Senior Hurling Championship down to the last four

The County Board are set for their biggest day of the year so far and will be expecting a bumper crowd to descent on Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon for the semi-finals of this year’s County Senior Hurling Championship.

Back in May this competition began with twelve teams vying to win the Waterford News and Star Cup and now in mid-October we have four teams left which should be down to two by 5pm tomorrow evening should of course there be no need for any replay.

According to those in the know, the smart money would be on a repeat of the 2013 County Final with both Ballygunner and Passage going into the game as favourites, but have no doubts about it, both Dungarvan and Mount Sion will have something to say about this.

Dungarvan and Passage clash in the opening game at the Keane’s Road venue, the game having a 1-15pm throw in.

The sides have already met twice this year and its one win a piece, but the outcome of the previous two games will have no bearing on this game, and it is the result of this game that both will be judged on over the course of the year.

When the sides clashed in the group stages of this year’s championship at Fraher Field back on the 10 of June, the Old Boro club ran out 1-16 to 2-8 winners.

The two clashed in the final of this year’s Sargent Cup and County Senior Hurling League on the eve of Waterford’s Under 21 All-Ireland win and this time the roles were reversed as Passage ran out 2-14 to 0-16 winners after a late surge to take the laurels again at Fraher Field.

There can be no disputing that these two sides are at this stage of the competition on merit and whichever one of them come’s outs on top they will go into the county final in a confident mood.

Of the two, Passage seems to be going into this weekend’s encounter on the back of the better run of results.

The Old Boro were going well in the competition winning their first three games of the competition, but then lost two in a row against Ballygunner and De La Salle and before this they lost to this Sunday’s opponents in the League/Sargent Cup Final. With many of their senior panel involved they also lost the Under 21 county final in last years delayed Under 21 County Final, a game that many that say it was without doubt the best game of the year so far to be played.

But since then they have got back to winning way’s recording an extra time 3-23 to 1-16 win over a difficult to beat Roanmore side in the quarter finals.

Passage to qualified for the knockout stages of the competition winning three of their five games played, losing to Dungarvan and Ballygunner but they bounced back from the latter defeat last time out with a 0-17 to 1-12 win over Fourmilewater in the quarter finals.

Dungarvan are without Kevin Daly all year due to injury and are without Gavin Crotty for this game following his sending off in the win over Roanmore.

Dungarvan know that if they are to win here, they will have to be solid at the back, something that they have not being in recent games. However if the likes of Darren Duggan, Darragh Lyons, Kieran Power, Michael Kiely, Aaron Donnelly, Conor Sheridan and Kenny Moore are at their best, then they know they stand an excellent chance of advancing.

Jamie Nagle might be moved from attack to the middle of the field for this game while up front the Old Boro will be looking to the Curran brothers and Ryan Donnelly for many of their scores.

Passage are a side that are hard to beat. Eddie Lynch will be between the posts, while Noel Connors will be at centre back. Eoin Kelly will be on the edge of the Dungarvan square, Pa Walsh will be in the middle of the field and is impressing a lot this year and Killian Fitzgerald, Thomas and Eoin Connors as well as Sean Hogan are going to be vital in attack.

Passage will be favourites to advance from this game in the eyes of many, and it’s hard to go against people that make such claims.

But having seen Dungarvan a lot in recent years, I feel their day is coming, and I don’t think it’s not too far in the future that the Waterford News and Star Cup will find a home in the Western side of the county divide for a rear twelve months stint.

The big game for most is the clash of the city giants Ballygunner and Mount Sion who meet in the second semi-final with the game having a 3-15pm start.

Ballygunner even with depleted sides at times have impressed those that have seen them at times and many are making them favourites, not just to win this year’s county final but also Munster Final and maybe go on to become the first Waterford side to win at Croke Park on Saint Patrick’s Day.

Of course nobody in Ballygunner will be looking beyond this game. It would be foolish to do so, as a side next game is always the most important.

They had a good league section to the championship winning four of their five games and drawing the one that they did not win.

