A winning start for Kilkishen

Kilkishen 2-9   Scariff-Ogonnelloe 3-5
Kilkishen defied the odds to secure their first points of the Senior Camogie Championship with a hard earned one-point victory over Scariff-Ogonnelloe on Sunday afternoon in Tulla.
On paper, Scariff-Ogonnelloe were the stronger team and in the opening half. With the wind at their backs, they dominated all over the field. They had 1-2 on the board in the opening quarter, which would have been more but for some wayward shooting and the play of Claire Baker in the Kilkishen goals, who pulled off some great saves to keep her side in the game.
Kilkishen’s scores in the opening half, coming from placed balls, were well taken by Kate Lynch, leaving Scariff-Ogonnelloe in front 1-4 to 0-2 at the break.
The Kilkishen management obviously used the half-time break to have some stern words with their charges, as it was Kilkishen who resumed in determined fashion, scoring 1-2 inside the opening three minutes to level matters. A further four points pushed them clear of Scariff-Ogonnelloe who, try as they might, could not breach the Kilkishen defence.
Kilkishen’s Caroline Sheedy goaled in the 54th minute and another point from Kate Lynch gave them an eight-point advantage with four minutes of normal time remaining. Scariff-Ogonnelloe were not going down without a fight however, and Marion O’Brien’s goal in the 57th minute highlighted this.
Susan Vaughan converted a free in the 59th minute and with seven minutes of injury time to be played, it looked like Scariff-Ogonnelloe could turn this game around. Another attack on the Kilkishen goal area saw Baker pull off another great save and Marie Nash followed up with a clearance out to the wing. Scariff-Ogonnelloe kept up the pressure, winning a free in the 66th minute.
Susan Vaughan dropped a long shot into the square, which saw a flurry of bodies strive to win possession.
In the resulting melee, it was Scariff-Ogonnelloe who won the vital possession and sent a rasper past Baker to reduce the margin between the sides to a single point.
Kilkishen breathed a sigh of relief as referee Aidan Ryan blew the final whistle following the puck-out.

Kilkishen: Claire Baker; Michelle Moloney, Nollaig Baker, Marie Nash; Monica Moroney, Kate Lynch (0-7, 4f), Cushla Hehir; Orla Moroney, Lisa Loughnane; Leah O’Keefe, Caroline Sheedy (1-0), Siobhan Keniry (0-1); Noelle McNamara, Shauna Fleming (1-0), Marie Collins (0-1).
Subs: Norah Murphy for Orla Moroney (53 mins).
Scariff-Ogonnelloe: Louise Jones; Máiread Vaughan, Marian O’Brien (2-0), Laura Brody; Ashling Fitzgerald, Susan Vaughan (0-1f), Leanne Horan; Áine O’Brien, Máiread Scanlon (0-2, 1 45); Sarah Madden, Gina O’Brien, Claire Colleran (1-0); Róisín O’Brien, Danielle Sheedy (0-1), Anne Marie Fitzgerald (0-1).
Subs: Orla Thornton for Sarah Madden (52 mins)
Referee: Aidan Ryan.

Newmarket 3-20   Corofin 0-4
For senior camogie debutantes Corofin, this was the baptism of fire predicted against county champions Newmarket, with the Blues running out easy winners. In the first game of a double-header in Wolfe Tones camogie pitch, Newmarket dominated all over the field, showing just why they are county champions. Corofin were held scoreless until the 16th minute, when Aoife Davoren converted a 45. Corofin added another two points before the break, going in at 0-3 to the Newmarket girls’ 1-10. The second half was a similar affair, with Newmarket continuing to exert their dominance, running out easy winners.
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Carol Toomey; Aoife Griffin, Carol O’Leary, Laura McMahon; Aimee McInerney, Roisin McMahon, Joanne Walsh; Ruth Kaiser (0-1), Aine O’Brien (0-9, 8f); Deirdre Cassidy, Erica Minogue (1-2), Niki Kaiser (0-2); Kate O’Neill (1-1), Iris Kaiser (0-3), Jenny Kelly (1-2).
Subs: Carol Kaiser for Erica Minogue (inj), Clodagh Lawlor for Aimee McInerney, Caroline Feehily for Aoife Griffin, Brid Enright for Kate O’Neill.
Corofin: Carmel Tierney; Neasa Carkill, Lisa Clancy, Donna Courtney; Maeve Davoren, Muireann Kelleher, Rachel O’Donoghue; Marie Raftery, Aoife Davoren (0-2, 1 45); Aislinn Kelleher, Claire Commane (0-1f), Siobhain Kelleher; Brenda O’Donoghue, Edel Keating, Linda McMahon (0-1).
Subs: Catriona Kelleher for Siobhain Kelleher 54 min, Elaine Fitzgerald for Marie Raftery, Emma Collins for Maeve Davoren (56 mins), Maria McNamara for Linda McMahon, Aisling Mullins for Edel Keating (58 mins)
Referee: Fintan McNamara

