Barryroe take on Kilmaley in provincial decider this Saturday

A MUNSTER final is on the horizon for Barryroe after their Mai O’Connell Munster Junior B Camogie Championship semi-final win (2-9 to 2-8) over Moyle Rovers in Fethard Town Park last Sunday.

The Carbery club will play Clare side Kilmaley in the final this Saturday (1.30pm) in Cappamore, Limerick.

Barryroe’s journey so far has seen them overcome Millstreet, Kinsale, Nemo Rangers and Kilworth before beating West Cork rivals Kilbree in the county final (3-8 to 0-9). Limerick’s Newcastle West were next to fall to the Barryroe machine as they entered the provincial series, before their win away in Tipp last weekend.

In the semi-final, Barryroe started well, with Cliona Harte getting the opening score after two minutes. Moyle Rovers replied strongly and struck for a goal in the 11th minute, but Barryroe kept the scoreboard moving with points from Roisín Ní Bhuachalla and Grace Tobin.

Barryroe went in at the break a point ahead, 0-7 to 1-3, but were against a strong wind in the second half.

Emma Deasy scored two goals in the semi-final.

However, the West Cork club made an excellent start to the second half. Ní Bhuachalla opened the scoring, and soon after Emma Deasy found the net. Deasy struck for her second goal in the 40th minute to give Barryroe a 2-8 to 1-4 lead.

‘I’m always saying that a goal in camogie is a big score, especially if there is a strong wind there,’ Barryroe manager Tom Farrell told The Southern Star.

‘It puts the other team under pressure to get one themselves – that’s if you take your chances. What we say about Emma in training is she gets a goal a game. She’s the vice-captain and a leader. She’s outstanding.’

With ten minutes to go, the gap had narrowed to 2-9 to 2-6, and by the 58th minute only a point separated the teams. Barryroe were forced to defend strongly in the closing stages, but they held firm to secure a well-earned victory. It was a committed team performance and Barryroe deserved their win.

We’re after 90 sessions and 20 matches. They are after putting in a huge effort since last December

Farrell’s backroom team includes James Moloney, Donal Ó Bhuachalla, Noel Walsh, Síle Burns and Clive Cahalane.

‘A lot of people would be saying it was bonus territory, but we try not to look at it that way. Anyone that comes out of Cork really has a chance in camogie. We had the right attitude since winning the county. We wanted to focus on this,’ Farrell explained.

‘We were only a point up with a strong wind and I knew we had to start the second half strong. We did by getting 1-2 without reply. That put us six points up, but they dominated the second half after that. For 15 minutes, they really had us pinned back.’

To achieve what they have without a key player was always going to be a tough task. Barryroe are without inter-county minor Maria O’Donovan, who injured her ACL, ruling her out for 12 months.

‘Maria is a big loss – she scored around 1-5 or 1-6 a game for us. She is really strong, a Munster rugby player. It was an awful year for her, but she’s a tough girl and has a great attitude,’ Farrell said.

‘Our next training after that, I told the team that we had to put our shoulder to the wheel. We had to spread the scores amongst all the forwards and, to be fair, every one of them stood up. Any one of the six forwards can score, which is good,’ the Barryroe boss added.

The support for the team doesn’t go unnoticed either. To make the trip outside the county bounds last Sunday is a commitment, especially considering their U21 men’s side (Ibane Gaels) were in a county final on the same day.

‘We still had double the Moyle Rovers crowd,’ Farrell noted.

‘They stayed back to congratulate us coming off the field. Johnny O’Regan is 84, I think, and he travelled up there. That fan-base goes down to three or four year olds. I was delighted with the support we had. All year it’s been fantastic and the girls deserve it. We’re after 90 sessions and 20 matches. They are after putting in a huge effort since last December.’

All roads now lead to Cappamore, which will be a big day out for the club.

‘We’re looking forward to it. We’re in good shape. We’ll go out with the same attitude we had last Sunday,’ Farrell said.

Barryroe: Meabhdh Sexton; Sarah Harrington, Kate Whelton, Lucy Kirby; Sarah Harte, Jill McCarthy, Eimear Whelton; Aideen O’Riordan, Grace Tobin (0-1); Cliona Harte (0-1), Hannah Whelton, Roisin McCarthy; Roisin Ní Bhuachalla (0-7), Emma Deasy (2-0), Ellen O’Riordan.

Subs used: Aoibhinn McKeogh for S Harrington; Aisling Coakley for H Whelton; Sarah Harrington for A O’Riordan; Shona Fleming for E Deasy; Meabh O’Sullivan for R Ní Bhuachalla; Hannah Whelton for R McCarthy.

Subs unused: Caoimhe Ní Bhuachalla, Maria O’Donovan, Sinead Walsh, Chloe Collins, Seodhna Walsh, Nicole Sweetnam, Louise Coleman, Katie McCarthy, Sinead O’Callaghan, Ciara Collins, Marie Fenton.