Camogie: Advantage Cork as Tribeswomen Defeat Wexford
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LAST year’s beaten finalists Cork moved to within touching distance of the Gala All-Ireland senior camogie championship semi-finals with a 1-16 to 0-10 victory against Munster rivals Tipperary on Sunday.
The Rebelettes scored 1-8 during the course of a powerful second half performance in Ballincollig to claim a comfortable nine-point victory, having trailed by 0-8 to 0-4 at half-time.
Rachel Moloney was the undoubted star turn for Cork as she weighed in with 0-11 for the winners, including eight frees and a 45. Ace attacker Moloney edged her scoring duel with Tipperary’s leading scorer Claire Grogan, who finished nine points to her credit, six of those from frees. With three wins from three outings in the Gala championship, Cork know that one more victory will virtually guarantee a top-four finish and that could be achieved as early as next weekend against Galway.
Corner forward Orla Cotter also caught the eye for Cork and her goal, nine minutes after half-time, edged Cork ahead by 1-7 to 0-9. Moloney added two further points to put the home side in the driving seat but Cork played the last 13 minutes of the game with 14 players after Gemma O’Connor was sent off for a second bookable offence. Cork readjusted by dropping Cotter to midfield while Briege Corkery moved from midfield to centre back and Rena Buckley switched from the centre to left half back for the closing minutes.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Wexford slumped to a second successive defeat in this year’s Gala All-Ireland senior camogie championship as the prolific Jessica Gill fired beaten National League finalists Galway closer to the semi-finals. Gill, 2007 Connacht Young Player of the Year, put Wexford to the sword with a 1-9 haul as Galway ran out 1-12 to 2-4 winners at Killimor on Saturday. The Tribeswomen have collected maximum points from their opening two games but Wexford are in trouble having both of their outings to date. A superb solo goal by Gill, four minutes before half-time, was the crucial score as Galway led by 1-7 to 1-2 at the break.
Ursula Jacob had goaled for Wexford after just eight minutes but Galway soon assumed control and Gill’s strike put them in the driving seat. Wexford, despite Katrina Parrock’s second half goal, could never get to within touching distance of the hosts who are proving that their impressive league form was no flash in the pan.
Meanwhile, Dublin collected their first win of the competition with a 0-16 to 1-6 success against Limerick at the home of Trinity Gaels in the capital on Saturday. Dublin had the better of the early exchanges but Joanne Clifford’s 15th minute goal for Limerick tied the scores at 1-2 to 0-5. Dublin came strong once again and after establishing a 0-9 to 1-3 half-time advantage, the Sky Blues outscored the visitors 0-7 to 0-3 in the second half. Louise O’Hara finished as Dublin’s top scorer with 0-5 and her switch from midfield to centre forward was a pivotal move after half-time as the hosts pulled away with the breeze at their backs.
Meanwhile, Kildare made history in Aughrim, county Wicklow on Saturday as they claimed victory in the inaugural minor championship blitz. Five counties - Wicklow, Kildare, Carlow, Roscommon and Westmeath - competed in this new competition and the Lilywhites registered a notable success by defeating Carlow in the final.
By Jackie Cahill