Dublin retain Division 1 status after Flanagan seals thrilling victory

A POINT from Emma Flanagan as the clocked ticked into the 60th minute, secured a vital 1-11 to 1-10 victory for Dublin over Waterford at St Brendan’s Park in Birr, Co Offaly, yesterday.

The win cemented their Division 1 status in the Littlewoods National Camogie League by the narrowest margin, and sent Waterford down in the process.

The Suirsiders hit the front thanks to a super Niamh Rockett point off her left eight minutes from time but they weren’t to score again, while Dublin were back on terms almost immediately via a pointed free by the excellent Aisling Maher before Flanagan’s heroics grabbed the spoils for Adrian O’Sullivan’s crew.

The drama didn’t end there however, as Beth Carton had an opportunity to bring the relegation final into extra time but the multiple All-Star, who has been the Waterford saviour so many times, dragged her strike wide across the face of the posts from a 45m free — and Dublin survived.

While there was never very much between the teams once Waterford had got back on terms after a blistering Dublin start, the winners had only trailed twice in the course of the 64 minutes and probably would have counted themselves unlucky to lose.

Match-winner Flanagan started as she finished, slotting on the run off her left after just 50 seconds. Ciara O’Sullivan and Shona Curran, from long-distance frees, scored points for Waterford — but Maher and Finnegan doing likewise to give Dublin a 1-6 to 1-4 interval advantage.

The physicality was ramped up in the second half, as both sets of players threw everything into the fray and Waterford pushed Dublin all the way until Flanagan’s late intervention.

DUBLIN SCORERS: A Maher 1-7(0-5fs, 1 45); E Flanagan 0-2, K Finnegan 0-2

WATERFORD SCORERS: B Carton 0-6(5fs); V Falconer 1-0; N Rockett, A Flynn, C O’Sullivan, S Curran (f) 0-1 each.