Carbery bow out of county senior camogie championship

St Catherine’s 2-12

Carbery 0-5

CARBERY’S interest in this year’s Cork Camogie SE Systems Senior Championship was ended by St Catherine’s at Castle Road last Sunday.

An understrength divisional side gave their all but could have no complaints with the final outcome against a seasoned and slicker St Catherine’s.

Missing nine starters from their previous championship outing, Carbery were also without injured duo Moira Barrett and Hannah Sexton. Two missed goal opportunities in the opening half saw Carbery change ends six points behind. St Catherine’s dominated the third quarter and netted a late goal to win by 13 points.

‘The Carbery girls that played out there did their best and you have to be proud of them,’ Carbery management team member Jerry Ryan told The Southern Star.

‘They represented their clubs with honesty. We were probably a bit unlucky that we didn’t get a few more scores in the first 15 minutes. We got a penalty; it was saved and their goalkeeper made another great save shortly afterwards. We were missing a lot of players for different reasons, those with football commitments at the same time as this match and those with injuries.’

A lively opening quarter produced an even game and a penalty miss. St Catherine’s began confidently and had 1-1 on the Castle Road scoreboard inside three minutes. Aoife Hurley broke the deadlock prior to Niamh O’Regan firing into the net.

Carbery steadied the ship with their first score after 11 minutes. Kate Wall converted a free prior to the same player and Finola Neville exchanging points.

The West Cork division were presented with a glorious goal-scoring chance after 16 minutes. Orna Neville hauled down Kate Wall en route to goal but Kaitelyn Dineen’s resulting penalty was saved on the goal-line and cleared by a relieved Catherine’s defence.

That prompted an immediate St Catherine’s response with two Aoife Hurley points and a Finola Neville free making it 1-5 to 0-2. Carbery’s Kate Wall saw a goal-bound shot brilliantly stopped by goalkeeper Yvonne O’Neill to end the half, as the Saints led 1-5 to 0-2.

Libby and Maggie Coppinger along with Kate Wall, Clara Crowley and Meabdh Sexton toiled hard on Carbery’s behalf but struggled to withstand a constant stream of attacks during a one-sided third quarter.

St Catherine’s reached the final water break 1-12 to 0-2 in front thanks to five Finola Neville scores (three frees and two 45’s) plus additional Chloe Draper and Aoife Hurley white flags.

Kate Wall would finish as Carbery’s lone scorer and added three late points during a subdued closing quarter. St Catherine’s were full value for their victory and scored a terrific goal after 57 minutes. The excellent Aoife Hurley slalomed through the Carbery defence and found the net to complete her side’s scoring.

The winners advance to a quarter-final meeting with Seandún and encouraged by their latest display. As for Carbery, the West Cork division’s first year back at the senior grade ended in disappointment, but there is plenty more to come from a young panel that will have benefitted from their 2021 experiences.

Scorers – St Catherine’s: Aoife Hurley 1-4; Finola Neville 0-7 (4f, 2 45s); Niamh O’Regan 1-0; Chole Draper 0-1. Carbery: Kate Wall 0-5 (1f).

St Catherine’s: Yvonne O’Neill; Orna Neville, Carolyn Motherway, Anne Marie Rohan; Rachel O’Callaghan, Laura Hayes, Evelyn Ronayne; Mairead Rohan, Eimear O’Brien; Niamh O’Regan, Finola Neville (captain), Linda O’Donnell; Chloe Draper, Aoife Hurley, Ciona Dunning. Subs: Aine O’Regan for N O’Regan (45), Maura O’Regan for O Neville (45), Maeve O’Keeffe for M Rohan (50), Sara-Mai Clancy for L O’Donnell (inj, 51), Hazel Sheehan for A Rohan (56).

Carbery: Eimear White (Barryroe); Meabdh Sexton (Barryroe), Áine Crowley (Kilbrittain/Timoleague), Julie Sheehy (Kilbrittain/Timoleague); Maggie Coppinger (St Colum’s, captain), Claire Kingston (Ballinascarthy), Emily O’Donovan (Kilbree); Clara Crowley (Ballinascarthy), Libby Coppinger (St Colum’s); Kaitelyn Dineen (Kilbrittain/Timoleague), Michelle Dullea (Ballinascarthy), Kate Nolan (Clonakilty); Caoimhe Murphy (Kilbree), Kate Wall (Kilbrittain/Timoleague), Róisín Ní Bhuachalla (Barryroe). Subs: Grace Tobin (Ballinascarthy) for Á Crowley (ht, inj), Siofra Patwell (Ballinascarthy) for K Nolan (39).

Referee: Dave O’Connell (Glen Rovers).