Templemore success adds more final woe for Lorrha

CAMOGIE: Tipperary Junior ‘B’ Championship Final

 

Templemore    3-12
Lorrha              2-13

Report: Shane Brophy at The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Áine Delaney (Templemore)
SCORERS – Templemore: Ruth Butler 1-7 (1-0 pen, 0-7 frees); Marie Guider 1-1; Áine Delaney 0-3; Iris Kaiser 1-0; Ava Ormond 0-1.
Lorrha: Celine Cleary 1-9 (1-7 frees); Clodagh McIntyre 0-3; Siobhan Leahy 1-0; Kate O’Meara 0-1.

Templemore won their first ever County Junior ‘B’ Camogie Championship title after they edge out Lorrha in a thrilling final on Saturday afternoon.

Iris Kaiser’s goal midway through the second half proved to be the key score as it gave Templemore the impetus to go on and record an impressive victory, despite Lorrha piling on the pressure in the closing stages.

It is more bitter disappointment for Lorrha who have now lost four consecutive finals in the grade over the past five years, and they couldn’t have done much more on the day to make up for the final losses in 2016, ’17 & 19. However, Templemore were the slightly better side on the day in the way they used the ball, although Lorrha will rue second half missed chances.

This was a rip-roaring contest that swung one way and then the other, beginning with Templemore racing into a three-point lead with Ruth Butler converting three frees for her side. 

It took Lorrha six minutes to open their account through Clodagh McIntyre who was outstanding throughout, particularly in the first half with her surging runs from deep. 

Butler and Celine Cleary traded points before Lorrha scored the first goal on twelve minutes when McIntyre ran onto a Kate O’Meara pass, her shot was saved by Emma O’Meara but Siobhan Leahy was on hand to send the rebound to the net for a 1-2 to 0-4 lead. However, it was cancelled out within a minute as Marie Guider kicked to the net from close range after the Lorrha defence failed to clear their lines. 

Celine Cleary’s long range free-taking was noteworthy in the first half and she landed three long range efforts into the breeze to put her side back in front before Áine Delaney brought Templemore level on 24 minutes.

Lorrha enjoyed their best period of the game then as McIntyre and Cleary (2, 1 free) pushed them two points ahead after Ava Ormond had pointed for Templemore who took the lead into the half time break by virtue of a Ruth Butler goal from a penalty on thirty minutes after the powerful Iris Kaiser was fouled in the square. Kaiser set up Áine Delaney for another point as Templemore led 2-7 to 1-8 at half time.

Lorrha wasted little time at the start of the second half to get back on terms through Celine Cleary (free) and a third from play from Clodagh McIntyre. However, Templemore did a better job crowding her out in the second half with Louise Cadell sacrificing her game to follow her, however McIntyre was so influential and won numerous frees which saw both Templemore midfielders yellow carded for persistent fouling.

The sides were level at 1-12 to 2-9 at the second water break but Lorrha missed four frees on the bounced which proved costly as Templemore struck for the key score on 53 minutes as Áine Delaney, who had a superb second half, soloed up the right wing before sending in a ball to Iris Kaiser who broke through the challenge of Michelle Hogan and kicked the ball to the net for a three point lead.

Delaney added her third from play before Lorrha responded with another Celine Cleary free. Ruth Butler landed her fifth and sixth frees of the game to lead by five points going into added time where Celine Cleary provided a lifeline with a free from 25 yards which went all the way to the net. 

Lorrha pressed hard for a winning goal but an advance by Kate O’Meara came to nothing as Templemore held on for a terrific victory where Emma Kennedy, Ruth Butler and their inside forward line of Marie Guider, Iris Kaiser and Aine Delaney were excellent. For Lorrha, Michelle Hogan, Caoimhe Kennedy, Siobhan Reddin, Kate O’Meara, Celine Cleary and the superb Clodagh McIntyre led the way.

TEAMS – Templemore: Emma O’Meara (Capt); Aishling O’Toole, Emma Kennedy, Erica Bourke; Aishling Fennell, Ruth Butler, Niamh Dunne; Elaine Fitzpatrick, Louise Cadell; Kate Delaney, Aoife Shelly, Ava Ormond; Marie Guider, Iris Kaiser, Áine Delaney.
Sub: Nessa Towey for Fennell (HT).
Lorrha: Katie Kennedy; Aoife Brady, Michelle Hogan, Grainne Hough; Hazel Reddin, Caoimhe Kennedy, Hannah O’Meara; Siobhan Reddin, Catherine O’Meara; Celine Cleary, Clodagh McIntyre, Kate O’Meara; Siobhan Leahy, Caroline O’Brien, Marie Clare Fogarty.
Subs: Mary Houlihan for O’Brien (47); Sarah Mannion for H O’Meara (57).
Referee: Martin Doyle (Ballybacon/Grange).