Cork and Offaly will participate in a straight shootout for a place in the Liberty Insurance senior camogie semi-finals in a fortnight, after the two counties maintained their 100% records with victories over Dublin and Tipperary writes Daragh Ó Conchúir.
Last year’s runners-up were much too strong for a disappointing Dublin outfit, registering a 5-23 to 0-4 verdict at Páirc Uí Rinn.
In all, Paudie Murray’s side had seven individual scorers in a consummate team performance. Katrina Mackey led the way with 2-3, with Síle Burns close up on 2-2. Angela Walsh showed that her transformation to the forward division is proving a success with 1-4.
Jenny O’Leary, Julia White and Eimear O’Sullivan scored 13 points between them, with the tireless Briege Corkery also on the mark.
Offaly had to work much harder for their 1-15 to 0-10 success in Banagher. Tipperary played with fierce intensity in the first half and with the wind at their backs and Sarah Fryday in tremendous form, they led by 0-6 to 0-4 at half time.
It was still all to play for at the three-quarter mark when minor star, Rachel Brennan went on a strong solo run before finding Elaine Dermody with her pass. The veteran full-forward provided a superb finish for a goal and Offaly pulled away for the win.
Siobhán Flannery brought her ultimate tally to four points with two monster scores and Dermody finished with 1-4 to her credit. Fryday was top scorer for Tipperary with four points, while Nicole Walsh slotted three.
It’s all to play for in Group 1 as All-Ireland champions Wexford suffered their first defeat of the campaign to a Galway team that desperately needed the win having lost their opening tie.
That urgency may have been the difference at Wexford Park, as well as the player-of-the-match performance of long-serving centre-back Therese Maher, as the Tribeswomen came away from a tightly-contested affair on the right side of a 0-10 to 0-8
Both defences were on top throughout but the winners had the wind in their favour in the first half. With the magnificent Niamh McGrath slotting five points, including three from play, they led by 0-8 to 0-2 at the interval.
Ursula Jacob was responsible for Wexford’s two scores and led the attempted comeback with three more after the resumption but could never get closer than two points to their conqueror.
It took Galway 24 minutes to get their first score of the half courtesy of substitute Noreen Coen, and two minutes from time, Niamh Kilkenny hit her second point to give her side a little bit of breathing space.
Kilkenny remain in the box seat of a hugely competitive group when beating Derry 6-12 to 1-5 at Ashbourne.
Grainne McGoldrick was the Oak Leafers’ standout performer with a goal and three points, but at the other end of the pitch, Kilkenny’s goal-scoring threat proved too much.
Denise Gaule carried on her recent top form when bagging a hat-trick, while Shelly Farrell grabbed a brace and Emma Comerford also raised a green flag. Michelle Quilty fired five points. Grace Walsh started a good day for her family – as brother Tommy would later star for the hurlers – by notching up two points.
Meanwhile, Féile 2013 has been taking place in Limerick over the weekend and there will be five finals today.
Féile finalists
Div 1 Dicksboro Kilkenny v Nenagh Tipperary
Div 2 Portaferry Down v Gailtir Waterford
Div 3 Raharney Westmeath v Ballinteer St Johns Dublin
Div 4 Ballina Tipperary v Na Piarsaigh Limerick
Div 5 Kilmaley Clare v Eire Og Ennis Clare
