AIB Senior All-Ireland Club semi-final
Loughgiel (Ulster Champions) 3-9 Sarsfield’s (Connacht champions) 1-16
For most of the first half of Sunday’s all Ireland Camogie semi-final at Breffni Park, there must have been a big section of the Shamrocks fans making plans for a trip to Croke Park on Sunday week. The Antrim and Ulster champions were flying it after an unbelievable start and were nine points clear of All Ireland champions Sarsfields at one stage.
There were still four to the good at half time and though Sarsfields clawed their way back in the second half they were still level going into injury time at the end of the game. However the momentum had swung in favour of the Galway side at this stage and two late points in injury time got them over the line.
There was still hope however when Loughgiel were awarded a free and Roisin McCormick took the point that was on offer, but the other chance they needed never came and the All Ireland champions continued their brilliant run of success with yet another All Ireland final appearance.
The Shamrocks made a dream start and after Lucia McNaughton grabbed a point in the opening minute, and following good approach work by Anna Connolly Caitrin Dobbin broke through, and despite being pulled back by a Sarsfields defender, she fired low to the net.
What a star! Things couldn’t get any better, but they did when Amy Boyle won possession and sent Roisin McCormick clear and the corner forward made not mistake as she grabbed her team’s second goal.
Seven in arrears Sarsfields were rocked back on their heels but the All Ireland champions got their first score on the board when Niamh McGrath sent over. However Loughgiel were still very much on the front foot and they hit back with well taken points from Annie Lynn and Roisin McCormick to stretch the lead to eight.
Sarsfields finally found a bit of rhythm in their play when the McGrath sisters Siobhan and Niamh found the target, but Loughgiel gained the upper hand again when Lucia McNaughton was put clear by Caitrin Dobbin and McNaughton sent the travelling Loughgiel fans into ecstasy when she grabbed her team’s third goal.
The first set-back or the Shamrocks came soon afterwards when Sarsfields got their first goal of the game, and they took advantage as the clock ticked towards half time, adding two more points to close the gap to four by the time referee Donegan sounded the half-time whistle. (Loughgiel 3-04 Sarsfields 1-06)
The Sarsfields revival continued after the restart when Cora Kenny and Orlaith McGrath knocked over points to leave just two between the sides, but Roisin McCormick stretched the lead to three when she sent a free between the Sarsfields posts. However the champions were getting the upper hand and three points without reply from the brilliant Siobhan McGrath brought them level for the first time in the game.
Scores were getting harder to come by as underfoot conditions deteriorated, but Loughgiel ended the deadlock when McCormick and Dobbin added points to put them two clear yet again. Sarsfields Caoimhe Kelly and Loughgiel’s Roisin McCormick exchanged points to keep the gap at two, but the All Ireland champions hit back to level the match again, Kelly and McGrath providing the scores.
The Galway girls hit the front for the first time as the clocked ticked towards full time, Niamh McGrath’s free giving them the lead. That lead was doubled soon afterwards the All Ireland champions experience started to show in such a pressure situation, and though McCormick reduced the gap to the minimum with a pointed free, time was against the Shamrocks and Sarsfields scrambled over the line.
A heroic effort by the Antrim and Ulster champions, and a hard blow to take, but they once again showed they are right up there with the best teams in the country.
Loughgiel: E Boyle, C McKillop, K Lynn, F McVeigh, M McGarry, E McFadden, C Laverty, A Boyle, A Connolly, C McCloskey capt, L McNaughton (1-1), A Lynn (0-2), Caitrín Dobbin (1-1), K McKillop, R McCormick (1-5, 0-3 frees).
Subs: M O’Hara for F McVeigh (44), A McKillop for K McKillop (59)
Sarsfield’s: L Glynn, R Kelly, L Ward, K Gallagher, T Kenny, M Cooney, J Daly, C McGrath, N McGrath (1-2, 1-1 frees), K Donohue, O McGrath (0-1), S Spellman, C Kelly (0-3), S McGrath (0-8, 4 frees), R Murray.
Subs: C Kenny (0-2) for R Murray (ht), L McGrath for C McGrath (50), C McGrath for S Spellman (57),
Referee: G Donegan (Dublin)
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