Naomh Bríd brush aside St Mullins
Naomh Brid captain Helen Roche comes under pressure from St Mulins' Amy Doyle. Photos: Pat Ahern.
The respective placings in the group stages of this year’s Azap Print Senior Camogie Championship was reflected here as the table-toppers proved too good in the semi-final at McGrath Park on Saturday.
Naomh Bríd got off to the perfect start when Kate Burke finished to the net after a combination passes which also involved Katie Garry Murphy and Eibhe Lawler. Emma Brennan scored a fabulous point from the left into the dressing room end of the ground before an Anna Murphy free got St Mullins off the mark.
Yet Naomh Bríd showed their class as Aibha Kiernan and Brennan raised further white flags. Murphy knocked over another St Mullins free but Burke cancelled that out with one from play.
St Mullins almost stole a goal when Abhainn Cody found herself in space but a clever defensive hook kept the Naomh Bríd posts intact.
Gradually the purple and white clad side moved clear from their rivals. Five of their starting forwards scored from play with Niamh Forde’s 24th minute point the pick of the lot after the corner forward was put clear after a series of passes.
At the interval, Naomh Bríd led 1-10 to 0-2.
St Mullins opened the second half scoring with a Murphy free out on the right. Naomh Bríd hit back and Brennan converted a free. Caoimhe Cody replied with a point but Naomh Bríd were not for turning. Rachel Sawyer was introduced at the break and her pace and clean strikes saw her register two points in the second half. Her colleague, Forde, was also unlucky not to find the net but credit the St Mullins defence who helped cut out the space.
At the other end, a dropping ball from Caoimhe Coady gave St Mullins a half goal chance but the defence won that mini battle.
Another slick passing movement put in Burke for another three pointer. That was tough on the vanquished side who had battled against the odds. Katie Garry Murphy rubbed it in with another goal which came from a slick transfer of the sliotar. The game was done and dusted. No doubt many of the winning side would have stayed behind to see who they were playing in the final. Interesting times ahead.
K Burke 2-2, E Brennan 0-5 (2f), K Garry Murphy 1-1, A Kiernan 0-3, R Sawyer, N Forde 0-2 each.
C Coady (1f, 1'45), A Murphy (2f) 0-2 each, G Grennan, A O’Carroll 0-1 each.
Tara O’Byrne; Olwyn Roche, Anne Roche, Moya O’Toole; Clodagh Lawler, Caoimhe O’Neill, Eimear O’Toole; Helen Roche, Siofra O’Neill; Aibha Kiernan, Emma Brennan, Katie Garry Murphy; Eibhe Lawler, Kate Burke, Niamh Forde.
Jackie Prendergast for C Lawler (33), Rachel Sawyer for Brennan (40), Keeva Collins for M O’Toole (46), M Callaghan for E Lawler (57), A Farrell for Forde (57).
Aoibhinn Dowling; Margaret Doyle, Hannah Murphy, Kate Doyle; Mia O’Neill, Mairead O’Shea, Emily Doyle; Caoimhe Coady, Katie O’Connell; Grainne Grennan, Abhainn Coady, Leah Ryan; Chloe O’Connell, Anna Murphy, Amy Doyle.
Aine Carroll for O’Shea (24), Rosanna Doyle for O’Connell (46), Siobhan Ryan for Murphy (52).
Brian Deering (Rathvilly).
