Camogie champions Seandún led by Katrina Mackey and Amy O'Connor in win over Courceys

Seandún 1-17 Courcey Rovers 2-6 

WITH conditions having improved considerably in Brinny on Sunday evening, Seandún had eight points to spare over Courcey Rovers in the SE Systems Senior Camogie quarter-final.

Despite putting up a strong first half, Rovers found themselves chasing the game from the quarter-way mark.

It was a fiercely contested opening half. Courceys played two extra players back to counteract Seandún’s scoring threat, leaving Edel and Ashling Moloney as sweepers and Seandún were finding it hard to make space while they were also guilty of poor distribution and playing into those free players. 

Seandún then pushed one defender further up leaving just Niamh O’Leary as sweeper. With many tussles, it took eight minutes to get the opening score, Katrina Mackey finding the net, but from the resultant puck out Rovers matched it, Saoirse McCarthy putting Ciara Hayes through to goal. 

Rovers were getting the luck of the whistle, ten frees in the opening half to none for Seandún but their first four-point attempts from placed balls went wide. Amy O’Connor hit two on the bounce, Casey Coleman adding another before two Saoirse McCarthy points from frees left just the minimum in it, 1-3 to 1-2 on 22 minutes.

Seandún started to get a better grip around the middle and hit the next five, Cliona O’Callaghan, Mackey (2), O’Connor and Hayley Ryan before a nice Ann Marie Collins point left it at half time 1-8 to 1-3.

Fiona Keating restarted the game with a point, a crosswind not favouring any team in particular. With Pam Mackey doing well and Hayley Ryan and Lauren Homan in particular winning good ball around the middle of the park Rovers were struggling to get ball forward.

Another scoring burst from Seandún saw them hit six in a row from the 39th to the 55th minute making it 1-15 to 1-5 and from there any attack that Courcey’s had forced them to go in search of goals. 

Saoirse McCarthy pointed before Rovers were awarded a penalty and the same player finished low to the net. Amy O’Connor answered from the puckout with a point as Seandún march on.

Scorers for Seandún: K Mackey 1-5, A O’Connor 0-8 (0-1 f, 0-1 45), H Ryan, Coleman, C O’Callaghan, L Homan 0-1 each.

Courcey Rovers: S McCarthy 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3 f), C Hayes 1-0, AM Collins, F Keating 0-1 each.

SEANDÚN: A Lee (Na Piarsaigh); N O’Leary (Brian Dillons), L McKeogh (Blackrock), C O’Donoghue (Bishopstown); M Scannell (do), P Mackey (Douglas); S K Brosnan (Brian Dillons); L Homan (St Vincent's), H Ryan (Blackrock), C O’Callaghan (do), C Coleman (Na Piarsaigh), E O’Donoghue (Bishopstown); A O’Connor (St Vincent's); R De Faoite (Blackrock), K Mackey (Douglas).

Subs: E Sharpe (Brian Dillon's) for C O’Donoghue and S Mills (Brian Dillon's) for E O’Donoghue (h-t), E Curtin (Blackrock) for C Coleman (39), C O’Keeffe (St Vincent's) for P Mackey (inj) and N Coffey (Blackrock) for C O’Callaghan (58). 

COURCEY ROVERS: S O’Reilly; O Twomey, A Corcoran, G O’Reilly; A Moloney, G Hannon, E Moloney; R Gallagher, F Keating; A O’Reilly, S McCarthy, E O’Donovan; A M Collins, C Hayes, T Hipwell.

Subs: E Maguire for R Gallagher (26), L Nield for C Hannon (44), C O ’Donoghue for E O’Donovan (55), R Crowley for C Hayes (62).

Referee: John Horgan (Gleann na Laoi).