Cork camogie champions St Finbarr's move on unbeaten after test from St Catherine's
St Finbarr’s Nicole Olden and St Catherine’s Laura Hayes clash for possession. Picture: Chani Anderson
St Finbarr’s top the SE Systems Senior Camogie Championship Group 2 after a stern test from a very determined St Catherine's at Castle Road.
Both teams progress after an entertaining game where two first-half goals left the Barrs three up at half-time.
Keeve McCarthy kept the scoreboard ticking over 1-2 from frees for the Barrs, including a clever free which caught the defence off guard.
Orlaith Cahalane had given St Finbarr’s a 1-2 to 0-1 lead first-timing to the net after seven minutes. In control, they landed three points in a row before McCarthy's free made it 2-5 to 0-3.
Catherine's upped the tempo, driven on by Laura Hayes, who narrowed the gap with a point, before Niamh O'Regan grabbed a goal. The sides traded points as the East Cork side were now matching St Finbarr’s in all sectors. Up front Ally Mulkerrins, O'Regan and Aoife Hurley were winning possession and when Mulkerrins set up Hurley with a pin-point pass, she finished to the net: 2-8 to 2-5 at the break.
The second half was a battle as both sides gave it everything. Twice they swapped early points, Emma Olden and Nicole Olden for the Barrs, O'Regan and Hayes for St Catherine’s.
After 40 minutes, it looked as if the Blues were cruising when Cahalane flicked the ball to the net to open up a seven-point lead. Back came St Catherine's and five points without reply from Orla Cotter (2), Hayes, Maebh Fitzgerald and Eimear O Brien had the deficit down to two.
The Barrs won a free which Keeva McCarthy converted and she then nailed a 45. An Eimear Hurley point in added time was enough to see the holders over the line but only after a huge test from a side who will have plenty more to say before this championship is concluded.
K McCarthy 1-8 (1-4 f, 0-1 45), O Cahalane 2-0, K Wall 0-2, H O'Leary, E Olden, N Olden, E Hurley 0-1 each.
O Cotter 0-5 (0-2 45, 0-2 f), N O'Regan 1-1, L Hayes 0-3, A Hurley 1-0, E O'Brien 0-2, M Fitzgerald 0-1.
C Hurley; S Punch, S Daly, A Egan; A O'Neill, M Cahalane, C Golden; E Olden, A Shannon; H O'Leary, K Wall, K McCarthy; O Cahalane, N Olden, E Wiggington-Barrett.
E Hurley for H O’Leary (inj 28), G Cahalane for S Daly (36), L O'Donovan for C Golden (46).
Y O'Neill; L Kenneally, C Motherway, C Hayes; F Sheehan, L Hayes, SM Clancy; E O'Brien, M O'Keeffe; T Murphy, O Cotter, A Hurley; N O'Regan, A Mulkerrins, M Fitzgerald.
C Galvin for A Hurley (inj 42).
Cathal McAllister (Aghada).
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