Fethard surge to Junior title
Camogie win a real tonic
FETHARD 0-15
KILRUSH 1-2
FETHARD SHOWED their real potential when cruising to a comfortable ten-point victory over Kilrush in the Junior ‘C’ championship final in Páirc Charman recently.
Fethard were always in control as they dominated the opening 30 minutes, picking off some excellent scores in the process.
And with Eimear Whelan, Chloe Waters, Rebecca Foley and Claire Barry taking a firm grip on proceedings, there was only going to be one result.
Kilrush, to their credit, kept on battling, but despite a staunch defence they were under intense pressure for the most part.
Joanne Doran, Liz Ruth and Orla Fitzgerald tried to stem the tide, but they lacked scoring power up front to seriously test the eventual winners’ defence.
After Claire Barry had put her side in front with an excellent third-minute point off the sideline, they went on to build a number of promising attacks, but had to wait until the 13th minute for their next score when Barry pointed a free.
In between, two point attempts from the opposition’s Orla Fitzgerald went narrowly wide.
After a Claire Barry pointed ‘45 had given her side a 0-4 to nil lead at the end of the opening quarter, Kilrush eventually opened their account one minute later through a neat Susan Byrne point.
That proved their only score of the half, as Fethard went on to strike eight unanswered points through Claire Barry, Méadbh Nunan (two apiece), Alison Molloy, Eimear Whelan, Chloe Waters and Stephanie Foley to lead by 0-12 to 0-1 at the interval.
While Kilrush did show improvement on the resumption when aided by the breeze, they were unable to make a worthwhile impression on the opposing defence, and Fethard increased their lead through a Claire Barry pointed free.
With Eimear Whelan giving a player of the match display in the half-back line, the Fethard dominance continued, despite the concession of a 44th-minute Ciara Nolan goal, as they held control through the final quarter to run out the most deserving of winners.
Fethard: Libby Sutton; Méadhbh Nunan (0-2), Ciara Walsh; Gillian Barry, Fiona Ryan; Eimear Whelan (0-1), Chloe Waters (0-3, 1 ’45), Stephanie Foley (0-1); Rebecca Foley, Alison
Molloy (0-1); Claire Barry (0-7, 4 frees, 1 ‘45), Jennifer Dunne. Subs. - Shirley O’Neill, Storm Eaton, Leah Molloy, Sarah Molloy, Kathryn Whelan, Kate Kelly, Evelyn Barry.
Kilrush: Aoife Kehoe; Celina Hayden, Joanne Doran; Liz Ruth, Chelsea Sunderland; Liz Whelan, Ciara Nolan (1-0), Lisa Fortune; Orla Fitzgerald (0-1 ‘45), Jenny Doran; Susan Byrne (0-1), Naoise Hennessy. Subs. - Orla Byrne, Leona Kenny, Sarah Kenny, Mag Donnelly, Lynn Doran, Marie Kirwan, Mairéad Lancaster.
Referee: Francis Neville (St. Ibar’s/ Shelmalier).