Comeragh Rangers overcome Clonmel Commercials to regain Munster Ladies Senior B title

Munster Ladies Gaelic Football Senior B Club Championship Final

COMERAGH RANGERS (Waterford) 0-6 CLONMEL COMMERCIALS 0-2

Munster Senior B Club champions from 2020 Comeragh Rangers made the short trip into Clonmel a memorable one on Sunday afternoon with victory over Clonmel Commercials in the provincial final played at The Sportsfield, coming out on top on a scoreline of 0-6 to 0-2.

On an absolutely miserable day for football in which the rain hardly abated over the 60 minutes, the west Waterford girls just about had the measure of their opponents seeking a first ever provincial title at this grade.

Even with the pitch being in excellent condition, the unforgiving elements, an energy-sapping deep underfoot and a ball that was challenging to handle, both sides gave it their all serving up an entertaining and fiercely competitive decider. Deservedly so, the Rathgormack club were worthy winners in the end, wearing down the hosts who fought like tigers to the final whistle.

Comeragh Rangers’ victory completes a great Munster double for ladies football in west Waterford, with Ballymacarbry having already won the A final, and now their near-neighbours whom they defeated in this year’s final - for the ninth time in 10 years - retaining their B crown.

Hardened by those finals with Ballymac over the years and with that bit more experience of Munster competition, Comeragh Rangers needed to call on all their battling qualities to pull through here. After finishing the first half tied at just one point apiece, the Deise side hit the front early in the second period, and once they got those couple of vital scores were always going to be difficult to dethrone on a day when scoring was at a premium.

With five minutes left to play Comeragh Rangers were three points clear when Commercials had their second point of the game to make it 0-4 to 0-2 and the prospect still existed of a home win if that vital goal could be engineered. But Joe Murray’s side were having none of it and focused on their task to finish with two late points to claim their second Munster title at this grade in three years.

Commercials had started the game impressively with Anna Carey kicking the opening point after just 13 seconds after good work by captain Courtney Lonergan.

Clonmel Commercials's Anna Carey shows huge determination in breaking through the challenges of two Comeragh Rangers players during Sunday's Munster Club Senior B final played at Clonmel Sportsfield. Pic: Michael Boland

Seven minutes in, after the influential Shauna Dunphy was fouled, Ruth Kirwan kicked an equalising free for Comeragh Rangers, and amazingly that was to be the last score of the opening 30 minutes.

It was a day made for defenders and to the credit of both sets of backs they performed excellently with very few opportunities coughed up. A feature of the game was some tremendous full length blocks, Tayna Peters and Niamh Mackey both bravely denying their Waterford opponents on a couple of occasions each.

With Emma Murray outstanding at midfield for the reigning champions, taking the game to Commercials all day long, Comeragh Rangers definitely enjoyed more of the possession in the opening half and should have been ahead at the break. But with dogged determination from Kate and Betty Barlow, Orla Winston and Sally Quinlivan, time and again, efforts at points had to be taken from distance and in the first half the Rangers were forced into kicking  seven wides.

The introduction of Geraldine Power at half-time was significant for the Waterford side and within 40 seconds of the restart she would give them the lead that they never relinquished afterwards.

In the third minute they strung together a fine move involving Emma Murray and Shauna Dunphy who played a nice one-two before Murray made it 0-3 to 0-1.

And that advantage was out to three points by the three-quarters mark when Emma Murphy picked up a mistargeted kick-out to run straight back at the defence before pointing.

It was that ability to eke scores out of difficult situations that kept nudging the scoreboard onwards ever so slowly for the Waterford representatives. Commercials were progressing so far with Anna Carey, Ava Fennessy and Aoife Doyle continuously probing but too often the final pass was breaking down and opportunities for vital scores lost.

Commercials’ second score of the day eventually came in the 55th minute.  After a great run by Aoife Doyle was illegally stopped, Sarah Ryan kicked the resultant free, and despite Comeragh Rangers having the more possession, they were still within a kick of the ball with five minutes to play.

But Comeragh Rangers steadied themselves and four minutes later Emma Murray, Ellen Bolger and Geraldine Power built an incisive inter-passing move which created some space and Geraldine Power finished with a fine point.

The victorious Comeragh Rangers squad, mentors and mascots celebrate with the Munster Cup following their victory over Clonmel Commercials in the final at Clonmel Sportsfield on Sunday afternoon last. Pic Michael Boland

A minute later the insurance score arrived when Aine Power was fouled close in Ruth Kirwan kicked her second free and there was to be no coming back after that for the brave Commercials girls.

As games and days go, this was as difficult for good football as you could imagine but tremendous credit to both squads for their trojan efforts which demonstrated their hunger to get their hands on the big prize.

The champions just seemed to have that little bit more footballing skill and cohesion in movement than their Clonmel opponents, plus their experience also stood to them in the heat of battle. In Emma Murray they had the game’s outstanding player. But there were also solid displays from Aoife Murray, Keeley Corbett Barry (up to her injury), Nora Dunphy, captain Kate Hahessy, Cora Murray, Ellen Bolger, Shauna Dunphy and Orlaith Kennedy.

Commercials never gave up the fight and will gain from this experience. The back unit came under a lot of pressure over the hour and the half-line of Orla Winston, Niamh Mackey and Sally Quinlivan were unrelenting in their determination. Anna Carey looked the one most dangerous in going forward, but there was also much to admire in the efforts of Courtney Lonergan, Aoife Doyle and Ava Fennessy. 

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Deserved win for Clonmel team at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Clonmel Commercials: Aisling Deely, Tayna Peters, Kate Barlow, Betty Barlow, Orla Winston, Niamh Mackey, Sally Quinlivan, Courtney Lonergan (captain), Saoirse McGeever, Aoife Doyle, Anna Carey (0-1), Ava Fennessy, Sarah Ryan (0-1F), Ciara Corbett, Dara Walsh.

Subs: Emily Corcoran for Walsh (inj., half-time); Emma Carey for McGeever (46); Saoirse Keating for Ryan (60+3)

Comeragh Rangers: Abbie Norris, Nora Dunphy, Cora Murray, Aoife Hahessy, Orlaith Kennedy, Kate Hahessy (captain), Caoimhe Hassett, Emma Murray (0-2), Keeley Corbett-Barry, Ellen Bolger, Kaylin Broxson, Aoife Murray, Shauna Dunphy, Ruth Kirwan (0-2F), Trishi Kelly.

Subs: Emma Power for Corbett-Barry, (inj, 28 minutes), Geraldine Power (0-2) for Broxson (half-time), Aine Power for Kelly (43); Ava Connolly for Kirwan (60+1).

Referee: Maurice Mulcahy (Cork).