moycarkey lining the goal, Jenny Grace’s low effort managed to find its way into the back of the net, and she added another point a minute later.

Moycarkey weren’t finished and an Alisha Kearney point in the fourth minute of added time finished the scoring as the home side held on for the victory needed to progress and eliminating Moneygall.

Best for Moycarkey/Borris were Amy Callanan, Kate Ralph, Sarah Corcoran, Joan O’Keeffe & Emma O’Sullivan while for Burgess/Duharra, Malwina Dziewlatka, Kaitlin Halloran, Tara Kennedy & Danielle Nealon impressed.

Player of the Match: Kate Ralph (Moycarkey/Borris)

Moycarkey/Borris: Molly O’Dwyer (6); Caoimhe Fitzgibbon (6), Amy McGovern (7), Caitlin Shelly (6); Kate Dowling (7), Amy Callanan (7), Eva Ralph (7); Kate Ralph (0-3, 8), Sarah Corcoran (0-3, 8); Lucy Callanan (6), Ciara Shelly (6), Joan O’Keeffe (0-4, 8); Sophie Coughlan (6), Emma O’Sullivan (0-6, 5f 1 ’45) 7) Alisha Kearney (0-3, 7).

Subs: Kate O’Keeffe (6) for Coughlan (54); Rebecca Hogan (NR) for McGovern (60).

Burgess/Duharra: Ciara Holohan (6); Lucy Slattery (6), Ruby Power (7), Ella Slattery (7), Malwina Dziewiatka (7), Katie Grace (0-1, 7), Kara O’Carroll (8); Kaitlin Halloran (8), Roisin Duffy (6); Lily Duffy (6), Jenny Grace (1-7, 1-6f, 0-1 ‘45) 7), Tara Kennedy (0-3, 8), Danielle Nealon (0-1), Caoilfhionn Maher (7), Amy Kennedy (6).

Referee: PJ Nolan (Killea).