St Finbarr's complete camogie three in a row with dominant display against Blackrock
St Finbarr's captain Stephanie Punch and players celebrate after defeating Blackrock. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
It’s three in a row for St Finbarr’s as they retained their SE Systems Cork Senior Camogie Championship title at MTU on Sunday.
Dominant throughout, their victory was sealed when Player of the Game Sorcha McCartan got their second goal after 39 minutes. That stretched their lead to 2-9 to 0-3 and from here it was always going to be an uphill battle for a Rockies side who fought to the end.
As a team, the Barrs were superb with their defence minimising the considerable threat of the likes of Cliona O’Callaghan and Erinn Curtin. Liz O’Donovan and Aisling Shannon worked hard in midfield and up front McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane and Ciara Golden were in top form.
The Rockies weren’t helped either as they lost their full-forward Michelle Murphy to injury after 10 minutes. But even at that there was never a doubt that the cup would be heading back to Togher for the third year in a row.
They will now go on to defend their Munster title in the coming weeks, but for now they will enjoy the celebrations as they complete the first part of a possible senior treble for the club.
Hayley Ryan opened the scoring for Blackrock, with Nicole Olden replying. The Barrs were playing with the strong wind, and they started to make it count as Sorcha McCartan put them in front after 11 minutes.
She was on target again from a free and with 19 minutes gone she added another free, to make it 0-4 to 0-1.
McCartan got her fourth in a row to stretch the Barrs' lead further, before O’Callaghan replied from a free for the Rockies. McCartan added another free to make it 0-6 to 0-2 before the Barrs got the only goal of the half.
A long ball in was picked by Orlaith Cahalane and she rounded her marker to find the back of the net. McCartan added another and with 29 minutes gone Ciara Golden pointed to make it 1-8 to 0-2.
Ryan got the last score of the half as the Barrs led by 1-8 to 0-3 at half-time.
McCartan got the first point of the second half and with 37 minutes gone she added their second goal. Ella Wigginton Barrett, just on as a sub, played her in and she gave Anna Kearney no chance of saving.
McCartan returned the favour as she played Wigginton Barrett in for their third goal, to make it 3-9 to 0-3 as the Rockies had yet to score after the break. Shannon added a point and Kate Wall, not long home from Australia, also got in on the scoring act to make it 3-11 to 0-3.
Orlaith Cahalane added another point before Ryan got the Rockies only score of the second half.
Two late points from McCartan rounded off the scoring as the Barrs ran out comfortable and deserving winners.
S McCartan 1-9 (0-7 f, 0-1 45), O Cahalane 1-1, E Wigginton Barrett 1-0, N Olden, C Golden, A Shannon, K Wall 0-1 each.
H Ryan 0-3 (0-1 f), C O’Callaghan 0-1.
C Hurley; S Punch, A Egan, K Cahalane; M Cahalane, G O’Connor, A O’Neill; L O’Donovan, A Shannon; N Olden, K Wall, C Golden; E Hurley, O Cahalane, S McCartan.
E Wigginton Barrett for E Hurley (36), A Byrne for N Olden (46), I Keegan for K Cahalane (49), G Fitzgerald for M Cahalane, H Fitzpatrick for L O’Donovan (both 57).
A Kearney; K Lyons, M Kennedy, M Cashman; A Leahy, K Hickey O Grimley; H Ryan, A Hegarty; K Murphy, S McCarthy, M Murphy; C O’Callaghan, E Curtin, B O’Shaughnessy.
A O’Farrell for M Murphy (10 inj), M Coffey for J Murphy (41), M Ryan for K Lyons, L McKeogh for S McCarthy (both 46), K O’Sullivan for E Curtin (51).
Cathal McAllister, Aghada.
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