It was an exciting weekend in the Senior A, B and Intermediate camogie championships with some close battles throughout the games. Sarsfields, Mullagh and Athenry made it two wins from two while Ardrahan registered their first win of the championship. There were back to back wins for Salthill Knocknacarra and Shamrocks in the Senior B championship while Castlegar came late to overcome Eyrecourt for their first points and Craughwell and Clarinbridge shared the spoils. Meanwhile in the intermediate championship, there were wins for Killimor, Ahascragh Caltra and Pearses while Abbeyknockmoy and Liam Mellows had to split the points.
Sarsfields 1-13 Oranmore Maree 1-11
It was a reapeat of the last three county finals in the first game in Kilbeacanty on Saturday when Sarsfields faced off with old rivals Ardrahan. It was the champions who got off to the best start with a point from Klara Donohue and a free from Niamh McGrath. Oranmore Maree hit back however and put themselves into the lead by the 15th minute through three Ailish O’Reilly frees and a well taken score from Eimear O’Donovan.
Sarsfields hit back with a Siobhán McGrath goal 30 seconds later while Siobhán McGrath followed up with a free four minutes to later to give Sarsfields a two point lead. Oranmore Maree fought back with a point from Aisling Black and a goal from O’Reilly on the 21st minute to reinstate their lead in the game. Siobhán McGrath through a free and a point from Caoimhe Kelly was followed by another O’Reilly free at the end of the half as Oranmore Maree went in a point in front.
Siobhán McGrath pointed two frees inside the opening three minutes. Hannah Mangan hit back with a point from play to bring the sides level but Sarsfields hit four without reply through Niamh McGrath, Cora Kenny, Kelly and a Siobhán McGrath free to give them a four point cushion by the 44th minute. O’Reilly replied with two more points, one through a free by the 49th minute but the sides went score for score towards the end of the game with a point from Kenny and a free from Siobhán McGrath while O’Reilly pointed two more frees as Sarsfields ran out two point victors on the day.
Athenry 1-12 St Thomas 2-8
Newly-promoted St Thomas almost overcame Athenry in the second game in Kilbeacanty. It was Athenry who started well out of the blocks with two Sabina Rabbitte frees, a point from Jessica Gill and a goal from Noreen Coen. Aine Keane got her side's first score on the 16th minute through a free to leave six between the teams at the midway point. Gill followed with her second straight from the restart, but it was Siobhán Mullins who managed to break down the Athenry defence and get in for a goal on the 20th minute. Rabbitte and Keane swapped frees while Mollie Noone got her name on the scorecard for Athenry too but it was St Thomas’ who finished the half the strongest with two Keane frees and a Mullins point to leave it Athenry 1-6 St Thomas 1-5 heading into the break.
Rabbitte slotted three more points for Athenry, two through frees in the opening ten minutes of the second half to extend Athenry’s lead. Abbie Massey hit back for St Thomas but substitute Therese Donohue followed up four minutes later with a point to leave four between the sides 13 minutes remaining. Keane and Rabbitte swapped scores on the 49thand 50th minutes through frees but 1-1 in the space of a minute for St Thomas with a Nikita Burke goal and a point from Massey meant the sides were level heading into the final few minutes. There was some great defending by both sides but another Rabbitte free on the 58th minute sealed a one point victory for Athenry.
Mullagh 1-14 Davitts 1-14
Neighbours Mullagh and Davitts played out a draw in Kiltormer on Saturday evening in Kiltormer. Tegan Canning opened the scoring with a point from play in the opening minute. Leah Behan followed up a minute later to bring the sides level. Aoife Donohue and Hanley, through a free swapped scores while Aoife Connaugton put Mullagh into the lead by the 7th minute with two points, one through a free.
A Hanley ffree and a point from Hickey brought the sides level again for the third time but a long range effort from Connaughton fell out of Caoimhe Hickey’s hand and into the back of the net to restore Mullagh’s lead by the midway point of the half. Claire Blake and Donohue swapped scores but a free from Aisling Donnellan ended up in the back of the net on the 20th minute to bring the sides level at 1-5 apiece. Sarah Coen pointed for Mullagh but two more Donnellan frees and one from Hickey put Davitts into the lead for the first time. It was Mullagh who finished the strongest with two Canning points and one from Amy King as Mullagh went in 1-9 to 1-8 in front at the break.
Hanley and Coen swapped scored in the opening ten minutes of the second half. Two Hanley frees saw Davitts go back into the lead by the midway point of the half. Canning brought the sides level with her 4th point of the day on th 17thminute.. Hickey hit back for Davitts two minutes later but a free from Canning and a Donohue point saw Mullagh take the lead once again. Hanley hit two more frees for Davitts while Canning got her 6th of the day as it finished Mullagh 1-14 Davitts 1-14.
Ardrahan 4-9 Carnmore 1-11
Goals were key for Ardrahan as they overcame Carnmore for their first victory in the Senior championship. It was the 11th minute before the first score was registered through a point from Alannah Fahy. Helena Tarpey, Kate Deverux through a free and Shauna Healy replied with points for Ardrahan to put them into the lead by the midway point of the half. Valerie Coleman got her sides second score on the 17th minute. Goals were key with Shauna Healy finding the back of the net on the 18th minute. Grainne Fahy followed up for Carnmore two minutes later but Tarpey found the net for Ardrahan’s second major on the 22nd minute to leave four between the sides. Devereux followed up with a point for Ardrahan but it was Carnmore who finished the strongest with points from Aoife Collins and Jennifer Hughes as Ardrahan headed in 2-4 to 1-4 in front.
Fahy started the scoring again in the second half with a point on the 32nd minute. Tarpey and Leanne Helebert extended Ardrahan’s lead but Collins and Fahy through a free cancelled out their scores by the 39th minute. Derverux got her third point of the day while Tarpey got her second Major of the day at the midway point of the half to leave Ardrahan six in front. Fahy replied with two frees but Alisha Quinn got Ardrahans’s fourth goal with five minutes of normal time. Hughs and Fahy hit points before the end either side of two Devereux points, one through a free as Ardrahan ran out winners on the day.
