Stakelum stars as Thurles Sarsfields edge Clonoulty Rossmore to retain county camogie crown

FBD Insurance County Senior Camogie Championship Final

Thurles Sarsfields 2-11

Clonoulty Rossmore 0-15

Thurles completed a two-in-a-row after beating Clonoulty in the county final, coming through by two points to add to the hurling title the club won last weekend.

In what was a close game which swung back and forth for the most part, Thurles' ability to score goals was the main difference in the end.

It is yet more final heartbreak for Clonoulty as they have now suffered defeat in seven of the last eight finals.

The game itself wasn’t of the highest quality, with only ten points coming from play, but it was a tough, hard-hitting game played in glorious sunshine, with both teams giving it their all, every battle fiercely contested and defences on top.

Thurles overall deserved their win as defensively they were very strong, keeping Clonoulty very quiet for the most part, with Cáit Devane, who scored 12 points overall, being the main threat.

For Sarsfields, it was Caoimhe Stakelum who did the majority of their scoring as she hit 1-9, and she was ably supported by Karen Kennedy and Lucy Purcell, who both had excellent games.

Thurles opened the scoring after just 18 seconds through Karen Kennedy, but it would take a few minutes for the game to get into a proper rhythm, as both sides were feeling the other out.

Cáit Devane had the sides level in the seventh minute when she found herself in loads of space 40 metres out and had the easiest of finishes.

Kellie Quirke had the 2024 champions ahead in the tenth minute, with Devane adding two more, the first a free, to put Clonoulty three ahead in the 14th minute.

But Thurles struck back in fine fashion, Caoimhe Stakelum hitting two frees before she then found the back of the net in the 18th minute, following a great ball in from Aoife Dwyer, and Stakelum finished with aplomb.

A super catch and finish from Laura Loughnane had Thurles four ahead, and it was five when Caoimhe Stakelum added another in the 21st minute.

This would be the champions' last score of the half as Clonoulty finished the half stronger, and four frees in a row from Devane, the second after she had seen her goal-bound effort brilliantly saved by Thurles keeper Siobhan Hennessy on an advantage, left the sides level at the break, 1-5 to 0-8.

Caoimhe Stakelum had Thurles two ahead in the 33rd minute via two frees, before Sarah Fryday reduced it to one after being set up by Devane.

Devane herself had the sides level in the 39th minute via a free, with Thurles going straight up the other end and answering with a Caoimhe Stakelum free, and Stakelum added another two minutes later with a nice finish from play.

From the puckout, Thurles got possession, and a long ball in saw Laura Loughnane find herself through on goal, and she pulled along the ground to the back of the net.

The gap was at six in the 45th minute through a Stakelum 45.

A Cáit Devane free in the 48th minute reduced the lead to five, and the same player added another free in the 52nd minute to leave the score 2-10 to 0-12.

Then Devane would hit the score of the game as she won a superb ball before firing over under pressure from the sideline to leave three points in it.

Devane once again added a free to leave it at two, but Thurles would then have the gap back at three from a Stakelum free, albeit awarded rather controversially as Rossmore felt the free should have been awarded their way.

A Kellie Quirke point in the 61st minute left two in it.

Clonoulty had one last chance deep into added time when a free was dropped in, but Thurles managed to keep it out and were awarded a free, with the final whistle going soon after.

Scorers: Thurles Sarsfields: Caoimhe Stakelum (1-9, 0-7f), Laura Loughnane 1-1, Karen Kennedy 0-1.

Clonoulty Rossmore: Cáit Devane (0-12, 0-9f), Kellie Quirke 0-2, Sarah Fryday 0-1.

Thurles Sarsfields: Siobhan Hennessy; Leanna Coppinger, Nicola Loughnane, Aoife Butler; Ciara Cummins, Emer Kennedy, Emma Carey; Karen Kennedy, Aoife Dwyer; Andrea Loughnane, Anna Derby, Marie Creedon; Laura Loughnane, Caoimhe Stakelum, Lucy Purcell.

Subs used: Sarah Stakelum for M. Creedon (20, blood sub, reversed 28); Robyn Fanning for A. Butler (HT); Sarah Stakelum for A. Derby (43); R. Corbett for N. Loughnane (60).

Clonoulty Rossmore: Eva Ryan; Moira Kinane, Clodagh Quirke, Eimear Loughman; Julie Murphy, Kate Ryan, Bernadette Ryan; Courtney Ryan, Casey Hennessy; Kellie Quirke, Cáit Devane, Sinead Ryan; Sarah Fryday, Kate Ferncombe, Eimear Bourke.

Subs used: Aoife Bourke for B. Ryan (50); Aoife Bourke for K. Ferncombe (56).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Éire Óg)