HISTORY MADE! Sarsfields add another string to bow as camogie team win first county senior title

FBD Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Final

Thurles Sarsfields 5-11 

Clonoulty Rossmore 4-10

By Joe Scully

Semple Stadium witnessed a great game on Saturday evening, as Thurles Sarsfields became Tipperary camogie champions for the first time, with a four-point victory over last year’s champions Clonoulty Rossmore, and in doing so exacted revenge for last year's final defeat. 

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They had to withstand a late rally as Clonoulty reduced a 12-point deficit down to four in the final minutes, but were deserved winners as they were the better side over the hour. 

It was another impressive team performance, and they defended outstandingly, practically their full back line, who kept a tight reign on the Clonoulty full forward line, who had been in impressive form throughout the championship, while their forwards proved once again how dangerous they can be as they looked a massive goal threat throughout. 

The game's key stage came in the 36th minute, when after Cait Devane goaled from a penalty to put Clonoulty four points behind, but Thurles would react with a vengeance, when straight from the resultant puckout Sarsfields went up the other end and goaled through Caoimhe Stakelum, and within five minutes had scored 2-1 to go eleven points ahead, and this was the sort of power we have seen from the mid outfit throughout the championship. 

Clonoulty would respond with a goal and a point, but after the goal, Thurles responded with another goal of their own, once again from the resultant puckout, this time from Karen Kennedy, to put the game beyond doubt, despite the late push from Rossmore. 

There were some fine individual performances throughout the Thurles side, notably Emer Kennedy, Emma Carey, Karen Kennedy and Caoimhe Stakelum, who was superb and notched a hat-trick for herself. 

Clonoulty will be disappointed and never reached their full potential, and will look back at some key moments throughout where they had goal chances but just couldn’t get the ball up and let the ball slip, especially in the first half, but will know they just were second best overall.

Thurles, as they have done so many times this year, got off to a flyer and had the ball in the back of the Clonoulty net after 31 seconds when Marie Creedon knocked in the rebound after a Caoimhe Stakelum effort was well saved by Teresa Burke in goal. 

Two minutes later, Clonoulty had a great chance to get level when Eimear Bourke picked out Sarah Fryday in a load of space in front of goal, but the ball wouldn’t come up for Fryday, and Thurles eventually cleared. Rossmore opened their account through a Cait Devane free. Four minutes later, a Clonoulty puck-out went wrong and Aoife Dwyer punished them with a tidy finish. 

A minute later, Thurles had their second goal after Caoimhe Stakelum finished at the second attempt. First, Sarah Stakelum saw her effort saved, and then Caoimhe had her first effort blocked before finishing to the back of the net.

Clonoulty responded with two scores in a row, first from Casey Hennessy after a fine move, then a Devane free, before Caoimhe Stakelum pointed after a fine catch and turn to leave five in it. 

It was out to six in the 21st minute through a Stakelum 45, and then Devane and Stakelum traded three frees in a row, before Karen Kennedy, in added time, hit the final score of the half to leave it at 2-05 to 0-5 at the break.

Thurles got off to a flyer in the second half too, and Lucy Purcell pointed after 15 seconds, with Andrea Loughnane adding another in the third minute. A Devane free reduced the lead, and then Clonoulty were awarded a penalty in the 36th minute after Sarah Fryday was fouled. Devane stepped up and hit a bullet to the back of the net.

Any hope for Clonoulty was soon wiped out, as Thurles went straight up the other end following a great run from Karen Kennedy, who then passed to Stakelum, who hit an unstoppable shot to the back of the net. 

Stakelum added a free two minutes later, and she completed her hat-trick in the 41st minute from the penalty spot after she had been fouled when her initial shot had been saved and rebounded to her.

A 45 from Devane left the score at 4-8 to 1-7 after 43 minutes, and Clonoulty had the gap back to eight in the 45th minute when Eimear Bourke goaled after being set up by Sarah Fryday. 

But once again, the Thurles response was swift, and from the resultant puck-out, the ball found its way to Karen Kennedy, who went on a trademark run before finishing to the back of the net.

Devane and Stakelum then exchanged frees, and the two Stakelums, Sarah first, then Caoimhe, added two more points from play to leave the score at 5-11 to 2-8 with five minutes left. 

Clonoulty, as champions they are, fought till the very end and finished the game stronger, but had left themselves too much to do, despite a Courtney Ryan goal after she doubled on a Devane free. 

Devane then added two points, the second from play, and with the last play, Sarah Fryday found the back of the net after being set up by Devane. But it was Thurles who were celebrating when the final whistle went moments later.

Scorers: Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum (3-6, 1-4f), Karen Kennedy 1-1, Marie Creedon 1-0, Lucy Purcell, Andrea Loughnane, Sarah Stakelum, Aoife Dwyer all 0-1 each.

Clonoulty Rossmore: Cait Devane (1-9, 1-8f), Courtney Ryan, Sarah Fryday, Eimear Bourke all 1-0 each, Casey Hennessy 0-1.

Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy; Leanna Coppinger, Niamh McCormack, Rebecca O’Mara; Emma Carey, Emer Kennedy, Marie Creedon; Ciara Cummins, Aoife Dwyer; Andrea Loughnane, Lucy Purcell, Sarah Stakelum; Karen Kennedy, Caoimhe Stakelum, Laura Loughnane.

Subs used: Roisin Corbett for S Stakelum (61); Aoife Butler for N McCormack (61); Kate Stakelum for L Loughnane (61).

Clonoulty Rossmore: Teresa Burke; Kate Ryan, Bernadette Ryan, Moira Kinane; Eimear Loughman, Courtney Ryan, Aoife Burke; Sinead Ryan, Casey Hennessy; Cora Hennessy, Cait Devane, Kellie Quirke; Kate Ferncombe, Sarah Fryday, Eimear Bourke.

Subs used: Orla Ryan for K Ryan (51); Avril Quirke for K Ferncombe (51).

Referee: David Kennedy (Nenagh Éire Óg)

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