Barrs bridge 18-year gap with second half surge to win Cork camogie final
BATTLING BARRS: Aisling Shannon, St Finbarr's breaking between Sarsfields' Lucy Allen and Orlaith Mullins during the SE Systems Cork Senior Camogie Championship final at Castle Road, Cork. Pic: Dan Linehan
St Finbarr’s bridged an 18-year gap with a deserved seven-point victory over holders Sarsfields in the SE Systems Cork senior camogie championship final at Castle Road on Sunday.
Ahead by a single point following a fiercely competitive opening half and having played with the strong wind 0-9 to 0-8, they fought extremely hard in the second half and after Orlaith Cahalane’s 52nd minute goal. which she had to fight hard for, they assumed full control.
The Barrs full-forward, although tightly marked by Niamh O’Callaghan, emerged chief-scorer with 1-4, but you’d have to say this was a top-level Blues performance with some superb scores from Sorcha McCartan as well.
A huge amount of credit also goes to St Finbarr’s defensive display where Aoife O’Neill and Méabh Cahalane in particular stood out.
A memorable day too for legend Gemma O’Connor, who was introduced midway through the second half. Lynda O’Connell and Gemma collected their second county medal.
Sarsfields were appearing in their third consecutive senior final and seeking title number four, but they can have no complaints. Goalkeeper Molly Lynch kept them in the game, but scoring just one point in the fourth quarter was never going to be enough.
Inaccurate shooting could have been costly at the start for the Brian O’Sullivan’s side, while McCartan also had an eighth minute penalty saved by Lynch.
Spurred on, Sars took over and went into a 0-6 to 0-3 lead against the wind, Lucy Allen, Kate Fennessy and the Mullins sisters Orlaith and Clare on target.
But the Barrs enjoyed a hugely productive spell in the final 10 minutes of the half, McCartan, Hannah O’Leary, Kate Wall, Niamh Olden and Orlaith Cahalane edged them a point ahead as the teams went to the dressing-room.
And when they returned they got through an amount of work with McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane and Keeva McCarthy pushing the lead to two, 0-13 to 0-11 at the end of the third quarter.
Their good form continued and once Orlaith Cahalane had that golden touch, the Barrs could sense victory.
There was only going to be one winner with further scores from Keeva McCarthy, Sorcha McCartan and Ella Wiggington Barrett.
: O Cahalane (1-4, 0-2 frees), S McCartan (0-5, 0-1 free), K McCarthy (0-3), H O’Leary, N Olden, K Wall and E Wiggington Barrett (0-1 each).
K Fennessy (0-7, 0-5 frees), A Fitzgerald (0-2), L Allen, O Mullins and C Mullins (0-1 each).
: C Hurley; S Punch (Capt), A Egan, A O’Neill; A Shannon, M Cahalane, C Golden; E Olden, H O’Leary; N Olden, K Wall, E Wiggington Barrett; S McCartan, O Cahalane, K McCarthy.
G O’Connor for E Olden (45).
M Lynch; T Elliott, M Mullins, N O’Callaghan; O McAllen, l Kelly (Capt), L Dunlea; A Fitzgerald, C Lynch; L Allen, O Mullins, E
Twomey; C Mullins, H Herlihy, K Fennessy.
M McCarthy for C Lynch (half-time), C O’Donovan for M Mullins (45), E Woods for K Fennessy, A Mullins for M McCarthy (both 59).
John Horgan (Gleann na Laoi).
