Hurling & Camogie

Camogie Review: Down off to the perfect start

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Div 1: Group 1

Cork 1-18 Waterford 1-12

Offaly 1-3 Clare 2-7

A FIRST half goal from Saoirse McCarthy proved a crucial score as Cork got their noses in front before pulling away to a 1-18 o 0-12 triumph over Waterford in the opening Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 tie at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.

McCarthy, who won All-Ireland Minor and Intermediate medals in 2018, struck early on when the sides were level on 0-2 each.

Orla Cronin for Cork and Waterford ace Beth Carton kept the scoreboard ticking over, while the returning Ashling Thompson was also on the mark for the Rebels.

That gave Paudie Murray's crew a 1-10 to 0-8 interval lead and they imposed their superiority in the second half. Chloe Sigerson, Lauren Homan and Cronin were among the home team's scorers, and Cronin finished with a personal tally of nine points in an ultimately comfortable triumph.

Also in Group 1 Clare outscored Offaly 2-7 to 1-3 in Birr.

The side’s shared goals in the first quarter, Mairéad Teehan for Offaly and then one from Eimear Kelly, and Clare led by 1-5 to 1-3 at the change of ends.

However a goal from Áine O’Loughlin goal mid-way through the second half sealed the points for the visitors

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Div 1: Group 2

Dublin 0-7 Galway 0-10

Limerick 1-6 Tipperary 0-10

THERE was confusion at the end of the Tipperary v Limerick game in LIT Gaelic Grounds on Sunday evening when everyone in the Press Box had a single point win for Tipperary, 0-10 to Limerick’s 1-6, but the referee Andrew Larkin from Cork maintained it was a draw.

An announcement is expected today from Ardchomhairle on the issue.

According to the journalists, the teams were level 1-3 to 0-6 at the break. Cáit Devane was magnificent, and she contributed five points in the opening half but Limerick hit back with a Rebecca Delee goal and three points from Caoimhe Costelloe..

In the second half, Limerick went ahead thanks to points from Neamh Curtin and Costelloe, but Devane levelled from a free to bring her tally to six before Ciardha Maher shot what might be the winner.

In the other Group 2 tie, Galway got the defence of their Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 title off to a winning start, coming away from TU Blanchardstown with three points to spare.

The visitors opened with points from Rebecca Hennelly (two), Caitriona Cormican and goalkeeper Sarah Healy from a long-distance free but Sinéad Wylde responded and Dublin trailed by 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval.

Dublin closed the gap to one on a couple of occasions in the second half but goalie Healy landed her second monster point and Hennelly converted two frees for Cathal Murray’s team to take the points.

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Div 2 Group 1

Down 5-21 Derry 1-6

Galway 2-12 Kerry 0-0

DOWN got their Division 2 National League campaign off to the perfect start with a comfortable win over an understrength Derry in Mayobridge.

Down featured four of the Clonduff side that lost their All-Ireland Intermediate club semi-final last week with two more, Cassie Fitzpatrick and Fionnuala Carr, coming on as second half substitutes.

These players gave Down a sharpness that their opponents couldn’t match despite the best efforts of Gráinne McNicholl at the centre of defence and Áine McAllister at midfield until her injury.

It was good team performance from Down with Niamh Mallon a focus for ball into the forward line. Saoirse Sands, Aimee McAleenan and Sorcha McCartan all came into the play more as the game progressed with Catherine McGourty strong at centre-half back.

Goals from Sara Louise Graffin and Mallon in the opening quarter set Down up for a 2-14 to 0-3 interval lead with all their forwards registering points by half time.

Although Sinéad McGill registered a goal for Derry in the second half it was never going to eat into the home side’s lead and goals from Mallon, McCartan and Sands saw them finish comfortable winners.

In the same group, Galway overwhelmed All-Ireland Junior champions Kerry in Gort on a 2-12 to 0-0 scoreline

Down: M McNally, C McGilligan, D Magee, A Savage, D Harrison, C McGourty, K Tinnelly, P O’Hagan (0-2, 0-1 free), D Savage, S McCartan (1-4), SL Graffin (1-2), A McAleenan (0-2), S Sands (1-3), N Mallon (2-6, 0-2), N McCullough (0-2)

Subs: C Fitzpatrick for P O’Hagan, F Carr for SL Graffin.

Derry: N McQuillan, A McGuckin, S Donaghy, L McBride, R Bradley, G McNicholl,capt, M Kerr, A McAllister (0-1), C Glass, S O’Connor (0-1), M McNicholl, D McGuckin, S McGill (1-0), A Shaw (0-3, 0-2 frees), D O’Kane (0-1)

Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Div 2 Group 2

Kilkenny 0-12 Cork 1-11

Westmeath 0-4 Meath 1-8

Elsewhere in Division 2 Kilkenny led by two points with less than five minutes remaining in Callan.

Then sub Rachel O’Reagan crashed home a Cork goal and Hayley Ryan added a point as Cork took the league points on a scoreline of 0-12 to 1-11.

Also in Group 2 a second half goal from Sinéad Hackett sealed a 1-8 to 0-4 win for Meath in their derby in Kinnegad. Meath led Westmeath by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break with three points from Jane Dolan.

Ulster Minor Camogie Championship

ANTRIM and Derry were both comfortable winners in their opening games in the Ulster minor championship.

In Ahoghill, Antrim struggled at times for scores in the opening half despite dominating the play. Nuala Devlin however broke through from half-forward on several occasions and scored 3-1 so that the Saffrons led by 3-4 to 1-1 at the break.

Although Caitlin Heggarty and Aoife Delargy pointed on the resumption, goals from Katie Comiskey and Melissa Hughes pulled Armagh right back into contention at 3-6 to 3-1.

However the comeback quickly faded with Katie Laverty getting on top at midfield, sub Brid Magill making an immediate impact with a 46th minute goal and a string of points from Riana McBride putting Antrim out of sight.

Aoife Delargy scrambled a last minute goal to gloss the score-line from an Antrim perspecive

Meanwhile Derry overwhelmed visiting Down in Bellaghy with Caitriona Toner scoring five goals in the opening half alone as the home side led by 8-7 to 0-0 at the break.

Down scored three points in the second half, but they were well off the pace and couldn’t stop Derry from progressing to next week’s semi-final with Tyrone.

Antrim: Nuala Devlin (3-1), Aoife Delargy (1-1), Brid Magill (1-1), Riana McBride (0-7, 0-4 frees), Caitlin Heggarty (0-2)

Armagh: Katie Comiskey (1-1 frees), Sinead Quinn (1-0), Melissa Hughes (1-0).