Codd gets winning goal
ST. MARTIN’S ST. IBAR’S/SHELS 1-7 0-7 EMMA CODD’S goal midway through the first-half proved to be the difference as St. Martin’s deservedly edged past St. Ibar’s/ Shelmaliers and into the Talbot Collection Senior camogie championship final in Oylegate on Saturday.
The teenage starlet picked up possession from a Niamh Potter puck-out, drove down the left wing, and sailed a dipping shot into the top right corner of the net from 30 metres out to give her side the fillip they would need for a long second-half against the breeze.
In the worst of the conditions at the weekend, St. Martin’s played with the elements in the opening period and quickly started to build a lead.
With Sarah O’Connor superb in midfield, and Linda Bolger running at and committing defenders, the frees and points started totting up.
The county attacker had three dead-balls on the scoresheet inside seven minutes, all after she was felled. Chloe Foxe picked off the Piercestown based club’s first score from play from an acute angle on the left in the ninth minute.
Trailing by 0-4 to nil, St. Ibar’s/ Shelmalier responded with Kate Kelly’s first free, after Katrina Parrock was impeded. But the Hollymount side were struggling to get their stars involved as they fought against the elements in the opening period.
Codd’s dipping goal arrived in the 16th minute to give St. Martin’s a 1-4 to 0-1 lead. However, they weren’t able to push on and Aine Lacey scored a nice point to bring her side within five in the 21st minute.
A long Mags D’Arcy puck-out down the right sent Amy Cardiff away and she gave the eventual victors a 1-5 to 0-2 advantage, a position they would hold until the break.
When facing into a period against the elements the first score is always vital. And the girls in maroon and white scored it with Aisling O’Connor nailing a lovely effort from way over on the right wing in the 31st minute.
Kate Kelly responded with a free after a foul on Shauna Kelly. However, St. Martin’s would have been delighted with their position when Bolger added a left wing placed-ball in the 41st minute to make it 1-7 to 0-3.
Slowly the screw started to tighten and St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier pressed. Mags D’Arcy proved to be the heroine in the final quarter, and she started it by saving a 20-metre Kelly free. The experienced Kelly converted the resulting ‘45.
A Katrina Parrock rocket was then stopped by her county team-mate and the sliothar was scrambled clear. A Kelly free, after an overcarrying call on an unfortunate Katie O’Connor, cut the deficit to five (1-7 to 0-5).
That’s the way it stayed until the Over The Water girls won a penalty in the 56th minute. Kelly stepped up but was again denied by D’Arcy between the posts, and Sarah O’Connor got it away after the sliothar flew up and behind her goalkeeper.
Two injury-time Kelly deadballs cut the margin to a goal. However, there was to be no miraculous comeback for St. Ibar’s/ Shelmalier as their opponents held on to book a final place on October 8.
St. Martin’s: Mags D’Arcy; Megan Carty, Marie Claire Morrissey, Lauren Carty; Aine Ennis, Noeleen Lambert, Katie O’Connor; Sarah O’Connor, Aisling Cronin; Chloe Foxe (0-1), Linda Bolger (capt., 0-4 frees), Mary Barrett; Amy Cardiff (0-1), Aisling O’Connor (0-1), Emma Codd (1-0). Subs. - Aoife Waters for Cronin (33), Becky Hamilton for Barrett (54).
St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier: Niamh Potter; Larah Campbell, Leona Tector, Ciara Donohoe; Niamh Walsh, Mag Kelly, Michelle Harding; Aine Lacey (0-1), Aine Barron; Kate Kelly (0-6, 4 frees, 2 ‘45s), Eadaoin Fitzgerald, Katrina Parrock; Jessie Harding, Deirdre McMahon, Shauna Kelly. Subs. - Sarah Harding-Kenny for Fitzgerald (47), Fiona Kinsella for Barron (56).
Referee: Joe Kelly (Naomh Eanna).