Deise Ladies Push Champions All the Way

The gap between Waterford and the stronger Inter County Camogie sides is steadily closing and we saw this once more on Sunday evening when Donal O’Rourke’s side took on All-Ireland Champions Cork in Walsh Park.

While nine points separated the sides at the end of the hour in a game played out in wind and rain, in truth it was only in the final quarter of this game that the reigning champions were able to pull away from the home side.

For 45 minutes the sides were very evenly matched and in this time the sides were level on six occasions.

Waterford had turned around with a two point 0-6 to 0-4 advantage showing on the score board and in truth the home side were full value for this lead.

Waterford started this game without Trish Jackman. The Gailltir club player returned to the fold this year after studying in the UK for a number of years where she now lives and works. Her absence from this game is well documented and one where Camogie chiefs in Croke Park will have to ask serious questions of themselves.

Originally this game was to be played on Saturday afternoon but it was put back 24 hours so that Cork could accommodate two players who were part of the Cork Senior Ladies Football Panel that were also down to play Cavan on Saturday afternoon, a game that Cork were always going to win whether they had the two players Hannah Looney and Libby Coppinger in the team or not.

While it is important to note that no blame should be put on the players for the putting back of this game for up to 24 hours, there has to be some level of consistency when it comes to fixtures as Waterford’s Caoimhe McGrath had to choose what game she wanted to play only a week earlier when the Ladies Footballers were down to play Dublin and the Camogie team had a must win game against Clare at Walsh Park.

It should also be remembered that only a few years back Waterford had three duel Ladies Football and Camogie Players and Shona Curran, Grainne Kenneally and Fiona Morrissey lined out for both sides on the one day in Dublin.

Waterford were also without Annie Fitzgerald for this game as the Gailltir was nursing an injury and hopefully she will be back in contention for a place from the start when Waterford play Galway in the All-Ireland Quarter Finals in Thurles on August 3, a game that the Camogie Association have announced will have a 7-15pm start and will be the main game on the evening’s programme with Tipperary and Limerick playing before the Waterford game in the first quarter final with that game having a 5-30 throw in.

Waterford took the lead in this game when Beth Carton put over a third minute free only for Orla Cotter to cancel it out at the other end with a similar effort. The De La Salle player edged Waterford back in front again on five minutes when she again split the posts from another Waterford free but six minutes later at the other end of the field Orla Cotter levelled matters for the second time.

Cork took the lead for the first time when Orla Cronin split the posts but on the quarter of an hour mark the sides were level for the third time when Áine Lyng found the range with Waterford’s first score from play.

Libby Coppinger wasted no time in restoring a lead for Cork, but Waterford would finish the half the stronger of the two sides in front of goal as Beth Carton landed the last three scores of the half, all from placed balls to give Waterford a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the break.

Cork started the second half lively and they knocked over the opening two scores from Orla Cronin to level matters in this game for the fifth time. Waterford however would all behind when Hannah Looney gave her side the lead with a score 45 metres from goal, but the sides were levelled up for the sixth time on 39 minutes when Áine Lyng got her second score from game.

Beth Carton in the driving rain was unlucky to have lost her footing as she took a ’45 which would give Waterford the lead but soon afterwards Cork took the lead once more and never relinquished it after that.

Cork’s first goal came on 44 minutes when Hannah Looney found Orla Cronin who tore down the middle and sent a rasping shot past Brianna O’Regan.

Libby Coppinger and Orla Cotter followed up with points for Cork, but Waterford refused to give up this game without a fight and it took a terrific save from Laura Hayes to deny Waterford substitute Clara Griffin what would have been a richly deserved goal.

But Waterford were to be dealt a killer blow of any chance of getting something from this game Niamh McCarthy crashed home a second goal for the Rebellettes in the first minute of added time.

Next up for Waterford is an All-Ireland quarter final against what will be a fancied Galway side in two weeks time in Thurles, but the performance in this game and throughout the campaign will give this Waterford panel plenty of confidence going into that game and who knows, it might be against the Tribe’s women that Waterford will pull off that big stand up and take notice win and set up an All-Ireland semi final appearance in the middle of August, a stage of the competition that both Cork and Kilkenny as group winners have already qualified for.

Waterford: Brianna O'Regan; Kate Lynch, Iona Heffernan, Sibeal Harney; Caoimhe McGrath, Shona Curran, Lorraine Bray; Emma Hannon, Orla Hickey; Aine Lyng, Fiona Morrissey, Niamh Rockett; Aisling Power, Beth Carton, Sarah Lacey.

Subs: Clara Griffin for Emma Hannon (HT), Mairead Power for Sibeal Harney (47), Aoife Landers for Aisling Power (49), Claire Whyte for Caoimhe McGrath (55), Aine Power for Sarah Lacey (57).

Scorers: Beth Carton 0-5 (5fs), Aine Lyng 0-2.

Cork: Aoife Murray; Laura Hayes, Pamela Mackey, Laura Treacy; Hannah Looney, Gemma O'Connor, Chloe Sigerson; Libby Coppinger, Briege Corkery; Amy O'Connor, Orla Cronin, Orla Cotter; Linda Collins, Julia White, Lauren Homan.

Subs: Niamh McCarthy for Julia White (HT), Ciara McCarthy for Orla Cronin (49), Katelyn Hickey for Libby Coppinger (53), Cliona Healy for Linda Collins (56), Leanne O'Sullivan for Hannah Looney (60).

Scorers: Orla Cronin 1-3, Niamh McCarthy 1-0, Orla Cotter 0-3 (3fs), Libby Coppinger 0-2, Amy O'Connor, Hannah Looney 0-1 each.

Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare)