Munster Senior A Colleges Camogie: Ursuline Thurles secure Munster title at the expense of neighbours Cashel

Ursuline Thurles 1-12

Cashel Community School 2-4

It was an all Tipperary affair for the Munster Senior A Camogie Final this afternoon in Boherlahan, with Ursuline Thurles coming out on top against Cashel Community School.

The two local rivals went head to head in Boherlahann with a sizeable crowd turning out in support of both schools.

Cashel had beaten Coachford the previous Tuesday to earn their place in the final while Ursuline qualified following their victory over Doon a mere two days prior to the final.

Ursuline got the opening score in the fourth minute when a Paula Quirke solo from the half back line found Lucy Purcell, whose pass to Sars teammate, Caoimhe Stakelum, resulted in a point from forty yards out.

Cashel responded by taking the battle down the field looking dangerous around the Ursuline goalmouth. But keeper Orla Ryan deflected away the chance with big sister Lorna taking charge of the clearance.

Ursuline failed to convert their next two chances despite playing with the strong breeze in the first half. However, Danielle Ryan, on home turf, pointed in the tenth minute thanks to a short free in from Sarah Corcoran.

Kate Ferncombe made a strong break up the field and when a free was awarded it was Sarah Corcoran who stepped up to finish it, adding another point to Ursuline’s tally to make it 3 points to no score.

Above: The Ursuline Thurles team which won the Munster Final this afternoon in Boherlahan.

Cashel got their opening and only point of the first half shortly after to shorten the deficit to 3 points to 1.

Sarah Corcoran got her second score in the nineteenth minute when she sent another free over the bars from thirty yards out. Accuracy in free taking, especially in the first half playing into the wind, certainly helped Ursuline maintain their lead throughout the game.

Caoimhe Stakelum then made a run for it, soloing in from the side to finish with a strong strike at the Cashel net only for Molly Gilmartin to bravely dispatch the threat and deny Ursuline the finish.

Kate Ferncombe, tenacious in mid-field, won another free, which Sarah Corcoran sent flying over the uprights. Two minutes later Sarah scored again from a free to make it 6 points to 1 to the Thurles girls.

Ursuline would secure two more points before half time -a Lucy Purcell run popped onto Caoimhe Stakelum made it seven points for UCT in the twenty-ninth minute and another Sarah Corcoran free in the dying seconds of the first half made it an 8-1 scoreline in Ursuline’s favour.

The second half saw a super charged Cashel, defending champions, come out with an obvious determination to give it everything they had and more.

While Ursuline got the first second half score with only forty seconds on the clock, coming off the stick of a Sarah Corcoran free, it was Cashel who got the first goal of the game. Captain Grace Moloney sent a long ball in with corner forward Lisa O’Connor taking the golden opportunity to blast it into the goal past Ursuline’s Orla Ryan.

The game was 1-1 Cashel to Ursuline 0-9 but there was certainly a feeling in the air that Cashel were only getting started. Ursuline got a goal of their own in the sixth minute when Caoimhe Stakelum found the net at the other end.

Both teams had a number of chances to notch up points in the second half, through frees and from play. Sarah Corcoran scored in the sixteenth minute from a free which was followed almost immediately by an Anna Fahie point for CCS. The mid-fielder, wearing the number eight, scored again when she sailed a sixty-five over the cross bar following an Ursuline deflection.

Cashel’s second goal happened on foot of a ruck at the Ursuline goal line. After consulting with the umpires’ referee Mike Ryan allowed it meaning Cashel now had 2-3.

Despite this Ursuline were still in the driving seat but Cashel continued to come at them until the very end.  A great Alison Fitzgerald catch was cleared away to stave off another Cashel wave and soon after twin sister Robbyn was awarded a free up the other end. Sarah Corcoran stepped up to take this adding another point for UCT, her last of the day.

Anna Fahie gave Cashel one last score in extra-time before Mike Ryan blew it up amid delighted cheers from the Thurles girls and their supporters.