Niamh Murphy Hits Eight Points as Waterford Advance to Munster Semi Final

Waterford’s Junior Camogie team are through to a Munster Semi Final against what will be a strong Kerry side after they came out on top with one point to spare in today’s quarter final clash with Clare at Fr. McNamara Park in Ennis.

Waterford manager Kevin Barry assisted by Thomas O’Brien, John Fitzgerald, Michael Power and Mary O’Loughlin on the sideline fielded a team which comprised of some of the counties brightest underage players in the last few years as well as some member of Donal O’Rourke’s senior panel as well as some other experienced players thrown in looked very solid throughout and at the break it looked as if their charges were going to record a big win as they turned around with a five point lead showing on the scoreboard with senior panel member Niamh Murphy accounting for six points of Waterford’s 1-7 to 1-2 lead at the interval.

Right now Camogie in the county thanks to some great work put in by a group of dedicated enthusiast in recent years is very strong and it has to be recorded that it is a fantastic achievement for a county with one of the smallest amount of clubs to pick from to be able to field two adult inter county panels once more this year.

One club that had grown stronger and stronger in recent years is De La Salle and it was one of the city side’s rising starts that finished as top scorer with Niamh Murphy finishing with eight points behind her name on the score sheet.

It was she that opened the scoring in the first minute splitting the posts from a placed ball, but it was cancelled out just three minutes later with an effort from Louise Browne.

Niamh Murphy edged Waterford back in front with another point, again from a placed ball but it was a short lived lead as the home side netted the game’s first goal on seven minutes as top scorer Regan Conway finished past Megan Foran to give her side a 1-1 to 0-2 lead.

Niamh Murphy and Aleisha Malone swapped scores before Shauna Fitzgerald another rising star of the game and Niamh Murphy pointed to level matters with five minutes of the first half showing on the clock.

The impressive Niamh Murphy followed up with a brace of scores to give Waterford a 0-7 to 1-2 lead heading closer to the half time whistle, but Kevin Barry’s side would turn around in an even better position as Saint Anne’s Bronwyn Grace finished to the net for a late goal which gave her side a five point advantage at the break.

Clare were out of the traps first in the second half and cut Waterford’s lead with a point from Kate O’Gorman but when the ball went back up the other end Waterford won a penalty which Aoife Fitzgerald saw saved on the Clare line and deflected out for a ’45 from which Niamh Murphy made no mistake in splitting the Clare uprights, restoring Waterford’s five point half time advantage.

The home side after this came more and more into the game. Regan Conway put over a brace of frees to leave three between the sides and when Kate O’Gorman and Regan Conway followed up there was just the minimum between the sides with time ticking down.

Aoife Fitzgerald and Regan Conway swapped scores to keep just one between the sides in Waterford’s favour with eight minutes of the hour to play and five minutes later Regan Conway once more split to most to tie the scoring.

It is in situations like this that you find out how good a side is. After Clare hit six of the last seven score’s they were getting on top but it was Waterford who showed the greater hunger and with just two minutes to go Niamh Murphy made herself the heroine of the day as it was she who hit the winner, her eight score of the afternoon to secure her side’s passage into the Munster Semi Final against Kerry in the coming weeks.

Waterford: Megan Foran; Izabella Markiewiz, Áine Crotty, Sheena McGuckian; Leah Sheridan, Saoirse Bonnar, Hannah Flynn; Shauna Fitzgerald, Sadie Mai Rowe; Johanna Houlihan, Niamh Murphy, Niamh Ahearne; Saoirse O’Brien, Becky Kavanagh, Bronwyn Grace.

Subs: Aoife Fitzgerald for Saoirse O’Brien, Sally Kelly for Bronwyn Grace.

Scorers: Niamh Murphy 0-08 (0-05f, 0-01 ’45), Bronwyn Grace 1-0, Shauna Fitzgerald, Aoife Fitzgerald 0-01 each.

Clare: Edel McNamara; Orlaith Cotter, Rebecca Cahill, Jane Fitzgerald; Niamh Mulqueen, Kiah Mellett, Kate Dillon; Sinead Power, Ciara Halpin; Louise Browne, Regan Conway, Aleisha Malone; Niamh O’Gorman, Kate O’Gorman, Corina McMahon.

Subs: Sinead O’Keeffe for Kiah Mellett, Rebecca Crowe for Rebecca Cahill, Louise McDonnell for Kate Dillon, Anna Lee March for Aleisha Malone, Aisling Cahill for Kate O’Gorman.

Scorers: Regan Conway 1-5 (0-04f), Kate O’Gorman 0-2, Louise Browne, Aleisha Malone 0-01 each.

Referee: TP Sullivan (Tipperary)