Newmarket-on-Fergus bowed out of the Munster Senior Camogie Championship at the final hurdle as they went down to a very impressive Milford side.
Milford 5-18
Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-09
Venue: Ballyagran
Heading into the decider, Newmarket would have had high hopes of causing an upset, their dreams were shattered by a majestic Milford who stunned their opponents from the off, hitting 2-01 inside the opening two minutes.
Newmarket were playing catch-up for the entire contest and to their credit they came to within four points of Milford for a spell but once the game began the result was never in doubt.
Aisling Thompson was first off the mark, striking between the posts after receiving a handpass from Marie Watson. Corner-forward Maria O’Neill hit two goals in the space of forty one seconds to give Newmarket a taste of what was to come. The Blues replied with a free from Roisin McMahon while Annmarie Hayes handpassed to the net on the fifth minute.
Once more Milford exerted their dominance and in the subsequent fifteen minutes they outscored Newmarket 1-05 to 0-01. Rachel Kelleher, McMahon and Iris Kaiser added scores for the Clare Champions in the closing stages of the first half but their efforts were cancelled out by three Emer Watson scores and a single point from Laura Stack to leave the Cork side twelve points ahead at the break.
Maria Watson piled the misery on Newmarket on the resumption as she hit the net less than two minutes into the second half. They drove on with further Emer Watson and Stack points’ before McMahon and Thompson swapped scores.
Deirdre O’Reilly struck for goal on the forty first minute while white flags from Stack, O’Neill, Orlaith O’Mahony and Emer Watson confirmed what those in attendance had known for some time. Darren Hayes’ Newmarket didn’t throw in the towel and picked up scores courtesy of Roisin McMahon and Jenny Kelly while they had a number of goal chances saved as the game concluded.
For the Blues this was a lesson and an experience. It has shown clearly the level they must reach if they want to succeed in Munster. Their slow start proved very costly while they didn’t make the most of crucial attacks in the first half.
Their display over the sixty minutes didn’t do themselves justice but credit to them for keeping the fight up against a slick outfit. The difference in standard between Cork and Clare camogie was alarming and Newmarket were the County’s first representative in a Munster Senior Camogie Final since 1993. The big question that will be answered in 2016 is now that the Blues have discovered where they need to aspire to get to, what are they willing to do to get there and do they have the hunger and commitment to do just that.
Managed by Limerick Senior Football manager, John Brudair, Milford made the six mile journey to the ‘neutral’ venue of Ballyagran with one objective, to win. They blitzed their opponents from the get-go and left them in a state of shock for the majority of the first half. Their link-up play was to be admired and they constantly picked off scores by having different players on the overlap.
Their two central defenders, Katie Galvin and Aine Watson picked up yellow cards as they resorted to fouling at the back when under pressure and this is an area they can improve on. Overall Milford were a class above their Clare counterparts and it will take a serious team to stop them in their quest for All-Ireland glory. Laura Stack, Aisling Thompson, Maria O’Neill and Elaine O’Riordan were exceptional for the victors.
Teams:
Milford: Rebecca Finn; Deirdre Hayes, Katie Galvin, Lisa Healy; Elaine O’Riordan, Aine Watson, Anna Geary; Orlaith O’Mahony (0-01), Aisling Thompson (0-02); Laura Stack (0-04), Deirdre O’Reilly, Maria Walsh; Maria O’Neill (2-02), Emer Watson (1-06 4f), Maria Watson (1-01). Subs: Eimear O’Friel for O’Reilly (44), Loretto Healy for A Watson (46), Aoife Dillon for M Watson (49), Sarah Sexton for O’Riordan (52).
Newmarket-on-Fergus: Carol Kaiser; Jane O’Leary, Laura McMahon, Aislinn Keogh; Aimee McInerney, Roisin McMahon (0-06 6f), Aoife Griffin; Carol O’Leary, Ruth Kaiser; Rachel Kelleher (0-01), Iris Kaiser (0-01), Joanne Walsh; Annmarie Hayes (1-00), Niki Kaiser, Jenny Kelly (0-01). Subs: Gemma McInerney for Keogh (17), Aileen Kilmartin for Walsh (42), Aine Feehily for Hayes (55), Katie O’Flanagan for A McInerney (56).
Referee: Kevin O’Brien (Limerick)
