Glen Rovers off to winning start against Courceys in camogie championship
Orlagh O'Mahony, Aisling O'Reilly and Orla Twomey, Courcey Rovers, pressure the shot of Katie Walsh, Glen Rovers, which still resulted in the first goal of the game. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Glen Rovers got their SE Systems Senior Camogie Championship off to a winning start at Castle Road on Saturday evening.
This was an impressive team performance by the northside club who fought for every ball from start to finish. They got to the semi-final of the championship last year and on this performance will fancy their chances of at least getting that far again.
They didn’t make it easy for Courcey Rovers with Leanne O’Sullivan and Kelly Falvey leading by example in defence. Behind them Denise Luby didn’t put a foot wrong.
Their Cork star, Emma Murphy, was also in top form and she was ably assisted by the likes of Sophie O’Sullivan and Katie Walsh. O'Sullivan, who is 17, is certainly a player to watch going forward.
Emma Murphy opened the scoring for the Glen, with Sophie O’Sullivan adding a second. O’Sullivan added a third as the Glen led by 0-3 to no score after five minutes
Fiona Keating, back from her travels, got Courceys off the mark, with Caoimhe Foley adding a second to put one between the sides,
Murphy was on target for the Glen, before a magnificent run from Keating saw her score a goal, to make it 1-2 to 0-4.
Credit to the Glen the response was emphatic as a free from Murphy broke to Katie Walsh to goal at the other end, to put her side back in front.
Saoirse McCarthy hit two frees for Courcey Rovers to level it, before Walsh put the Glen back in front as action swung from one end to the other.
Murphy and McCarthy exchanged frees, before the Glen hit three in a row to lead by 1-9 to 1-6.
With two minutes to half time they got their second goal, with Aisling Wallace scored.
McCarthy hit back with a free, with Walsh replying at the other end to see the Glen lead by 2-10 to 1-7 at half time.
McCarthy got the first score of the second half from a free, with Murphy replying at the other end, also from a free.
A McCarthy 45 made it 1-9 to 2-11 after 37 minutes, but the Glen kept the scoreboard ticking over to stay well in front.
Murphy pointed another free and then set up O’Sullivan to score to extend their lead.
McCarthy hit back from a free for Courcey Rovers, to make it 1-11 to 2-14 with five minutes left.
Their chances of closing the gap were dealt a blow late on when Ann-Marie Collins was sent off for a second yellow card offence.
McCarthy hit back with another free with Murphy replying at the other end.
Wallace got the last score of the half as the Glen ran out deserving winners on the night as they now face Cloughduv next Thursday evening in their second game.
E Murphy 0-7 (0-5 f), S O'Sullivan 0-5, K Walsh 1-2, A Wallace 1-1, S Murphy 0-1.
S McCarthy 0-10 (0- 7 f, 0-1 45), F Keating 1-1, C Foley 0-1.
D Luby; E O’Meara, K Falvey, C Martin; A Lynch O’Shea, S Murphy, K O’Regan; L O’Sullivan, A Akinkuolie; I O’Meara, E Murphy, T McCarthy; S O’Sullivan, K Walsh, A Wallace.
M Martin for I O’Meara (55).
K Crowley; L Crowley, E Moloney, O Twomey; A O’Reilly, O O’Mahony, G O’Reilly; C Foley, R Gallagher; AM Collins, F Keating, S McCarthy; C O’Donoghue, G Hannon, A O’Donoghue.
L Nield for R Gallagher (40).
John Horgan.
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