By Daragh Ó Conchúir

Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 3-13
Drom & Inch (Tipperary) 0-5

THE WEXFORD STRANGLEHOLD on camogie tightened further as Oulart-The Ballagh strolled to victory to claim the All-Ireland senior club title in comprehensive fashion at Croke Park.

Powered by the Leacy sisters, Úna and Mary, Ursula Jacob, Aideen Brennan, Stacey Kehoe and the outstanding Stacey Redmond, Oulart were much too powerful for a Drom/Inch outfit that failed to score in the first half.

To give the Tipperary outfit their due credit, they never stopped trying, with Joanne Ryan and Michelle Shortt giving all that they had, but their efforts were fruitless against a team of such power, experience and talent.

The early exchanges were scrappy enough as the teams struggled to cope with the conditions. A pre-match shower of hailstones made handling difficult but Oulart gradually imposed themselves.

Drom/Inch goalie, Rosie Kenneally was called upon to be very brave when throwing her body in front of a Stacey Kehoe shot.

Jacob got the scoring under way after being placed cleverly by Louise Sinnott and though Niamh Harkin was brilliantly hooked at the other end by Ciara Storey, that was to be a very rare attacking foray by the Munster champions.

Kehoe had capitalised on more good work by Sinnott by the time Brennan poked the sliotar to an empty net in the 15th minute, after team captain, Una Leacy had drawn two defenders and Kenneally.

Drom/Inch’s Deirdre Dunne and Rosie Kenneally dejected after the game . Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Jacob and Kehoe slotted two more points before Una Leacy finshed brilliantly to the net nine minutes later. It was 2-6 to 0-0 at half time, with the closest Drom/Inch coming to breaking their drought when Harkin’s rasping shot for goal ricocheted off the upright just before the interval.

Hopes of a comeback were summarily dispatched by Oulart, who carried on as they had left off and opened up an 18-point margin by the 40th minute. Brennan notched up her second goal despite a valiant attempt by Kenneally to stop her shot.

Catriona Shortt finally landed Drom/Inch’s first point from a 43rd minute free and it marked a slight upsurge in fortunes.
Former Tipperary captain, Geraldine Kinane took a pass from Harkin to send a crisp shot over the bar and the industrious Ryan landed her side’s third successive point.

Mary Looby and Shortt also shot points before the end but there was never any doubt about the destination of the Bill Carroll Cup, Brennan, Jacob and Kehoe all raising white flags before the final whistle sparked delirious celebrations in the Oulart camp.

Scorers – Oulart-The Ballagh: A Brennan 2-2; U Jacob 0-7(2fs); Stacey Kehoe 0-3; U Leacy 1-0; L Sinnott 0-1

Drom/Inch: C Shortt 0-2(1f, 1 45); G Kinane, J Ryan, M Looby 0-1 each

Oulart-The Ballagh: H Jacob; C Atkinson, C Storey, K Atkinson; S Redmond, M Leacy, S Sinnott; D Ryan, Shelley Kehoe; T Stamp, U Jacob, L Sinnott; A Brennan, U Jacob, Stacey Kehoe. Sub: Sharon Kehoe for L Sinnott (53); A O’Connor for U Leacy inj (56); K Dunne for Stamp (58); E Moran for Brennan (58); D Kirwan for K Atkinson (59)

Drom/Inch: R Kenneally; P McGrath, L Bourke, N Connolly; N Harrington, M Shortt, T Shortt; S Bourke, J Ryan; G Kinane, A Kennedy, E Shanahan; C Shortt, N Harkin, M Looby. Subs: A Eviston for Kennedy (25); A McGrath for Shanahan (43); M Barry for T Shortt (43); D Dunne for Harrington (53); S Corcoran for C Shortt (60)

Referee: O Elliott (Antrim)

Reproduced with permission from Camogie.ie

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