Newmarket-on-Fergus and Inagh/Kilnamona will meet this Saturday in the PK Travel Senior Camogie League final after securing semi-final wins this weekend.
Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-05
Kilmaley 0-07
Venue: Clarecastle.
Newmarket-on-Fergus secured their place in the PK Travel League final with a hard-fought victory over County Champions, Kilmaley.
After putting in a very impressive first half performance, those gathered in Clarecastle expected Newmarket to build on that for the second half however Kilmaley improved and nearly stole the game from under Newmarket’s noses but Darren Hayes’ side dug out to maintain their 100% record.
Aimee McInerney was the first off the mark pointing for Newmarket with four minutes on the clock. A superb pass from Carol O’Leary bypassed the Kilmaley defence and fell perfectly in the path of Niki Kaiser who made no mistake in sticking the sliotar to the bottom left corner of Denise Lynch’s goal. Kaiser added to her tally with a pointed free on the twelfth minute. Two Kilmaley points in succession from corner-forwards Claire McMahon and Ailish Considine cut the gap to three points with twenty one minutes played. A late free from captain Roisin McMahon left the Blues 1-03 to 0-02 ahead at the break.
Just before half-time, Newmarket lost Niki Kaiser to a recurring shoulder injury and her loss was felt in the Blues attack for the second thirty. Annmarie Hayes picked up her first score of the encounter one minute into the second half; the Blues would fail to keep the umpires active for the next twenty five minutes. Emma O’Driscoll took full advantage of a poor clearance from the Newmarket defence splitting the posts on the fourth minute, Kilmaley gained momentum from this and three Claire McMahon frees in succession left the minimum separating the sides with forty seven minutes on the clock. With time running out a vital free from Roisin McMahon gave the Blues some much needed breathing space but Ailish Considine replied shortly after to ensure Newmarket were kept fully on their toes.
While Kilmaley will not have wanted to lose this game they were without a number of key players for this contest and they are a championship team and will be ready and waiting when these sides meet in the championship. It took them too long to get going in this clash and going fourteen minutes without scoring at the beginning of any game will have consequences as they discovered. Nonetheless this is only a minor setback in Kilmaley’s bid to reclaim the Championship. Sinead O’Keeffe, Emma O’Driscoll and Niamh O’Dea did well for the Gerry Kennedy managed outfit.
Ahead of their League final next weekend, Newmarket will realise there are a number of areas on the pitch where they can improve. Although they were very good in the first half, Newmarket’s forwards became sluggish as the game wore on and reached its climax, the delivery in to them was like a boomerang in the second half as it left as quick as it arrived. At the back the Blues were far too loose and there was no target or purpose for their clearances. In their toughest game so far, they showed grit and while there were errors they were still victorious. Ruth Kaiser, Katie O’Flanagan, Laura McMahon and Rachel Kelleher impressed.
They will now face Inagh/Kilnamona in the League final after the North Clare side had a comprehensive 3-11 to 0-05 victory over Sixmilebridge who were without county duo Naomi Carroll and Maire McGrath.
Teams:
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Rachel Kelleher, Aoife Griffin, Laura McMahon, Aislinn Keogh, Katie O’Flanagan, Roisin McMahon (0-02 2f), Aimee McInerney (0-01), Joanne Walsh, Ruth Kaiser, Sharon McMahon, Carol O’Leary, Gemma McInerney, Annmarie Hayes (0-01), Aileen Kilmartin, Niki Kaiser (1-01 1f). Subs: Aine Feehily for N Kaiser (24) (Inj).
Kilmaley: Denise Lynch, Alisha Pyne, Sarah Reidy, Lisa Kennedy, Helen McMahon, Niamh O’Dea, Lauren McGuane, Saoirse Glynn, Sinead O’Keeffe, Aida Griffey, Emma O’Driscoll (0-01), Aisling Darcy, Claire McMahon (0-04 3f), Chloe McAleer, Ailish Considine (0-02). Subs: Caoimhe O’Halloran for Griffey (34).
Referee: Kevin Walsh (Wolfe Tones na Sionna).
