Limerick remain on target for a place in the last four of the Irish Daily Star Camogie League Division 1 after beating Waterford 2-11 to 0-8 at Carriganore.
The visitors always held the upper hand against the top-tier newcomers, leading at half time by 1-6 to 0-3. Niamh Mulcahy was influential as usual for Limerick and scored all of her side’s points in the opening period, while also providing the pass to Caoimhe Costelloe for the first goal.
Trish Jackman had the hosts’ three first-half points but Limerick possessed a greater goal threat and Mulcahy was involved once more as Sinead McNamara got in behind the cover and smashed a rising shot to the far corner of the Waterford net to remove any doubt.
In the other Group 2 game, Cork inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on Kilkenny, coming out on top of a very tight affair by 1-9 to 0-11. The critical score of the game arrived nine minutes before the interval and as has become customary when it comes to Cork goals, it was Katrina Mackey that did the business.
Ann Downey’s charges fought back well with points from Sarah Ann Quinlan and Kate McDonald to be level at the break, 0-8 to 1-5, and did so again having fallen three behind as Orla Cotter brought her tally for the game to five.
Quinlan levelled the scores after 29 minutes but Cork have not won the last two All-Irelands for nothing. It was no surprise then to see such an experienced crew prevail, although it was one of the fresher faces, Katelyn Hickey who popped up with the winner from the puckout, placing the Leesiders alongside Kilkenny and Limerick on the top of the table.
In Group 1, Tipperary kept their hopes alive thanks to a 2-11 to 2-8 win, their first of the season, over a Clare side that had a flawless record until this tie in Clonlara. The away team used the wings well and in Jenny Grace, had an extremely accurate operator who finished with six points, while Erena Fryday and Megan Ryan scored the goals.
Chloe Morey has been magnificent for Clare since the turn of the year and scored 1-6 this time around, while Aoibheann Malone also raised a green flag but the Premier girls held on for a deserved win.
As a result, Galway moved to the top of the table thanks to their 0-19 to 1-10 win over Offaly in Pearse Stadium. Aoife Callanan claimed the scoring honours from the entire round of games in Division 1 with a whopping 13 points that included four scores from play.
Ollie Bergin's outfit showed a lot of character to fight back from an early four-point deficit having conceded a goal to Arlene Watkins in the second minute. They were level at the change of ends, 0-9 to 1-6 and with Noreen Coen and Niamh Kilkenny adding to Callanan's tally, they were able to pull clear in the end.
Elsewhere, Dublin secured their first dividend of the year and in the process, dealt a blow to Wexford’s ambitions with a 0-12 to 0-12 draw at St Patrick’s Park in Enniscorthy.
Linda Bolger and Ali Twomey were the leading personalities in this won, each providing nine points in stellar individual performances. It was a wonderful second-half effort by the Metropolitans, who trailed by seven points at the change of ends.
They tightened up considerably however, holding Wexford to just two points in the second half, while a run of five consecutive points got them right back into the game. Bolger looked to have snatched the victory late on but fittingly, Twomey converted a free in injury time to grab a share of the spoils.
More to follow…