AIB All-IRELAND senior club camogie champions Milford kept their hopes of a two-in-a-row alive today as they get set to face Galway’s Ardrahan in the decider.
Cork outfit Milford edged a very tight semi-final encounter today with Eoghan Rua at Donaghmore Ashbourne by 1-10 to 0-8.
The Derry champions will rue a host of spurned opportunities, as they had plenty of possession but just could not translate that into scores. Even late on, the normally clinical Grace McMullan and Katie Mullan had goal chances that would have made it very interesting had they been availed of.
The Milford full-back line of Katie Galvin, Maria Walsh and Lisa Healy were outstanding however, and with Ashling Thompson giving a player-of-the-match performance, and Rebels football star Deirdre O’Reilly, Marie O’Neill and Maria Watson getting the key scores, it was the Cork representatives that prevailed.
They led by 1-2 to 0-0 early on, with the dangerous Watson bundling the sliotar to the net, but Eoghan Rua settled down and Gráinne McGoldrick slotted four points to have them trailing by just four – 1-5 to 0-4 – at half time.
Three of McGoldrick’s scores came from placed balls and in all, she finished with seven points, six of which came from frees. Mullan’s late point was the Coleraine crew’s only other score from play.
Watson came deeper as Milford faced into the wind in the second half and the tactic worked well as despite giving up plenty of possession, the champions outscored their opponents again, despite missing a number of frees.
Milford players celebrating last year’s final win
Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
They will play Ardrahan in the final, after the Galway champions produced a brilliant second-half performance to beat Mullinavat 2-8 to 0-8 at Moneygall.
It wasn’t looking good for Ardrahan early on, as Mullinavat scored six points on the trot to lead by five. Crucially though, Ardrahan managed not steady the ship and came back with three points of their own and were still in contention at the interval, trailing by 0-7 to 0-4.
When player of the match, Rebecca Hennelly buried a penalty, after Edel Holland was taken down in the square, the sides were level and the westerners never looked back.
Mullinavat only scored one point in the latter period, via Elaine Aylward, and Keelin O’Shaughnessy’s goal confirmed the verdict.
In the one intermediate semi-final that survived the weather, Ballyhale Shamrocks defeated Portumna by 2-3 to 0-7.
Ballyhale Shamrocks players celebrate
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
First Henshaw now Carty great to see some Athlone lads starting to make a breakthrough
Best of luck to Jack Carthy, great to see Connacht fielding a young, all Irish back line.
Would love to see Jordi have a great game at 7 and get into 6 nations contention to fill the gap left by SOB. Will also be keeping a close eye on Henry and Tommy O’ D tonight
C’mon Connacht.
Exciting game ahead. Leinster will be scratching after last yrs result but Connacht will meet ye more than half way!!!!
FYI. You have only listed 14 starting players for Leinster. Devon Toner has become a one-man machine in the second row…
Scratch that, you have added Tom Denton.
I have. He just about caught the bus. Cheers.
Tom Denton catching something? What’s seldom is wonderful
Kirchner on the wing, hopefully he’ll spark some exciting back plays.
Murphy at 7 puts even more pressure on Henry and o’donnell
He’s only back from injury but I really liked the work rate and professionalism of o donnell last year! I think at the moment if have him and murphy ahead of Henry in the long run
I’d rather go to a funeral than watch a rugby match
In that case shouldn’t you read an obituary column instead of an article on rugby?
Paulie I’d say you depress everyone at a funeral
Give it to him Lizzy!
Right in his Walnuts!
Haha, if I thought he had some Robby I would but my guess is he’s all mouth and no trousers ;)
Nicely put Elizabeth, well said!
There something wrong in the system when the IRFU won’t give the appropriate funds to a team who funds an all irish backline but prefers to spend money on big name signings to boost another provinces profile. Then they are wondering why they are not unearthing players to fill the roles of the retiring legends of the last few years? Connacht could be a good conveyor belt for Ireland in areas that are been missed, just look at Athlone.
Both Munster and Leinster are producing massive amounts of Irish players and ulster have brought some through too. To say spending money on overseas players is a waste is just wrong.
Players like Isa and rocky done so much for Leinster
As did dougie and him Williams for Munster and all these young ulster backs
I assume you’re referring to the same Connacht who are the only province not restricted by the IRFU’s stringent new rules on overseas recruitment & who boast more overseas players in their squad than any other province? Change the record. We’ve all heard this tune before
Del. We have relatively few non-Irish players and more and more of our squad is IQ. In face more and more of our squad is Connacht academy.
The reason why Connacht is not bound by the overseas rule is because the IRFU implicitly want Connacht to be a development province. They are not explicit about it because it annoys everyone here but that is the reason. Hence Connacht IQ players can be moved to other provinces and they are told to shop abroad.
The first example of this was Macca. Granted Connacht did well to bring Clarke in, but it will not always work out that like.
Personally I would much prefer Connacht to be properly funded and have the same rules apply to us as the rest of the provinces.