In their quarter final game against Abbeyside which was abandoned with fifteen minutes to play due to floodlight failure, the Gunner’s who are going for a three in a row of titles were somewhat labouring and could have gone out of the championship, but in the re-fixture last Sunday evening they proved to be a side back to their best and recorded a comfortable win over Abbeyside.

Right throughout their team they have plenty of class. Stephen O’Keeffe is without doubt one of the best goalkeepers in the game. in defence they can call on the likes of Eddie Hayden, Barry Coughlan, Ian Kenny, Wayne Hutchinson, Shane Walsh and Philip Mahony.

In the middle of the field and in attack they also have plenty of fire power with the likes of Billy O’Keeffe, David, Shane, Brian and Tim O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony, Conor Power, JJ Hutchinson, Johnny McCarthy and Stephen Power etc. to call upon and who are all able to produce the goods when needed.

Mount Sion have had an indifferent Championship to date.

They lost their first two games against Fourmilewater and Roanmore, but since the completion resumed after Waterford exited the All-Ireland Championship, they have performed well, recording wins over Cappoquin and Abbeyside and drawing with Tallow, before drawing with De La Salle in the quarter finals after extra time and then beating them in the replay last weekend.

Austin Gleeson will be their main man in this game and it will be interesting to see where he will start for the Monastery men.

But they are by no mean a one man team.

If Stephen O’Keeffe is vital to Ballygunner between the posts the same could be said of Ian O’Regan for Mount Sion. Iggy as he is known to so many is as good as his Ballygunner counterpart and if he was in another county he would be the number one keeper on the inter county team.

They have plenty of quality in other parts of the field as well in the likes of John Dee, Michael Gaffney, Owen Whelan, Stephen Roche, Martin O’Neill, Evan Curran, Sean Ryan, Ian Galgey and Richie Roche.

Ballygunner will go into this game as favourites. It would be hard to back against them, but Mount Sion won’t be intimidated against them. They unlike many others will believe that they can win, and more over after beating a fancied De La Salle side so well last weekend.

As pointed out at the start, the smart money is on a repeat of the 2013 county final this year, and I have a feeling we will see it happen, but I for one would not be shocked to see either Dungarvan or Mount Sion, even both to upset a lot of people who have parted with their cash.

Dr. Harty Cup to Begin this Wednesday

This year’s Dr. Harty Cup competition gets underway on tomorrow (Wednesday) with two games down for decision.

The competition has a new format this year with 19 schools taking part split into eight groups.

Two teams will qualify for the second round of games which guarantees that each school taking part will have two games to play.

Three of the eight groups have three sides involved who will play off to decide the top two places while the other five groups have just two teams involved with both teams advancing.

From the second round of games, the competition will be run off on a knockout basis, with 16 sides scheduled to play on November 30, with the quarter finals fixed for January 11, the semi-finals three weeks later and the final due to take place on February 18.

De La Salle College Waterford and Thurles CBS both of whom have won the competition in the past decade are due to play each other in the first round of games in Clonmel on Wednesday afternoon, the game having a 1-30 throw in for the Group B game.

At the same time in Group A, Christian Brothers College from Cork will take on St. Joseph’s from Kilmallock at Mallow.

 

This week’s Fixtures: – Wednesday 12 October

 

Harty Cup

Christian Brothers College, Cork V Coláiste Iosaef, Kilmallock at 1-30pm in Mallow  

De La Salle College Waterford v Thurles C.B.S at 1-30pm in Clonmel 

 

Munster Senior B Colleges Hurling – Wednesday 12 October

Clonakilty Community College v CBS Mitchelstown at 12-30 in Blarney  

Scoil Phobal Roscrea v Colaiste Chríost Rí at 12-30pm in Shanballymore

 

Munster Senior C Colleges Hurling

Coláiste Treasa Kanturk v St Augustine’s at 12-30pm in Bride Rovers GAA Club

Crescent College Dooradoyle v Coachford College at 12-30pm in Ballyhea

Borrisokane C.C v Carrick CBS at 12-30pm in Templetuohy  

Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig v Coláiste An Chroí Naofa at 12-30pm in Delaneys

