Difficult Wind Helps Deny Waterford Something Against Dublin

Waterford’s Minor Camogie Team suffered heartbreak in their opening game in this year’s All-Ireland Championship when they went under to Dublin at a windswept WIT Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The outcome of this game was in doubt right to the end, and Waterford could well argue that they were somewhat unlucky not to have got something from this game.

Waterford had a number of chances to get a favourable result from this game, but the difficult cross field wind made it somewhat difficult for Chris Dempsey and Sean Fleming’s side to get something from the game.

Dublin did much of the spade work to secure a narrow victory in this game very early in the game, as their first two scores of the game resulted in them hitting 1-1.

Ciara Holland opened the scoring in the first minute of the game with a point and six minutes later Eimear O’Leary finished to Ciara Jackman’s net following a goal mouth scramble.

Waterford took time to settle after this, hitting their first score on sixteen minutes when Keeley Corbett-Barry split the Dublin uprights following some good work by Margaret Ann Boylan and Abbie Dunphy.

This score gave Waterford confidence and they were to hit the next two scores, the first coming from Kaiesha Tobin and then Abbie Dunphy to leave just one between the sides.

Kerri Finnegan steadied the ship somewhat for Dublin as she put over a point from play, but it was followed up with a Waterford point from the stick of Kaiesha Tobin from a ’45.

Waterford however will count themselves somewhat unlucky not to have gone in at the break in front as just before Kaiesha Tobin’s second score of the game, she was unlucky not to have rattled the Dublin net as she got a touch on a Shauna Fitzgerald effort which was deflected over the end line by the visiting sides defence.

Leading 1-2 to 0-4 at the break, the visiting side began the second half as they did the first putting over the first score of the half from Aoibhe Dillon.

However points from Kaiesha Tobin and Abbie Dunphy by the thirty fifth minute had the sides all square.

While no score would be registered by either side in the next sixteen minutes, Waterford tried very hard.

Kaeisha Tobin hit the side netting of the Dublin goal. Abbie Dunphy was proving to be a danger to the Dublin defence and they were forced to foul her and from the resulting free Kaiesha Tobin saw her effort caught by the win and veer just wide.

With nine minutes remaining Waterford scored again, Annie Fitzgerald caused problems in the Dublin half of the field and they were forced to foul her and from the resulting free the Dungarvan Club player made no mistake in levelling matters for the second time in the game.

With two minutes remaining Waterford were dealt a blow when Aoife Whelan was fouled and from the resulting free Eimear O’Leary made no mistake in edging the visiting side back in front.

Waterford continued to fight hard and it looked good for Waterford when Kate Lynch who helped Gailltir reach the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Semi Final recently won a free for her side but Kaeisha Tobin saw her effort go to the right of the uprights. And from the restart Waterford looked to have one last chance of getting a share of the spoils as Shauna Fitzgerald won the puck out but as she shot at the Dublin posts she saw her effort foiled by the Dublin defence.  

Waterford: Ciara Jackman (Gailltir); Sinead Cunningham (Gailltir), Collette Hogan (De La Salle), Clodagh Curran (Dungarvan); Niamh Murphy (De La Salle), Sadie Mai Rowe (Butlerstown), Mary Kate Curran (Modeligo); Clara Griffin (Tramore), Kate Lynch (Gailltir); Keeley Corbett Barry (Clonea/Saint Molleran’s), Shauna Fitzgerald (Gailltir), Caoimhe Drohan (De La Salle); Kaiesha Tobin (Dungarvan), Margaret Ann Boylan (Portlaw), Abbie Dunphy (Tramore). Subs: Annie Fitzgerald (Gailltir) for Caoimhe Drohan, Aisling Baumann (Dungarvan) for Abbie Dunphy.

Scorers: Kaiesha Tobin 0-4 (3fs, 1 45’), Abbie Dunphy 0-2, Keeley Corbett Barry 0-1.

Dublin: Megan Thomas (Erin’s Isle); Sarah Meagher (Ballinteer/Saint John’s), Niamh Gleeson (Niamh Gleeson), Emma O’Byrne (Good Council); Orla Gray (Na Fianna), Rachel Brennan (Saint Peregrines), Niamh Rock (Na Fianna); Evelyn Twomey (Saint Vincent’s), Chloe Mullen (Faughs Celtic); Eimear O’Leary (Ballyboden Saint Enda’s), Kerri Finnegan (Faughs Celtic), Aisling Andrews (Castleknock); Ciara Holland (Naomh Mearnog), Aoibhe Dillon (Naomh Mearnog), Aoife McKearney (Lucan Sarsfields). Subs: Karla Whelan (Castleknock) for Aisling Andrews, Aoife Whelan (Castleknock) for Aoife McKearney, Amy Burke (Ballinteer Saint John’s) for Evelyn Twomey.

Scorers: Eimear O’Leary 1-1 (1f), Aoibhe Dillon 0-2, Kerri Finnegan, Ciara Holland 0-1 each.

Referee: Michael Sheehan (Cork)