Sarsfields worn down by St Finbarr’s

CAMOGIE: AIB Munster Club Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Final

St Finbarr’s 1-17

Thurles Sarsfields 1-10

Report: Joe Scully at the Camogie Grounds, The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Liz O’Donovan (St Finbarr’s)

SCORERS – St Finbarr’s: Sorcha McCartan 0-8 (5 frees); Kate Wall, Liz O’Donovan 0-3 each; Ella Wigginton Barrett 1-0; Aisling Shannon, Orlaith Cahalane, Eimear Hurley 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum 0-8 (6 frees); Laura Loughnane 1-1; Aoife O’Dwyer 0-1.

It was a chastening experience for Thurles Sarsfields on Sunday as a second half blitz by St Finbarr’s in which they outscored their opponents 0-13 to 0-2 saw them qualify for another Munster Club Senior Camogie final.

It was a harsh lesson for the Tipperary champions to have to take, but it was a game which they will have to take many learnings from over the coming months, if and when they have another tilt at this level, as they now know the level that required outside the county.

This was despite Thurles starting much the better side, playing with huge intensity and fight, racing into a four-point lead at half time.

One concern at the break for Sars would have been the overreliance on Caoimhe Stakelum for scores as the rest of the forward line struggled to have an impact, and this was proven in the second half when the Barr’s stopped the supply of ball into the young Tippstar and the scores completely dried up for the premier champions.

Thurles opened the scoring after 37 seconds through Aoife O’Dwyer, and less than a minute later, Caoimhe Stakelum had the lead out to two, and she added two frees to put the Tipp champions four ahead by the ninth minute.

Last year’s All-Ireland club finalists would be right back in the game in the eleventh minute when a Sorcha McCartan free was caught by Ella Wiggington Barrett who made a bee-line for the Thurles goal before finishing from close range.

The sides were level in the fifteenth minute through a Liz O’Donovan point before a Caoimhe Stakelum free had Thurles back in front a minute later.

They restored the four point lead shortly after with goal after Stakelum saw her shot saved, and after a scramble, Laura Loughnane finished the rebound to the net from a yard out.

Kate Wall then hit the Barr’s second point after a fine catch and finish before Caoimhe Stakelum added another to her tally.

Cork star Sorcha McCartan hit her first point of the game from a free, before Stakelum added two more placed balls, with the final score of the half going the Barr’s way thanks to a superb point from Liz O’Donovan, 1-8 to 1-4.

While there was a breeze in St Finbarr’s favour in the second half, it wasn’t a major one and Thurles extended their lead five minutes into the second half through another Stakelum free.

However, this would be as good as it would get for them as the Cork outfit would take complete control of the game from here on in, and within the space of a minute would have the gap back to just two points thanks to scores from Kate Wall and Sorcha McCartan, the latter after they overturned Thurles from the puckout, before Orlaith Cahalane got in on the act with a fine score.

After she missed a close range free, McCartan made up for it soon after with a tidy finish before she had the scores level in the 42nd minute with a free.

The Barr’s took the lead for the first time in the 45th minute when, with her first touch after coming off the bench, Eimear Hurley pointed from close range. Another McCartan free and a Kate Wall point pushed the gap out to three, and then the score of the game came via McCartan with a superb over the shoulder effort from out by the sideline.

Aisling Shannon was next on the scoresheet with a fine effort from range before Thurles finally got their second and final score of the half in the 58th minute through Laura Loughnane who pointed well under pressure.

However, the Barr’s kept going and finished the game through two more McCartan frees and a brilliant score from Liz O’Donovan in added time to march on into another Munster Final against Gailtir of Waterford.

TEAMS – St. Finbarr’s: Ciara Hurley (6), Stephanie Punch (6), Aisling Egan (7), Kate Cahalane (6). Meabh Cahalane (7), Gemma O’Connor (8), Aoife O’Neill (6), Liz O’Donovan (9), Aisling Shannon (7), Nicole Olden (6), Ella Wigginton Barrett (7), Ciara Golden (6), Kate Wall (8), Orlaith Cahalane (7), Sorcha McCartan (8).

Sub: Eimear Hurley (6) for Olden (46).

Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy (6); Leanna Coppinger (6), Niamh McCormack (7), Nicola Loughane (6), Ciara Cummins (8), Emer Kennedy (6), Emma Carey (6), Karen Kennedy (7), Aoife O’Dwyer (6), Andrea Loughnane (6), Anna Derby (6), Marie Creedon (6), Laura Loughnane (7), Caoimhe Stakelum (8), Lucy Purcell (6).

Subs: Sarah Stakelum (6) for Derby (HT), Robyn Fanning (6) for N Loughnane (53).

Referee: Daniel O’Donnell (Limerick).