 

Munster Senior D Colleges Hurling

Nagle Rice Doneraile v Iver Sceine Kenmare at 12-30pm in Millstreet  

Meánscoil San Nioclás Rinn v Comeragh College at 12-30pm in Lemybrien  

Scoil Pól Kilfinane v Ennis Community School at 12-30pm in Cappamore

Ennistymon CBS v St. Patricks Comprehensive School Shannon at 12-30pm in Gurteen  

Coláiste na Trócaire Rathkeale v North Monastery Secondary School at 12-30pm in Buttervant  

Desmond College Gortboy V Mount Sion in Cahir at 12pm.

 

Munster Senior E Colleges Hurling

Colaiste Mhuire Askeaton V Colaiste Mhuire Thurles in Boher at 12-30pm

 

Munster Under 15 A Colleges Football

St. Francis College Rochestown v I.S. Killorglin at 1-30pm in Naomh Aban  

St. Flannan’s College Ennis v Tralee CBS at 1-30pm in Banogue  

St Brendan’s Killarney v P.S Chorcha Dhuibhne at 1-30pm at John Mitchells G.A.A. Club  

 

Munster Under 15 B Colleges Football

Bandon V St. Fachtnas Skibbereen at 12-30pm in Clonakilty

Castletroy V Colaiste Ide agus Iosef Abbeyfeale at 12-30pm in The Bog Garden

Colaiste and Spioraid Naomh Bishopstown V P.S. Rathmore at 12-30pm in Canovee

Glanmire Community College V Midleton CBS at 12-30pm in Cobh

John The Baptist C.S. V Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig at 12-30pm in Charleville

De La Salle College Macroom v Clonakilty Community College at 1-30pm in Kilmurry  

 

Munster Under 15 C Colleges Football

Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí V Nenagh CBS at 12-30pm in Adare

St Pats Castleisland v Mary Immaculate Secondary School Lisdoonvarna at 12-30pm in Limerick IT  

Causeway Comprehensive School v Tarbet Comprehensive School at 12-30pm in Beale  

Coláiste na Trócaire Rathkeale v Scoil Mhuire & Ide Newcastle West at 12-30pm in Rathkeale  

SN Baile An Mhuirne v Carrigaline Community School at 12-30pm in Éire Óg

Iver Sceine Kenmare v Ard Scoil Na Mara, Tramore at 12-30pm in St Michael's

Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal Blarney v St Declan’s Kilmacthomas at 12-30pm in Clashmore  

Colaiste Dun Iascaigh Cahir V Kinsale Community School at 12-30pm in Waterglasshill  

 

Munster Under 15 D Colleges Football

Presentation Ballingarry v St. Aidan’s College Dublin Hill at 12-30pm in Glanworth  

Kilrush Community College v St Ailbies at 12-30pm in Clarecastle 

St. Colmans Community College Midleton v Mean Scoil Castlegregory at 12-30pm in Clondrohid

Kilkee Community College v Waterpark College Waterford at 12-30pm in Ballylooby

 

Thursday October 13

Munster Senior D Hurling

Davis College Mallow v Nenagh Vocational School at 12-30pm in Adare  

 

Munster Under 16 ½ B Hurling

Kinsale Community School v Christian Brothers College, Cork at 12-30pm in Carrigaline  

 

Munster Under 16 ½ C Hurling

St Marys Newport v Coachford College at 12-30pm at Coolyroe  

St. Munchins College Limerick v St Declan’s Kilmacthomas at 1pm in Solohead  

 

Munster under 15 B Football

Mercy Mounthawk v Coláiste na Sceilge at 12-30pm in Listry  

 

Munster Under 15 C Football

Rice College Ennis v Patrician Academy Mallow at 11am in Banogue  

 

Friday 14th Oct 2016

Munster Under 16 ½ A Hurling

Thurles C.B.S v Gaelcholáiste Mhuire Thuaigh at 1-30pm in Emly  

 

Munster Under 16 ½ B Hurling

Coláiste An Spioráid Naomh Bishopstown v Scariff Community College at 12pm in Kilfinane  

