Limerick marked their return to the top tier of the Irish Daily Star Camogie League with a late flurry to ensure them an ultimately comfortable victory in the Division 2 final against Kildare writes Daragh Ó Conchúir.
Susie O’Carroll scored all of Kildare’s points in a wonderful display of dead-ball shooting but Limerick had significantly greater firepower, with the excellent Dympna O’Brien, Niamh Mulcahy, Mary O’Callaghan and substitute Marie Keating all key contributors for the Shannonsiders.
Kildare had the wind in their favour in the opening half at St Brendan’s Park but Limerick were by far the dominant outfit in that period and had a couple of points inside five minutes from Mulcahy and Caoimhe Costello.
O’Carroll got Kildare off the mark and kept them in touch as O’Brien in particular caused problems for the Lilywhite defence. With Sarah Carey and Mulcahy also finding the target, Limerick were not flattered by their 0-8 to 0-4 half-time advantage.
Kildare resumed in determined fashion and had their best period of play in the third quarter. A brace of points from O’Carroll reduced the margin to two entering the final quarter but it might even have been better for the All Whites.
O’Carroll caught Siobhán Hurley’s 38th minute free brilliantly but was hauled to the ground and Cathal Egan had no option but to award a penalty. Unfortunately for Jim McMullan’s side, the otherwise immaculate O’Carroll drove the over rather than under the crossbar.
Suitably warned, Limerick embarked on a major scoring spree that yielded three goals and four points.
O’Brien struck for the first goal in the 18th minute, O’Callaghan found the net again four minutes later before the influential Keating put the game to bed for Joe Quaid’s girls with a third major.
SCORERS – LIMERICK: N Mulcahy 0-8 (6fs); D O’Brien 1-3; M Keating 1-1 each; M O’Callaghan 1-0; C Costello, S Carey 0-1 each
KILDARE: S O’Carroll 0-10(0-8fs, 0-1pen)
LIMERICK: S Moynihan, J Garvey, N Ryan, F Hickey; J Mulcahy, M Casey, M Ryan; D Fitzpatrick, S Carey; R Delee, N Mulcahy, K Campbell; C Costello, M O’Callaghan, D O’Brien. Sub: M Keating for Delee (42); N Barry for O’Brien (52); B Hannon for Campbell (60); E Quaid for Ryan (60)
KILDARE: B Byrne; N Breen, A Trant, N Concannon; F Trant, C Nolan, A Lyons; C Forde, L Keatley; C Flanagan, S Hurley, O Bambury; C Farrell, S O’Carroll, R O’Connell. Subs: D Byrne for Farrell (26); M Lyons for O’Connell (42)
REFEREE: C Egan (Cork)
