Pic Credit: Caroline O'Keeffe

Ciara Halpin & Nicole O' Riordan keep the pressure on Aisling Corry.

Senior Championship

Fr McNamara Camogie:

Eire Og 2-9 Newmarket on Fergus 2-24

A 2-24 to 2-09 win over Éire Óg on Saturday evening put Newmarket on Fergus top of group A in the third and final round of this years’ Senior Championship.

The Townies were quick off the mark with Elizabeth Russell splitting the posts in the opening minute. The Blues replied with points from Jenny Kelly and Rachel Kelleher. Éire Óg responded well and an excellent passage of play culminated with Orla McMahon raising the first green flag of the evening, putting her side ahead by two points. Kate Clancy, on her debut for the Blues in the championship, restored Newmarkets lead when she hit the back of the net. Newmarket really found their groove from here on in and slotted a series of unanswered points over the bar, either due to good passing or well taken frees. Points from Elizabeth Russell, Sarah Redmond and Orla Devitt left the Éire Óg half time tally at 1-04 to Newmarkets 1-15.

The breeze blowing across the field really picked up in the second half but that didn’t deter Newmarket on Fergus from continuing where they left off. With some great team work and superb passing between Niki Kaiser, Rachel Kelleher and Jenny Kelly, Newmarket put up four more scores before Éire Ógs’ Ciara Kennedy and Orla Devitt replied with a point each. Éire Óg pushed hard but were beaten back several times by Newmarket’s stellar half back line, comprising Aimee McInerney, Roisin McMahon and Joanne Walsh and some good goalkeeping from Aileen Kilmartin. A well worked goal from Elizabeth Russell gave Éire Óg a boost, but, substitute, Tara O’Neill for Newmarket cancelled out that by scoring Newmarket’s second goal. The sides exchanged points twice more before the final whistle. Newmarket will play in the senior A semi-final while Éire Óg will contest the senior B shield final v Sixmilebridge. Both matches are fixed for September 29th.

Newmarket-On-Fergus: Aileen Kilmartin; Aoife Griffin, Katie O’Flanagan, Aislinn Keogh; Joanne Walsh, Roisin McMahon, Aimee McInerney; Carol O’Leary, Aine O’Brien; Rachel Kelleher (0-13, 7F), Niki Kaiser (0-2), Kate Clancy (1-0); Jenny Kelly (0-5), Sharon McMahon (0-1), Aoife Crimmins (0-1). 

Subs: Zoey McInerney (0-2) for Niki Kaiser, Brid Enright for Jenny Kelly, Tara O’Neill (1-0) for Aoife Crimmins, Kira O’Flannagan for Aoife Griffin and Mary Enright for Aine O’Brien.

Éire Óg: Rae Wall; Aimee Daniels, Laura Brown, Claire McMahon; Leah Ryan, Amy Russell, Sophie Hanna; Sarah Redmond, Ciara Kennedy; Maria Redmond, Aoife O’Neill, Roisin Martin, Elizabeth Russell, Orla McMahon, Orla Devitt

Subs: Eva Whyte for Aimee Daniels (27mins inj), Saoirse Warren for Eva Whyte( 45mins inj) Caireann Kennedy for Claire McMahon( 55mins)

Referee: Noel Quin

Pic: Sarah Redmond, under the watchful eye of her sister, Maria, goes in to block Joanne Walsh.

Meelick GAA:

Sixmilebridge 1-5 Truagh Clonlara 4-13

This final round group game between Truagh and Sixmilebridge was basically a quarter final - the winner to proceed to the knock out stages, a semi final appearance in a fortnight's time. Sixmilebridge were in the position of not having played a match for three weeks due to receiving a walk over in Round 2 which may have given Truagh an advantage, having played out a drawn game two weeks ago with last year's Champions Inagh-Kilnamona. And indeed it so transpired, Truagh picked up where they left off at the end of Round 2 with a solid team performance to outperform Sixmilebridge in Meelick on Saturday. 

Ellen Horgan opened the scoring for Truagh with a point, followed shortly by a point from Niamh Powell. Sixmilebridge's first score came from a pointed free before an Aine O'Loughlin free found Eimear Kelly in the corner who set up Rebecca Foley, in her first senior championship start, for a goal. Sixmilebridge sideline taking was sublime throughout the game and on 15 minutes a fine delivery from a sideline 40 metres out was deflected narrowly wide, & Chloe Morey gladly converted the resulting 45' free. 

A run of poor disciple from the Sixmilebridge defense put Truagh in clear control in the second quarter as Kelly gladly converted three consecutive placed balls which was then followed up by a fine team score where Michelle Caulfield broke out from centre back to find Kelly who passed to Foley for her first point of the day. Another free for Sixmilebridge left them with 0-3 at the break, all from placed balls and Horgan closed the half as she had opened the game with her second point from play to leave Truagh with a good lead on 1-7.

Truagh wasted no time in getting the second half underway with Roisin Begley scoring a point inside the first minute. Horgan then completed her hat trick of points and Foley added her second on 40 minutes. Sixmilebridge scored their first from play shortly after but any thoughts of a comeback were shot down by a well-positioned Roisin Begley who laid wait on the edge of the square from an Eimear Kelly cross to finish to the net, to put Truagh ahead 2-10 to 0-4 going into the final quarter. Substitute forwards Máire Begley and Sinéad Hogg were introduced either side of a converted Sixmilebridge free showing Truagh's intent not to sit back and defend their lead,. Kelly's unselfish work throughout the game was rewarded with a goal of her own with 9 minutes remaining but was followed shortly after by a goal from Chloe Morey of Sixmilebridge. Roisin Begley added a fine point from a tight angle and Kelly, on 60 minutes, added her second goal of the day. With only injury time to be played out Kelly added a brace, one from a free and one from play to see off Sixmilebridge in a comprehensive win in Round 3 on a scoreline of 4-13 to 1-5. 

Truagh: Aideen Hogg; Sinéad Ryan, Aine O’Loughlin, Michelle Powell; Sarah Hastings, Michelle Caulfield, Sarah Sherlock; Hannah Horgan, Niamh Powell (0-1); Ellen Horgan (0-3), Eimear Kelly (2-5, 4f), Laura Foley; Louise Egan, Rebecca Foley (1-2), Roisín Begley (1-2). Subs: Máire Begley for Hastings (45mins), Sinead Hogg for H Horgan (50 mins)

Sixmilebridge: Aine McNamara; Karen Gallagher, Maire McGrath, Kiah Mellet; Mary O’Connor, Rachel Kelly, Emma Kennedy; Olivia Phelan, Slaine Carey; Niamh Corry, Chloe Morey, Rachael O’Halloran; Niamh Lyons, Finia O’Brien, Saoirse Young. Subs: Sarah Loughnane for Young, Keelin Lyons for O’Halloran. 

Referee: Johnny Healy

Fr McNamara Camogie:

Clooney Quin 1-8 Scariff Ogonnelloe 1-13

Referee: Kevin Walsh

Pic: Susan Daly goes in to win the ball off Kate McCarthy.

Newmarket GAA:

Kilmaley 0-3 Inagh Kilnamona 10-26

Referee: Kevin Egan