 

Munster Under 16 ½ D Hurling

Coláiste An Chraoibhín Fermoy v St Pauls Community College Waterford at 12-30pm in Abbeyside

 

Munster Under 16 ½ E Hurling

Colaiste Ide agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale v Colaiste Daibheid Cork at 12-30pm in Liscarroll  

 

Munster Under 15 C Football

CBS Mitchelstown v St Michaels Listowel at 12-30pm in Rathkeale

St Augustine’s V Schull Community College at 12-30pm in Aghabullogue  

 

Munster Under 15 D Football

Killorglin Community College v Salesian Secondary College Pallaskenry at 12pm in Tournafulla  

Coláiste Mhuire Askeaton v Coláiste An Phiarsaigh Glanmire at 12-30pm in Charleville  

 

Saint Mary’s retain Western Junior Hurling Championship

Saint Mary’s retained the Western Junior Hurling Championship that they won twelve months ago on Sunday afternoon when they overcame the challenge of a strong Tourin side at Fraher Field.

There can be no disputing that the two best sides in the western division qualified for this year’s final, with both sides winning their respective groups.

Tourin reached the final having lost just one game that a 2-12 to 1-9 defeat to Abbeyside who Saint Mary’s beat in the semi-finals two weeks before this game.

Saint Mary’s qualified for the final with full points in their group and then beating Abbeyside in the semi-finals.  However, to reach this stage of the competition, the Touraneena side played just three championship games which included their semi-final win, as they received walk overs along the way from Ballyduff Upper and Dungarvan.

For the second game running Saint Mary’s captain Eoin Kearns proved to be the best player on the field, hitting fourteen points for the winners over the course of the hour.

Both he and Darragh Wilkinson on the Tourin side both had solid performances in their free taking. The Touraneena man in his tally of fourteen scores hit the score of the game, a free close to his own forty five metre line two minutes from time which gave his side a five point lead.

After taking the lead inside two minutes of this game, the Touraneena side never trailed apart from a few seconds in the thirty ninth minute when Tourin hit a goal to give them a 1-11 to 1-10 lead.

Eoin Kearns opened the scoring with a brace of points in the second and third minutes, both from frees.

Darragh Wilkinson pulled a point back for Tourin on seven minutes after which Eoin Kearns with his third of the game and Sean Meaney with the first of his two scores traded scores.

Kevin Sheehan extended the Touraneena sides lead to two on eleven minutes and four minutes later his younger brother Jason Sheehan sent in a delivery from the stand side of the field towards the road goal. Although a number of hurleys were to be seen pulling in the air, from the back of the stand in the middle of the stand, it appeared that Sheehan’s effort went all the back to the Tourin net.

From another free, Eoin Kearns gave Saint Marys a 1-5 to 0-2 lead on sixteen minutes, but the Tourin side coached by former Shamrocks player Dan Casey proved to be the better side in the second quarter as they held the Touraneena men to just two points while hitting eight of their own.

Darragh Wilkinson, Sean Meaney and another from Wilkinson made it a three point game with twenty two minutes on the clock, but Eoin Kearns broke their run of continuous scores with a point from a free on twenty four minutes.

In the next five minutes, Tourin again hit four in a row, firstly through Darragh Wilkinson, then Niall Fives, another from Wilkinson and then David O’Brien to lock the scores on the score board 1-6 to 0-9.

Within seconds Eoin Kearns put over another free but at the end of stoppage time in the first half David O’Brien again pointed to send the sides to the dressing rooms 1-7 to 0-10.

As they did in the first half, Saint Mary’s proved to be the better of the sides at the start of the second half.

Eoin Kearns and Darragh Wilkinson swapped early scores before Eoin Kearns and Aidan Fitzpatrick added points for Saint Marys to give them a 1-10 to 0-11 lead.

Tom O’Brien appeared to get the final touch for Tourin’s only goal of the game on thirty nine minutes to give them a one point lead but that lead soon evaporated as from the restart Saint Mary’s attacked and Aidan Fitzpatrick, no stranger to hitting the back of the net at Fraher Field for the best part of twenty five years did it once more to give his side a 2-10 to 1-11 lead.

