Inagh capture first All-Ireland title

AT last, a mid-Clare camogie club has finally captured the elusive Phil McBride Cup, following heart-breaking All-Ireland defeats for three different clubs.
A three-goal blitz during a six-minute purple patch midway through the second half helped Inagh to an impressive nine-point victory over three-in-a-row London champions, Tara.
The scenes at the end of the entertaining All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship final at Ashbourne, County Meath illustrated how much this victory meant to ecstatic supporters from the entire parish covering Inagh, Kilnamona and Clounanaha. Hundreds of Inagh supporters rushed over and raised their new heroes high in the air to celebrate the historic day.
More than three bus-loads of Inagh supporters and as many more in cars, who made the round trip of over 500km weren’t left disappointed as Sinéad O’Loughlin and company outscored their opponents 4-1 to 1-4 in the second half, despite playing into the teeth of a very strong wind.
This was the fourth time since 2005 that a Clare club had reached the junior club All-Ireland final.
Newmarket in 2005, Kilnamona in 2008 and Corofin last year contested the final but lost out to Down champions, Leitrim Fontenoys; Laois kingpins, Harps and Roscommon champions, Four Roads respectively.
There was no questioning Inagh’s superiority after an impressive clinical performance left no real room for argument. However, while the scoreline suggests a one-sided affair, it took three opportunist second-half goals to take the sting out of Tara’s stubborn challenge.
In fact, Inagh were somewhat lucky just to concede a point in the 45th minute, leaving them just two points ahead, 2-3 to 1-4.
Inagh custodian, Bríd McCarthy was quick off her line to cut out the danger posed by a speculative shot from the hard-working Angela Kenneally.
However, the advancing ’keeper was unable to make a long clearance and when the sliotar spilled to Denise Gilligan, she drilled it over the bar when there was no-one between the posts.
The game was still in the melting pot until Inagh raised three green flags in a blistering six-minute spell between the 18th and 24th minutes of the second period.
Inagh wing-forward Patricia O’Loughlin reacted quickest following a Fiona Lattery free on the 45m line and drilled an unstoppable drive to the back of the net.
Four minutes later, Inagh full-forward Helen Hehir rattled the net following an Emily Lynch cross before corner-forward Tara Rynne sealed the issue by tapping into the net after Helen Hehir’s powerful drive came off the crossbar.
Tara tried hard to create a goal-scoring opportunity at the other end from a Denise Gilligan free but the rock solid Inagh defence cleared the sliotar to safety.
Fiona Lafferty converted a free before Denise Gilligan took the bare look off the scoreboard when her lob from a 45m free bounced and spun into the net for a late consolation goal two minutes into injury time.
The only chink in Inagh’s armour emerged less than two minutes after the throw-in when Tara grabbed their only score of the opening half, a well taken goal.
Angela Kenneally, who spent most of the first half operating as a seventh defender, sent a probing cross across the Inagh full-back line, which Grace Hamilton batted into the net.
Fiona Lafferty grabbed a point from play and Inagh’s nerves were settled when corner-forward Emily Lynch found the net after a long delivery from Fiona Lafferty.
Aided by a strong breeze, Inagh won plenty of possession but five first-half wides ensured they only led by 1-3 to 1-0 following two converted Fiona Lafferty frees, when they should have been at least six points in front.
After the change of ends, the Inagh defence, where full-back Siobhán Lafferty, centre-back Christina Glynn and wing-back Patricia McCarthy excelled, worked extremely hard making clearances into the strong breeze.
Sinéad and Rose-Ann O’Loughlin, who worked tirelessly at midfield throughout, began to gain a grip in this sector and this provided plenty of possession for their colleagues up front to exploit gaps in the Tara rearguard.
In spite of picking up a heavy knock on her hand in the 35th minute, Fiona Lafferty recovered to take an inch-perfect pass from Patricia O’Loughlin before she rattled the net to leave Inagh six points ahead in the 39th minute.
However, Tara hit back with four points on the trot from Angela Kenneally (two) and Denise Gilligan (two), leaving just two points between the sides at the three-quarter stage.
Tara hadn’t bargained for the three-goal blitz, which left them reeling and ensured the McBride Cup was Clare bound for the first time.

Inagh: Bríd McCarthy; Jennifer Griffen, Siobhán Lafferty, Gillian Lafferty; Noelle Arthur, Christina Glynn, Patricia McCarthy; Sinéad O’Loughlin (captain), Rose-Ann O’Loughlin; Sharon Rynne, Fiona Lafferty, Patricia O’Loughlin; Emily Lynch, Helen Hehir, Tara Rynne.
Scorers: Fiona Lafferty (1-4, 0-3f), Patricia O’Loughlin, Emily Lynch, Helen Hehir and Tara Rynne (1-0 each).
Subs: none
Frees for: 14; wides: 7; 45s: 1

Tara: Niamh Dolan; Niamh Keating, Ann Gleeson, Sheila Fernandes; Catherine Higgins, Bríd Grennan, Karen Fitzpatrick; Meabh Brennan, Rosie Cusack; Joanne Hamilton, Helen Murphy, Yvonne Donnelly; Angela Kenneally, Denise Gilligan (captain), Grace Hamilton.
Subs: Siobhán Convery (23 mins) for Joanne Hamilton, Joni Traynor (45 mins) for Karen Fitzpatrick, Donna Gallery (54 mins) for Catherine Higgins and Susanna Gill (54 mins) for Sheila Fernandes.
Scorers: Denis Gilligan (1-1, 1-0 45’), Grace Hamilton (1-0) and Angela Kenneally (0-2).
Frees for: 14; wides: 4; 45s: 1
Referee: Donal Ryan (Dublin).