Clanmaurice Make It Three-In-A-Row

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By Risteárd Ó Fuaráin

Clanmaurice made the long trip to Newport GAA in Tipperary on Saturday to face St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield of Clare with the Kerry Girls seeking to win the Munster Junior Club title for the third year in a row.

On a perfect day for camogie, Clanmaurice started well and Patrice Diggin had them three points to the good by the third minute with two frees and one point from play.

The St. Joseph’s girls were pressing hard to get an opening score and a dangerous ball dropped into the Clanmaurice goalmouth was eventually cleared. St. Joseph’s Louise Woods got their opening score in the 10th minute.

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Rachel McCarthy and Olivia Dineen then combined to enable Olivia to split the Doora-Barefield posts. It was then the turn of Clanmaurice to launch an attack on the Doora-Barefield goal but No. 7 Eimear Casey saved the day for the Banner Women.

Jessica Fitzell then went on a scintillating run but her effort went agonisingly wide. Aisling McMahon scored a free for St. Joseph’s and Hannah Meaney found the Clanmaurice net in the 29th minute to give Doora-Barefield a massive lift on the approach to halftime.

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An Aisling McMahon free in the 2nd minute of injury time left the halftime score at St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-3 Clanmaurice 0-4. It was clear that Clanmaurice would have to pull out all the stops to retain their title.

Louise Woods opened the second half scoring with a free to put a goal between the sides but this was to be the final score for St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield.

Patrice Diggin converted a free and in the 34thminute, Olivia Dineen was at the end of a move to finish the ball to the Doora-Barefield net. Jackie Horgan scored a point from play in the 37th and Patrice Diggin followed with a free in the 40th.

In the 42nd minute, Jessica Fitzell was fouled as she bore down on the Doora-Barefield goal and the penalty strike from Patrice Diggin was deflected over the bar.

St. Joseph’s launched an attack on the Clanmaurice goal in the 44th minute but goalkeeper Aoife Fitzgerald was coolness personified as she dealt with the threat.

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Patrice Diggin made it 1-9 to 1-4 in the 46th minute and the same player showed her defence capabilities in the 49th as she lifted the siege with Doora-Barefield pressing hard for the goal that they so badly needed.

A Patrice Diggin point from play in the 50th minute was followed by a moment of magic when Laura Collins went on a brilliant run and she finished the sliotar to the Doora-Barefield net.

It was then the turn of Michelle Costello to show her defensive skills and it fell to substitute Ann-Marie Leen to score the final point for Clanmaurice.

Two frees from St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in the 59th minute and 4th minute of injury time left the full time score at Clanmaurice 2-11 St. Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-6.

Patrice Diggin received the Player Of The Match Award from Munster Camogie Secretary Carmel Harkin and Captain Liz Houlihan accepted the Cup from Munster Camogie Chairperson Marion Graham much to the delight of the large Clanmaurice support.

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Clanmaurice will face Ballymacnab of Armagh in the All-Ireland Semi-Final on 10 November.

Kerry Team and Scorers: Aoife Fitzgerald, Elaine Ryall, Liz Houlihan, Michelle Costello, Niamh Leen, Sara Murphy, Áine O’Connor, Patrice Diggin (0-8, 0-5f), Laura Collins (1-0), Rachel McCarthy, Jackie Horgan (0-1), Olivia Dineen (1-1), Jessica Fitzell, Julianne O’Keeffe, Alanna Maunsell,

Substitutions: Clodagh Walsh for Julianne O’Keeffe, Ann-Marie Leen (0-1) for Jessica Fitzell, Aoife O’Connor for Alanna Maunsell

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