Wexford's hopes of a four in a row are still intact after they recorded a 1-16 to 1-8 win over Clare to clinch third place in the Liberty Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Group 1 writes Ger McNally.
This was a winner-takes-all match and there was little to choose between the teams at half time, Wexford leading 0-6 to 0-4. Player of the match Kate Kelly grabbed a goal in the 43rd and Wexford never looked back despite Clare notching a late consolation goal. The champions will now face Offaly in the quarter-final.
Elsewhere in Group 2, Galway ensured they finished second with a comfortable 3-15 to 0-12 win over Derry.
The damage to the northerners was done early in the game as Galway raced into a 2-6 to 0-1 lead by the 22nd minute. Ann Marie Hayes and Brenda Hanney grabbed the goals while Niamh McGrath also played an important part in their early dominance with four points. Derry settled into the game after that early onslaught and only lost the remaining 28 minutes by a single point.
With the half time score at 2-9 to 0-4, Derry got some early scores in the second half but Hanney’s second goal of the game ten minutes from the end ensured victory.
Galway will now meet Tipperary in the quarter finals after the Premier county had a 2-16 to 2-6 win over Dublin in Group 1.
The first half was a very tight affair with the teams level on four separate occasions and they headed for their half time chats tied at 1-6 each. Ali Twomey had goaled for Dublin after just four minutes but Ereena Fryday did similarly at the other end after 12 minutes. The game turned on its head in the 35th minute when Dublin’s Eva Marie Elliot picked up a second yellow card. It didn’t take Tipp long to utilise their extra player and five minutes later Amy Kennedy netted a crucial goal.
Aine Fanning pulled back a goal for Dublin ten minutes from the end but with Nicole Walsh chipping in with eight points for Tipp there was no way back. Kennedy was dismissed in injury time for Tipperary but there wasn’t enough time for Dublin to mount a comeback.
Cork were also winners in Group 2 as they powered away in the final ten minutes to beat second placed Offaly 0-19 to 0-12. They led 0-7 to 0-4 at half time and there was only four points between the teams in the 50th minute.
But the Leesiders outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-3 in the final stages to ensure they topped the group and joined Kilkenny in the semi-final. Jennifer O’Leary 0-7 (3fs), Katrina Mackey 0-4, and Finola Neville 0-3 top scored for Cork while Siobhan Dermody contributed four points to Offaly’s cause.
