Munster camogie glory for brilliant St Finbarr's against De La Salle
Joy for the Barrs. Picture: INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon
Absolute delight for St Finbarr’s as they won the AIB Munster Senior Camogie championship for the first time at FBD Semple Stadium on Saturday.
It was a battle from start to finish as they recovered from a poor start to take the title as they showed all their battling skills when it looked like it was going against them. Inspired by the likes of Kate Wall, Sorcha McCartan and Meabh Cahalane the Barrs came good to win the title for the first time.
De La Salle got off to a dream start as Abby Flynn scored within 30 seconds. She picked up the ball out near the endline and took on the Barrs defence, beating several players before finding the back of the net.
That lead increased in the second minute when another of their danger players, Beth Carton, pointed as Barrs had yet to settle.
The Barrs first chance came after four minutes when McCartan played Nicole Olden in, but Brianna O’Regan was quickly off her line to deny a goal chance.
Carton increased their lead as the Barrs were finding it hard to get going.
Flynn was on target again to make it 1-3 to no score with 10 minutes gone.
A minute later and the Barrs were off the mark, with McCartan involved again. Her long free in was flicked overhead to the net by Orlaith Cahalane, to make it 1-3 to 1-0.
But De La Salle soon wiped out the goal, with Carton getting her third point and she added another from a free, to make it 1-5 to 1-0 after 15 minutes.
Flynn added another before McCartan got the Barrs' first point, Carton pointed another free with Kate Wall replying for the Barrs, to see the Waterford side lead by 1-7 to 1-2 after 22 minutes.
However, with 27 minutes gone, the Barrs got the boost they needed. Wall got on the ball from a long shot in and, despite being surrounded by several defenders, managed to score her side’s second goal, to make it 2-2 to 1-7.
A minute later and there was only a point in it, when McCartan scored from a free, but they could have had a goal.
Wall had the ball in the back of the net, but the referee had blown the whistle for a free, when he could have played advantage, much to the frustration of the Barrs.
That free was the last score of the half as De La Salle led by a point at the break, 1-7 to 2-3.
Three minutes into the second half and Barrs were back on level terms when McCartan scored from another free.
Carton put her side back in front, with Nicole Olden levelling it again.
Another Carton free put the Waterford side before McCartan said 'anything you can, do I can match', as she scored a magnificent free from distance
With 44 minutes gone, the Barrs were in front for the first time when Wall was on target again, to make it 2-7 to 1-9.
That became a two-point lead when McCartan scored from a 45. No surprise to see De La Salle hit back, with Carton scoring again.
De La Salle hit the front again when Maggie Gostl got their second goal, but it didn’t last long with Wall making it 2-10 apiece, after 51 minutes.
Flynn put the Waterford side back in front as they led by a point with four minutes to go.
But the Barrs showed all their fighting spirit as Orlaith Cahalane set up Wall for their third goal, to make it 3-10 to 2-11.
Carton knocked over a free but McCartan replied to make it a two-point game again. That proved to be the final score as the Barrs hung on for the win.
K Wall 2-4, S McCartan 0-6 (4f, 0-1 45), O Cahalane 1-0, N Olden 0-1.
B Carton 0-9 (0-6 f), A Flynn 1-3, M Gostl 1-0.
C Hurley; S Punch, A Egan, A O’Neill: G Cahalane, M Cahalane, S Daly; K Wall, K McCarthy; A Shannon, C Golden, N Olden; O Cahalane, S McCartan, H O’Leary.
E Hurley for H O’Leary (40), L O’Donovan for N Olden (50), E Wigginton Barrett for S Daly (55).
B O’Regan; S Condon, A Healy, M O’Connor; T Healy, A McNulty, E Kennedy; K Corbett Barry, L Browne; C Healy, B Carton, H Ryan; A Mullane, A Flynn, M Gostl.
N Power for A Healy (h-t), I Boland for C Healy (53).
Michael Ryan, Tipperary.
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