Kilmaley intermediates make history

Kilmaley 4-10   St Anne’s, Waterford 0-3

Kilmaley made history on Saturday when they became the first Clare camogie club to win the Munster Intermediate Club Championship and bring the Trixie Twomey Memorial Cup back to Clare.

The county senior champions faced St Anne’s from Waterford and easily accounted for them on the day, running out comfortable winners, 4-10 to 0-3.

In what was another showcase weekend for Clare camogie, with two sides contesting Munster finals within 24 hours of each other, Kilmaley led the way with a powerful display that saw them dominate from the outset.

From the throw-in, Kilmaley stamped their authority, with Claire McMahon leading the charge up front, converting two frees inside the opening seven minutes to settle any nerves. St Anne’s Jennie Simpson converted a free in the 10th minute but this was to be the Waterford side’s only score of the half as they struggled to get past a rock-solid Kilmaley defence.

Two more points for Kilamley were added to the scoreboard before the goal that had been threatening finally arrived when Ashling Darcy buried her shot past Rebecca Kavanagh with a superb ground strike. Shonah Enright and Denise Lynch added three more points to give Kilamley a 1-7 to 0-1 advantage at the break.

The second half saw Kilamley turn up the heat at a bitterly cold Lattin Cullen pitch and though St Anne’s Zoe O’Donoghue pointed twice in the opening 10 minutes, Kilmaley responded strongly.

Emma O’Driscoll goaled in the 11th minute and team captain Claire McMahon did likewise in the 16th minute, pushing Kilmaley well in front, 3-9 to 0-3.

With the game effectively over, Kilmaley manager Gerry Kennedy was able to empty the bench. McMahon pointed again for the Clare outfit in the 20th minute before Ailish Considine raised Kilmaley’s fourth green flag to put the result beyond doubt.

The change in weather conditions did little to dampen the encouragement from the huge travelling support, who waited patiently for referee Ger Browne to blow the final whistle and watch McMahon accept the cup from Munster Council chairman, Eamon Browne.

Kilmaley were well on top in all sectors on a day when Katie Cahill won the player of the game award.

Kilmaley: Edel Griffey; Lisa Kennedy, Denise Lynch, Sinéad O’Halloran; Niamh Cahill, Katie Cahill, Eimear Considine; Aida Griffey, Shonagh Enright; Niamh O’Dea, Emma O’Drsicoll, Claire McMahon; Aishling Darcy, Siobhán White, Ailish Considine.
St Anne’s: Rebbecca Kavanagh; Ciara Keogh, Pauline Cunningham, Laoibhse Dunbar; Siobhain Kavanagh, Claire White, Mairéad Murphy; Jennie Simpson, Charlotte Raher; Niamh Rackett, Sinéad Cummins, Ciara Phelan; Michelle O’Donohghue, Karen Kelly, Zoe O’Donoghue.
Referee: Ger Browne, Tipperary.