Eoin Kearns stretched Saint Mary’s lead with a brace of points and when Kieran Barron a half time sub for Dean Cliffe followed up with another point things were starting to look good for the reigning champions.

Tourin hit another purple patch and they hit the next four scores in a row. Darragh Wilkinson hit the first and the fourth with David O’Brien and Niall Fives hitting the scores in between, which left their side trailing 2-13 to 1-15 with nine minutes to play.

The side now that showed the most hunger would go on to contest the county final against Ballyduff Lower or Ballydurn at Fraher Field in the coming weeks.

Saint Marys opened up a five point lead once more after Eoin Kearns put over four in a row between the fifty first and fifty eight minutes, the latter a massive free scores to the left of centre of the Tourin goal and close to his own 45 metre line.

In the middle of this run the winners had their numbers cut when Timmy Organ sent Kevin Sheehan off on a straight red card which will rule him out of the upcoming county final.

Brendan McGourty who joined the Saint Marys set up earlier this year gave his side a six point lead on the hour mark.

Tourin hit the last two scores of the games, points from Jack Leahy and Darragh Wilkinson, both points but it was goals that they needed.

The side relegated from Intermediate last year however will count themselves somewhat unlucky not to have added a second goal late on and possibly would have but for the bravery of JP Fitzpatrick in the Saint Marys goal, as the man that helped Waterford to win a Minor Munster final back in 1992 bravely put his body in the firing line putting the ball out for an unconverted ’65.

Saint Mary’s: J.P. Fitzpatrick; Conor Tobin, Sean Fitzpatrick, Tom Tobin; Dermot Tobin, Denis Coffey, Owen Barron; Kevin Sheehan, Stephen Coffey; Brendan McGourty, Eoin Kearns, Dean Cliffe; Aidan Fitzpatrick, Mike Kearns, Jason Sheehan. Subs: Kieran Barron for Dean Cliffe, Jack Skehan for Stephen Coffey.

Scorers: Eoin Kearns 0-14, Aidan Fitzpatrick 1-1, Jason Sheehan 1-0, Kevin Sheehan, Kieran Barron, Brendan McGourty 0-1 each.

Tourin: Colm Bennett; Brian Leahy, Daniel Leahy, Mark Landers: Brendan Scanlon, Shane Fives, Jack Leahy; Sean Meany, David Leahy; Sean Leahy, David O’Brien, Niall Fives; Darragh Wilkinson, Tom O’Brien, Daniel Dransfield. Subs: Own Leahy for David Leahy, Daithi Wilkinson for Daniel Dransfield.

Scorers: Darragh Wilkinson 0-9, Tom O’Brien 1-0, David O’Brien 0-3, Sean Meaney, Niall Fives 0-2 each, Jack Leahy 0-1.

Referee: Timmy Organ (Abbeyside)

Gailltir are Queens of Deise Camogie

Gailltir are County Senior Camogie Champions for the first time since 2008 after they overcame the challenge of Lismore who were bidding for a fourth title in a row at the WIT Sports Campus at Carriganore on Saturday afternoon last.

Trish Jackman finished as top scorer for the Barony Ladies on the day with a half a dozen scores after her name on the score sheet all of which came from placed balls.

The newly crowned champions hit two goals over the course of the hour, the first coming on nineteen minutes when Trish Jackman found Kate Lynch who crashed the sliotar to the roof of Tanya Morrissey’s net to give her side a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

Their second goal came from the stick of Emery Walsh after she had replaced Ailing Flood.

Gailltir signalled their intention from the off in this game as within a minute of the game starting Roisin Flood attempted to bet Tanya Morrissey in the Lismore goal but the Lismore player was equal to the Gailltir ladies effort but from the follow up Kate Lynch took the safer option and slotted the sliotar between the uprights.

Nicola Morrissey levelled matters for Lismore a minute later but the eventual winners wasted no time in going back in front and after Trish Jackman pointed on nine and thirteen minutes which was followed with another point for the side in sky blue on sixteen minutes, this time from Annie Glavey.

