Munster Title Number Five For Lismore

A great year for the Lismore Camogie Club came to a close earlier this afternoon when the Club won the Munster Intermediate Club Championship beating Cork intermediate Champions Newcestown at Mahon, adding the title to the County Senior League (Denny Buckley Cup) and the County Senior Championship that they have already won this year.

Lismore appearing in their sixth Munster Final at this level went into the game as the favourites, and although five points separated the sides at the end of the sixty plus minutes played of this game, they will be the first to admit that they were pushed all the way to the final whistle by a Newcestown side that had a nice blend of youth and experience.

Lismore wing back Marie Russell was presented with the Player of the Match award after the game, but she was not the only player to shine as there were also performances of note from Tanya Morrissey, Shona Curran, Sharon Williams, Caithriona McGlone and Aoife Hannon on the day.

This was a keenly contested contest throughout with Lismore worthy winners at the end of the game, but on another day they know things could have been much different as the Cork side were guilty of some poor striking of placed balls over the course of the game, while goalkeeper Tanya Morrissey made some good saves and Shona Curran who captained the side to All-Ireland glory in the 2013-14 season, brought the sliotar out of defence late on in the game when the Cork side were trying with all their might to get something from the game.

Aoife Hannon opened the scoring in this game with a free on four minutes and a minute later Caithriona McGlone doubled the Cathedral Towns lead on the score board.

But Lismore’s lead was a short lived one as the side on the borders of West Cork came roaring back with points from Meabh O’Donovan and Colleen Twomey from a free on six and eight minutes and they took the lead a minute later when Therese McCarthy put the sliotar over the reach of Tanya Morrissey.

Lismore however would be the dominant team for the remainder of the opening half and hit back with a hat trick of points all from frees off the hurley of Aoife Hannon between the 10 and 18 minutes.

Collette Desmond tried her luck for the games opening goal on 20 minutes but she saw her effort tipped round the post by Tanya Morrissey for a ’45 and from the placed ball Coleen Twomey shot wide. The same player shot for goal two minutes later but she could not get past the Lismore net minder who again put the sliotar out for another 45 and this time Coleen Twomey shot wide once more.

Caithriona McGlone edged Lismore further in front on 26 minutes with a point from play and two minutes later, the same player who is always a player to come up with the crucial scores on the big day got inside the Newcestown defence when Grainne Kenneally played in an inch perfect pass and when in such situations there was only one thing on her mind and she made no mistake putting the sliotar past teenager Orla Dinneen in Newcestown goal.

The Cork side would hit the last score of the half, a point from Colleen Twomey just before the break, which left her side trailing 1-6 to 0-4 at the interval.

Newcestown in the second half put a lot of pressure on the Lismore defence. Very early in the half Suzanne Deasy dropped a long range free in around the Lismore goal but the Lismore defence were able to deal with it comfortably and bring the ball out of defence.

Shona Curran extended her sides lead with a point on 33 minutes. Two minutes later Colleen Twomey put a 45 wide, but made up for it 3 minutes later when she put over a free. On 40 minutes she again struck another free but was again off target.

Aoife Hannon edged Lismore further in front on 41 minutes with another free, her fifth of the game before Collette Desmond now on free taking duty put over her first placed ball at the end of the third quarter.

With 9 minutes to go Aoife Hannon again split the Newcestown posts, but it was followed by a period of continued Newcestown pressure,

Ciara O’Sullivan pointed with six minutes to go and three minutes later Collette Desmond again found the range with a placed ball.

Suzanne Deasy had an effort on the hour mark taken off the line by Shona Curran and a minute later the same Newcestown player shot wide from a placed ball.

Three minutes into stoppage time Aoife Hannon ensured that victory would be Lismore’s when she pointed from a free and while the Tipperary official found further time to add on, try as they might Newcestown were unable to breach the Lismore defence and even with the last play of the afternoon they were unable to get past Tanya Morrissey who made an excellent save.

Lismore: Tanya Morrissey; Sarah Coughlan, Shauna Prendergast, Ellen Curran; Aoife Houlihan, Shauna Kiernan, Marie Russell; Shona Curran, Sharon Williams; Ruth Geoghegan, Grainne Kenneally, Nicola Morrissey; Johanna Houlihan, Caitriona McGlone, Aoife Hannon. Sub: Emma Power for Johanna Houlihan (54).

Scorers: Aoife Hannon 0-7 (7f), Caithriona McGlone 1-2, Shona Curran 0-1.

Newcestown: Orla Dinneen; Mary McSweeney, Rose Desmond, Aisling O’Donovan; Maeve Lynch, Suzanne Deasy, Alison Crowley; Zerica Griffen, Evelyn Crowley; Maria Kenneally, Therese McCarthy, Meabh O’Donovan; Ciara O’Sullivan, Colleen Twomey, Collette Desmond. Subs: Amy Murray for Maria Kenneally (HT), Hilda O’Mahony for Therese McCarthy (51), Keelin Barrett for Alison Crowley (56), Emma Murray for Colleen Twomey (65).

Scorers: Colleen Twomey 0-3 (2F), Collette Desmond 0-2 (1F), Meabh O’Donovan, Therese McCarthy, Ciara O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Referee: T.P O’Sullivan (Tipperary)