Can Butlerstown's year get better?

Regular readers of this blog will know that I said recently, that Butlerstown Camogie Club were having a good year.

The club from the outskirts of Waterford City have this year won the Intermediate League and Championship and have also won the none county player league.

This weekend the side coached by Padraig Daniels move their year up another gear when they take on Croagh-Kilfinny from Limerick in the first round of the Munster Junior Club Championship at Butlerstown on Saturday at 2-30pm. (Please note the latest start time for the game).

The Limerick side have had an impressive run in the Intermediate Championship in Limerick, receiving a walkover from Clanmurice in the opening round of games.

In the semi finals they proved too strong for Murroe Boher in the County Semi final, winning on a 2-11 to 0-4 score line and in the county final against Ballybrown things were much closer, Murroe Boher winning this one on a 2-8 to 2-5 score line.

Butlerstown enter this game on the back of a good win (3-9 to 1-7) over Cappoquin in the County Final recently.

On that day Kate-Marie Hearne proved to be the winners top marks lady finishing the game with 2-7 of her sides tally.

Despite Cappoquin making the early running, once Rosemary Power and Kate-Marie Hearne hit points to level matters, Butlerstown soon got into a rhythm and once they did there was no turning back.

A goal before the break from Kate-Marie Hearne gave the eventual winners a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at the turn around.

In the second half, Kate-Marie Hearne continued to prove her class hitting off scores at every opportunity.

However, they could not pull away sufficiently from Cappoquin who had Jenny McCarthy in top form and Lauren McGregor hitting a goal, they were still in with a shout.

However, once the Corner-Stone ladies lost Roisin Cahillane, the game began to turn in Butlerstown favour.

At the time of Roisin Cahillane leaving the field for Cappoquin, Butlerstown were behind, but a Kate-Marie Hearne converted forty-five levelled matters.

The same player struck for her second goal of the game soon afterwards which gave the eventual winners a three point advantage one that was extended soon afterwards when the same player put over her six point of the game.

Nicola Fitzgerald added a third goal for Butlerstown late in the game which was followed with another Kate-Marie Hearne score.

Win, loose or draw, for Butlerstown it has been an outstanding year up to now. No doubt they will be confident that they can advance to the next stage of the competition.

Kate-Marie Hearne will once again prove to be vital to their hopes and if she shows the same form in front of goal as she did against Cappoquin, then the Limerick sides defence could be in for a busy hours work.

However, Butlerstown will not be over relying on Kate-Marie Hearne too much. They have some other quality players.

Deirdre Brennan shared goalkeeping duties on the inter county scene this past year with Aisling O’Brien. Vikki Falconer, Martina Cashin and Elizabeth McGrath have all played for the county in recent years as well at different levels, while the Nicola Fitzgerald and Rosemary Power could well prove crucial.

Butlerstown have shown themselves to be a good team all year, and no doubt the players will be looking for a big support on home soil on the day, especially from the people from the area around Butlerstown and from the wider Camogie Community.