Caithriona McGlone pulled a point back for Lismore on seventeen minutes but the writing seemed to be on the wall for Lismore who were struggling somewhat without the influence of Aoife Hannon on free taking duty and loosing Shona Curran with an injury after just fourteen minutes when Gailltir hit their first goal soon after McGlone’s effort.

Lismore are a good side and showed so by not throwing in the towel. Points from Caithriona McGlone and Shauna Kiernan by the twenty fourth minute had just Kate Lynch’s goal between the sides, but it was the Barony Ladies that would end the half slightly the stronger side as Aine Lyng and Trish Jackman split the Lismore uprights with late scores, with am effort from Grainne Kenneally sandwiched in between which gave Gailltir a 1-6 to 0-5 lead at the break.

If Gailltir finished the first half the stronger of the two sides, it Lismore that started the second half the stronger of the two.

Caithriona McGlone no stranger to finding the net on the big day did so again on thirty four minutes to leave just one between the sides. Trish Jackman and Nicola Morrissey traded scores to keep the minimum between the sides with the game now entering its final quarter.

Nicola Morrissey’s effort for Lismore however would be her sides last score of the game and the side from the Barony in the final quarter would 1-4, Trish Jackman first putting over a brace of placed balls before Emer Walsh finished to the net after she reacted quickest to a rebound after Tanya Morrissey had done well to keep out an Aine Lyng effort for goal.

The new champions pressed on in the closing minutes for further scores and were rewarded for their efforts when Shauna Fitzgerald split the Lismore uprights two minutes from time and on the hour mark Aine Lyng registered the final score of the game, giving her side a 2-11 to 1-6 victory.

Gailltir: Ciara Jackman; Aine O’Keeffe, Clara Hogan, Claire Dunne; Aileen Cummins, Sally O’Grady, Sinead Cunningham; Emma Roche, Aine Lyng, Annie Glavey, Shauna Fitzgerald, Trish Jackman; Roisin Flood, Aisling Blood, Kate Lynch. Subs: Emer Walsh for Aisling Flood, Eilis Cullinane for Annie Glavey.

Scorers: Trish Jackman 0-6 (5f) (1 ’45), Kate Lynch 1-1, Emer Walsh 1-0, Aine Lyng 0-2, Annie Glavey, Shauna Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Lismore: Tanya Morrissey; Ellen Curran, Shauna Prendergast, Sarah Geoghegan; Aoife Houlihan, Shauna Kiernan, Sarah Coughlan; Shona Curran, Emma Power; Nicola Morrissey, Sinead Walsh, Becky McGlone; Ruth Geoghegan, Caithriona McGlone, Johanna Houlihan. Subs: Grainne Kenneally for Shona Curran, Marie Russell for Aoife Houlihan, Sinead Bennett for Sinead Walsh.

Scorers: Caithriona McGlone 1-2, Nicola Morrissey 0-2 (2f), Grainne Kenneally, Shauna Kiernan 0-1 each.

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).

In the curtain raiser to Saturday’s senior decider, Ferrybank who lost out in the last two county finals made it third time lucky when they came from behind at the break to beat Tramore.

The sea-siders turned around leading 1-5 to 1-2, Helen McEvoy netting for the winners and Muireann Cuddihy doing likewise for Tramore.

The side from north of the River Sur divide proved to be the superior side in the second half, running out 3-5 to 1-7 winners, the goals for the winners coming from Niamh Ahearne and Debbie Boden.

Ballymacarbry qualify for Munster B Final with easy win over Brian Borus

 

Ballymacarbry are through to this years Munster Senior B Ladies Football Final after they overcame the challenge of Tipperary champions Brian Borus at Clonmel on Sunday afternoon. 

From the first whistle to the last Ballymacarbry were always on to in this clash and at no point was there any doubt as to how this game was going to finish, with the only thing to be decided was the winning margin for the side that recently won a thirty fifth county senior title in a row recently.

