Defeat brings curtain down on landmark year for Moyle Rovers camogie club

Barryroe 2-9 Moyle Rovers 2-8

Moyle Rovers were defeated by the narrowest of margins in the Mai O’Connell Cup Munster Junior B Camogie Championship semi-final in Fethard Town Park.

Cork visitors Barryroe were going to provide tough opposition after being relegated from Junior A last year, and were back to winning ways this year.

The match was played in windy but dry conditions. Moyle Rovers won the toss and elected to play against the wind in the first half.

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The Cork side were first to score and were leading by two points. After 10 minutes a pointed free from Eabha Dolan got Moyle Rovers off the mark.

At this stage the match was an even enough contest. When Moyle Rovers were awarded a free 40 metres from goal, Eabha Dolan struck the ball well but the wind took it and it hit the post, dropping in front of the goal. Ava Collins was the first to react and struck the ball into the net.

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Barryroe, taking full advantage of the wind, fought back with points from Ellen O’Riordan and Roisin Ni Bhuachalla and were back in front after 25 minutes.

Eabha Dolan’s pointed free was the last score of the first half , and at half-time the score was Moyle Rovers 1-3 Barryroe 0-7.

In the second half, with the wind now favouring Moyle Rovers, Barryroe were the first to score with two unanswered points.

Barryroe were now working well together against the wind. They worked the ball up the field to the goal mouth and managed to get the ball across the goal line. Ten minutes into the second half, Barryroe were leading 1-9 to 1-3.

Moyle Rovers’ Eabha Dolan, now playing at centre forward, scored two points in a row to add to Moyle Rovers’ tally.

Barryroe attacked against the run of play and got the ball up to Meadbh O’ Sullivan, who struck the ball from 25 metres out into the Moyle Rovers net. Barryroe were now leading by seven points and were in control with 15 minutes remaining .

Moyle Rovers’ corner forward Saoirse Butler scored a beautiful individual point and then a pointed free from Eabha Dolan narrowed Barryroe’s lead to five points.


With ten minutes remaining Emma Kiely went on a solo run from midfield and linked up with Eavann Duffy who, bearing down on goal, struck the ball into the corner of the Barryroe net.

Moyle Rovers, trailing by three points, were awarded a free 50 metres out from goal beside the sideline, from where Eabha Dolan scored a wonderful point.

Rovers, pressing down on the Barryroe puckout, won possession and Emma Kiely attacked and scored a point from play.
With normal time elapsed, Moyle Rovers continued to fight for the equaliser, with defenders Sarah Luttrell and Aoibhe Browne clearing up any attacks from Barryroe.

However, after seven minutes of injury time the Limerick referee Dan McKeena blew his final whistle, with Moyle Rovers losing by a solitary point.

Thus ended a great year for Moyle Rovers Camogie Club, winning their first-ever Tipperary Adult County title and representing Tipperary Camogie in the Munster championship.