Back To Back Munster Titles For Gailltir

Orla Murphy’s Gailltir team retained their Munster Intermediate Camogie Title at Cappamore on Saturday last as they overcame the challenge of Tipperary champions Toomevara with nine points to spare at the end of the game.

Gailltir’s win now means that they are in an All-Ireland semi final for the third time in four years which means that new Waterford Senior Manager Fergal O’Brien will have to plan without the services of the Gailltir players that he plans to have in his panel in 2020 as they prepare for that semi final, but this will mean that other players from the remaining clubs will be given their chance to shine in the opening games of the National League and possibly throughout the league should Gailltir reach an All-Ireland Final for the second year in a row.

Despite the fact that it was the North Tipperary outfit that were first to score, the ladies from the Barony were always the better of the two sides in this contest and whoever they play in the remainder of the competition will have to be a very good side if they are to get the better of them and were full value for their 2-12 to 1-2 lead at the sound of referee John Horgan’s half time whistle.

Right throughout their side there is class to be found in this Gailltir side and in this game they had some brilliant performances from the likes of Kate Lynch, Trish Jackman, Áine Lyng, Anne Corcoran, Aoife Fitzgerald and of course Player of the Match Annie Fitzgerald who finished this game with eight points behind her name on the score sheet, five of which were from open play.

As pointed out it was the North Tipperary side that opened the scoring in this game when Aoife Ryan scrambled a goal past Ciara Jackman in the Gailltir goal, but this would be as good as it got for the Tipperary side who failed to score in the next 22 minutes in which time Gailltir would hit 1-8.

Gailltir hit back with the next five scores from their ‘A Team’ as Aoife Fitzgerald hit a brace of points while Áine Lyng who had made this game despite fears she might miss out having come off early in the win over Newcestown in the semi final after she carried an injury into that game, Annie Fitzgerald and Anne Corcoran all had white flags raised before Kate Lynch set up Emer Walsh for Gailltir’s first goal of the game on 12 minutes and when Annie Fitzgerald and Trish Jackman followed up with points from placed balls after which Annie Fitzgerald knocked one over from play to send Gailltir into a 1-8 to 1-0 lead.

Elaine Young broke Gailltir’s flow of successive scores on 23 minutes when she pointed and when Gailltir went up field and attacked the Toomevara goal, the Greyhounds needed Paula Ryan to be at her very best to deflect a pile driver from Annie Fitzgerald over her crossbar when it looked like a goal was on the cards six minutes from the break. Earlier the Toomevara number one had made another brilliant save from Annie Fitzgerald and her cousin Aoife also had a goal scoring opportunity even earlier still but she saw her effort hit the side netting.

Annie Fitzgerald and Trish Jackman from a free extended Gailltir’s lead and while Aoife Ryan would pull a point back for the North Tipperary outfit, Gailltir would finish the first half in a very good position going into the second half as they landed points from Annie Fitzgerald before Aoife Fitzgerald netted a second goal for the Sky Blues in stoppage time to give her side a 2-12 to 1-2 lead at the change of ends.

Toomevara did much better in the second half outscoring Gailltir nine points to five but Gailltir will not over worry about this now as they had done much of the work needed to secure the win in the opening half.

Gemma McCarthy pointed from a free for the Greyhounds but Gailltir would follow up with efforts from Emer Walsh and a brace from Annie Fitzgerald both from place balls before the North Tipperary outfit enjoyed their best period when it came to scoring hitting five points in a ten minute spell, Gemma McCarthy putting over three points all from frees while Shauna Quirke and Mary Flaherty hit one each to draw closer to Gailltir.

Anne Corcoran and Emer Walsh landed points for Gailltir their last of the game, but at the other end the Gailltir defence was put under pressure as the North Tipperary outfit tried to close in on the target that Gailltir were setting.

Ciara Jackman is one of the top goalkeepers in the country and she this with four minutes of the hour remaining she made a terrific save from Aoife Ryan deflecting the shot out for a ’45 from which Gemma McCarthy split the posts. And the Gailltir player showed her class again when she did brilliant once more to save from Elaine Young, and when Jill Anne Quirke was fouled for a very late penalty Gemma McCarthy obviously feeling that there was going to be no way past a goalkeeper on top of her game took the easier option and lifted it over the Gailltir crossbar.

The win for Gailltir now sets up a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland Final as Gailltir take on Clonduff of Down in the All-Ireland Semi Finals. When the sides last bet the County Down side won the game by one point.

Gailltír: Ciara Jackman, Áine O’Keeffe, Margo Heffernan, Claire Dunne, Clodagh Carroll, Emma Roche, Trish Jackman, Áine Lyng, Shauna Fitzgerald, Anne Corcoran, Ciara O’Sullivan, Annie Fitzgerald, Kate Lynch, Aoife Fitzgerald, Emer Walsh.

Subs: Leah Sheridan for Margo Heffernan (49), Emily Mahony for Áine O’Keeffe (50), Róisín Flood for Anne Corcoran (57), Hannah Flynn for Trish Jackman (63), Sorcha Cantwell for Clodagh Carroll (64).

Scorers: Annie Fitzgerald 0-8 (3f), Aoife Fitzgerald, Emer Walsh 1-2 each, Trish Jackman (2f), Anne Corcoran 0-2 each, Áine Lyng 0-1

Toomevara: Paula Ryan, Marie McCarthy, Trish Cleere, Emma Louise Coffey, Sheila Ryan, Margaret Quigley, Moira Ryan, Mary Grace, Laura Young, Mary Flaherty, Elaine Young, Shauna Quirke, Aoife Ryan, Gemma McCarthy, Jill Anne Quirke.

Subs: Eileen Gleeson for Emma Louise Coffey (HT), Marguerite Young for Laura Young (41), Áine Shanahan for Mary Grace (52), Mary O’Brien for Shauna Quirke (63).

Scorers: Gemma McCarthy 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65, 0-1 pen), Aoife Ryan 1-1, Mary Flaherty, Elaine Young, Shauna Quirke 0-1 each.

Referee: John Horgan (Cork).