The winners had some outstanding performers on the day. They played the hour without Michelle McGrath who played every ball that came into the Ballymacarbry defence from her position standing on the side line.

For the winners they were served brilliant by their inter county players. Aileen Wall was magnificent. Michelle and Louise Ryan worked hard, while younger sister Sinead was all over the place kicking 1-3 while at other times she was to be found in her own half of the field helping her defence on the occasions that the Tipperary side did cause them trouble.

Karen McGrath was brilliant at centre back and behind her Treasa McGrath who filled in at full back for her name sake Michelle was also outstanding while Lauren Fitzpatrick was always clam between the posts.

So good were Ballymacarbry in this game that they were able to withdraw some of their stronger players before the end and those that came in for them were not out of place.

The winners had the ball on the Tipperary sides net within fifteen seconds of the game starting.

The Ballymacarbry centre field pairing won the throw in and found Aileen Wall who in turn found Sinead Ryan who calmly finished to the net.

Lauren Guiry who was dangerous throughout hit the first of her scores on two minutes and four minutes later the Ballymacarbry ladies wearing the colours of The Nire because of a colour clash had the ball in the net once more this time Aileen Wall finished to the net after she was picked out by Michelle Ryan.

Lauren Guiry had another goal chance for Ballymacarbry on eight minutes but her effort went just over the crossbar.

Further points from Aileen Wall, Marian Ryan with a hat trick of scores and Eibhlis Cooney followed to give the recently crowned Waterford champions a 2-7 to no score lead with twenty two minutes played.

The Tipperary champions kicked their first score of the game on twenty four minutes through Eimear Myles but it was quickly followed with a point from Sinead Ryan which helped her side to go to the dressing rooms with a 2-8 to 0-1 lead.

Ballymacarbry had a great start to the second half as Sinead and Michelle Ryan as well as Aileen Wall all kicked early scores to extend their sides lead to sixteen on thirty three minutes.

Sinead Ryan scored again before Eimear Myles hit her second of the game. Marian Ryan followed up with another point for Ballymacarbry after which Lauren Guiry hit the post after some good work by Eibhlis Cooney in the build up.

A Marian Ryan point was cancelled out with an effort from Trish Hickey after which Amy Sweeney hit her sides fourth score of the game.

Michelle and Marian Ryan followed up with points before Linda Wall pointed on fifty five minutes.

With five minutes to play Treasa McGrath was sin binned for what looked like an accidental collision but it made no difference as this game was well won at this stage.

Both sides added a further point each, Cliona O’Dwyer was first to score and deep in stoppage time Becky Hogan burst forward to kick a good score.

Ballymacarbry: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Becky Hogan, Treasa McGrath, Laura Mulcahy; Mairead Wall, Karen McGrath, Maeve Ryan; Louise Ryan, Marian Ryan; Aileen Wall, Linda Wall, Eibhlis Cooney; Lauren Guidry, Michelle Ryan, Sinead Ryan. Subs. Kelly Ann Hogan for Laura Mulcahy, Brigitta Valuntaite for Louise Ryan, Michelle O’Gorman for Eibhlis Cooney, Beckie Desmond for Aileen Wall, Sadhbh Hallahan for Michelle Ryan.

Scorers; Sinead Ryan 1-3, Marian Ryan 0-5 (2f), Aileen Wall 1-2, Michelle Ryan 0-3, Lauren Guiry 0-2, Eibhlis Cooney, Linda Wall, Becky Hogan 0-1 each.

Brian Boris: Nora Noonan; Annette Meaney, Carmel Condon, Nikki Gilmore; Marie Claire Walsh, Laura Morrissey, Claire Walsh; Sinead Norris, Trish Hickey; Cliona O’Dyer, Eimear Myles, Caoimhe Condon; Chloe Lyons, Mairead Morrissey, Amy Sweeney. Subs: Helena Walsh for Marie Claire Walsh, Maureen Murphy for Chloe Lyons,

Scorers; Eimear Myles 0-2, Trish Hickey (f), Amy Sweeney, Cliona O’Dwyer 0-1 each.

Referee; Jason Mullins (Limerick).