Kilmaley 3-19   Wolfe Tones 1-2
It was all one-way traffic in Newmarket on Sunday for Kilmaley as they cruised to an easy victory over Wolfe Tones.
Kilmaley were in flying form, scoring at will and with goals from Shonagh Enright and Emma O’Driscoll, they went in at half-time 2-13 to 0-0 ahead. More of the same was to come in the second half, with Kilmaley’s Denise Lynch adding their third goal after a run from Helen McMahon in the half-back line saw her lay off a pass to Sinéad O’Keeffe, who found Lynch unmarked in front of the Wolfe Tones goal and Lynch blasted her shot past the Tones’ keeper.
Kilmaley added three more points and it was in the 40th minute that Catherine Danagher pointed a free for Wolfe Tones to open their account. This spurred Wolfe Tones on and a second attack on the Kilmaley goal area yielded a goal when Lizzie Danagher’s shot ended up in the Kilmaley net. Kilmaley responded with two points before Sharon Coleman added another point for Wolfe Tones in the 51st minute. Kilmaley had the opportunity to raise another green flag but Sinéad Walsh saved well in the 55th minute.

Kilmaley: Edel Griffey; Marie Hehir, Sinead O’Halloran, Niamh Cahill; Lisa Kennedy, Katie Cahill, Helen McMahon; Emer O’Connor, Aida Griffey; Shonagh Enright (1-4), Emma O’Driscoll (1-2), Siobhán Maher; Sinead O’Keefe (0-1), Denise Lynch (1-4), Claire McMahon (0-8, 5f).
Subs: Laoise Talty for Sinead O’Keeffe, Emma Culligan for Marie Hehir, Gráinne Barry for Siobhan White, Kathleen O’Keeffe for Lisa Kennedy.
Wolfe Tones: Sinéad Walsh; Aoife Nihill, Avril O’Dea, Siobhán Kelly; Ciara McCall, Danielle McMackin, Leanne McInerney; Leanne Boyle, Catherine Danagher (0-1f); Lorraine Carr, Áine Ní Cormaic, Aoife Kilderry; Rachel O’Brien, Treasa Naughton, Jodie Lyndsey.
Subs: Sharon Coleman (0-1) for Treasa Naughton, Liz (1-0) for Áine Ní Cormaic, Michelle Roughan for Siobhán Kelly, Claire O’Brien for Ciara McCall.
Referee: Neil O’Brien.

Clooney-Quin 3-13   Sixmilebridge 3-7
Clooney-Quin defeated Sixmilebridge in the opening round on a scoreline of 3-13 to 3-7. Clooney-Quin’s experience stood to them well as they came to grips with a youthful ’Bridge side, particularly in the second half, when they dominated in all areas of play. Sixmilebridge opened the scoring with a pointed free from captain Chloe Morey, and the ’Bridge led through the first half, with a crucial goal from Naomi Carroll.
Clooney-Quin received two penalties but the ’Bridge girls saved the first one. However, in the last minute of the half, Clooney’s Mary Clune scored a decisive goal to put her side two points ahead at half-time.
Clooney-Quin came out of the dressing room after the half-time break and added a point to their lead.
They dominated most of the second half, despite a hard battle from the Sixmilebridge side. Again the ’Bridge defence saved their second penalty of the day. However, the accurate Deirdre Murphy scored the rebound. Murphy had a personal tally of 2-10 on the day and even two late goals in the closing minutes was not enough for the ’Bridge girls, as Clooney-Quin emerged with a well-deserved win.

Clooney-Quin: Sheelagh Daffy; Imelda Colleran, Triona Gallagher, Aisling Hannon; Jessica O’Neill (0-1), Orlaith Duggan, Edwina O’Brien; Amy Colleran, Christine Colleran; Aisling Corbett, Claire Ryan, Kelly MacLean; Mary Clune (1-1), Deirdre Murphy (2-10), Lorraine Ryan (0-1).
Subs: Gemma Hasset for Lorraine Ryan (58 mins).
Sixmilebridge: Niamh McInerney; Katie Connors; Maire McGrath; Sinead Hyland; Ciara Whelan; Aiveen O’Shea; Ellen Roche; Orla Chaplin; Bridget O’Halloran; Sinéad Costelloe; Sinéad Touhy (1-1); Mairead Hyland; Naomi (2-0); Chloe Morey (0-5, 4f); Rachael O’Halloran (0-1).
Subs: Sinéad Crowe for Chaplin, Orla Fitzgerald for M Hyland, Ali Quinlan for Sinead Costelloe.
Referee: John Dolan.