St Finbarr's through to camogie league final after one point win over St Catherine's
Eimear Hurley who scored a second half goal for St Finbarr’s in their win over St Catherine's. Picture: Larry Cummins
The Barrs are through to the Cork camogie senior league final following a hard-fought win over St Catherine’s at Ballynoe on Monday night.
Don’t underestimate how big a win this was for the defending league champions as they took on the team they beat in the county final last year.
That day it was close, all through, and it was no different on Monday, with the wind playing its part.
The Barrs were missing nine players that started the final last year, and Catherine’s were down three of their side from that encounter.
Laura Hayes also went off at half-time for the home side, an agreed sub in advance between the club and the Cork senior management.
It was a real battle with two players that rollied back the years playing their part for their respective sides.
Orla Cotter scored many a crucial point for Cork over the years, and she shows she is still capable of doing it for her club as she hit five over the hour.
Alongside her in the Rebel red would have been the Barrs Gemma O’Connor, who has returned to the side this season.
Her steady influence at the back was key for the Barrs, especially in the second half when they were against the wind.
But others too shone for their respective sides, with Ciara Hurley making several good saves for the Barrs, as did Yvonne O’Neill at the other end.
Aisling Egan, Aoife O’Neill, Aisling Shannon, Ella Wiggington Barrett, and Eimear Hurley were also influential for the winners.
For Catherine’s Meabh Fitzgerald, Fiona Neville, and Maeve O’Keeffe were prominent.
Meabh Fitzgerald got the first two scores of the tie for Catherine’s, with Nicole Olden on target for the Barrs.
Keeva McCarthy and Eimear Hurley put the Barrs in front by 0-3 to 0-2 after 17 minutes.
McCarthy and Olden both pointed again in a low-scoring first half as the Barrs led by 0-5 to 0-2 at half-time.
But the Barrs took a grip of the game at the start of the second half, with McCarthy and Hurley both scoring.
With 33 minutes gone, Hurley found the back of the net, and McCarthy added a point as they led by 1-8 to 0-2, despite playing against the wind at this stage.
Credit to Catherine’s, they worked their way back into contention with two points from Cotter.
She added two more, and with 45 minutes gone, it was 1-10 to 0-7.
McCarthy pointed before Meabh Fitzgerald goaled for Catherine’s, and it was game on again, 1-11 to 1-8.
Fitzgerald added two points to make it a one-point game, before McCarthy got the crucial point for the Barrs from a free to see them run out winners.
They will now face Sarsfields in the final on June 1 at 5pm at Castle Road.
M Fitzgerald 1-5, O Cotter 0-5 (4f), A Hurley 0-1.
E Hurley 1-2, K McCarthy 0-7 (2f, 0-2 45), N Olden 0-2, A Byrne O’Riordan 0-1.
Y O’Neill; L Kenneally, C Motherway, S M Clancy; C Draper, L Hayes, C Hayes; E O’Brien, M O’Keeffe; F Neville, N O’Regan, O Cotter; T Murphy, A Hurley, M Fitzgerald.
C Galvin for L Hayes (ht).
C Hurley; G Fitzgerald, A Egan, A O’Neill; I Keegan, G O’Connor, K Cahalane; C Golden, A Shannon; N Olden, K McCarthy, A Byrne O’Riordan; E Wigginton Barrett, E Hurley, C Twomey.
H Fitzpatrick for C Golden (38), J Keating for G Fitzgerald (55).
Cathal McAllister, Aghada.
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