Athenry and Sarsfields come up trumps in Senior A Camogie battles

Tegan Canning got Mullagh off the mark in the 18th minute through a free. Burke and Cannning (free) then swapped scores before Eva McGlynn and Burke (free) extended Athenry’s lead to four, but it was Mullagh who had the final say of the half.

Aoife Connaughton looked like she was in for goal but the ball was deflected over the bar by Laura Freeney in the Athenry net, leaving it 0-6 to 0-3 at the break.

It was Athenry who opened the scoring in the second half when Kerri O’Driscoll found the target. Canning replied with a point for Mullagh. Freeney then set up found O’Driscoll for her second of the day.

Athenry pressed the Mullagh puck out and Eimear Keane overturned the ball, took on the Mullagh defence and laid off the ball to Burke who made no mistake in finding the net. Connaughton responded for Mullagh but Anna Jordan and Jessica Gill followed up with a point each to leave eight between the sides with seven minutes remaining.

Aoife Donohue and Canning tagged on points for Mullagh late on, but a good save from Freeney ensured the All-Ireland champions carried the day.

​Sarsfields 1-15

Ardrahan 1-8

Five unanswered points for Sarsfields late on was key to their victory over Ardrahan in the second game in Loughrea on Sunday. Niamh McGrath and Kate Deverux exchanged frees early on before a goal from Siobhán McGrath and a point from Sarah Spellman saw Sarsfields into a four point lead by the 10th minute.

Cara Giblin then reduced the deficit straight as she blasted the ball past Eva Murray in the Sarsfields net, while Deverux followed up with a point three minutes later. Sarsfields responded well however, hitting four points without reply through Spellman, Siobhán McGrath and two from Niamh McGrath (0-1f). Deverux pointed two frees either side of a Caoimhe Kelly point before the end of the half as Sarsfields went in 1-7 to 1-4 in front at the break.

Shannon Corcoran opened the scoring on the resumption as she extended Sarsfields lead to four. Three frees in three minutes from Deverux left one between the sides after 35 minutes. A free each from the McGrath sisters, Siobhán and Niamh, helped in extending Sarsfields’ lead back out to three.

Like the opening game, there was a 12 minute period without the score. Deverux ended this barren period through another placed ball. But it was Sarsfields who had the final say of the game, hitting five points without reply. Two Siobhán McGrath points and one each from Corcoran, Mary Brigid Cosgrove and Spellman ensured a hard-fought victory.

Clarinbridge 2-14

Oranmore Maree 3-11

A goal in injury time from Galway captain Carrie Dolan helped Clarinbridge sneak a draw against an Oranmore Maree side who looked in control for much of the game on Tuesday evening.

A goal from Rachael Hanniffy and a point from Róisín Black gave Oranmore Maree the dream start. Niamh Niland and Dolan replied for Clarinbridge either side of an Ailish O’Reilly point.

A pass from Hanniffy found O’Reilly in the seventh minute and the Galway star rattled the net. O’Reilly and Dolan swapped two frees apiece to leave six between the sides with 24 minutes on the clock.

But it was Oranmore Maree who finished the half the strongest, with two more O’Reilly points, and another point from Hanniffy to leave them 2-7 to 0-4 in front.

On the resumption, three unanswered points Niland, Siobhán Carr and Dolan saw Clarinbridge reduce the deficit to six again. Hanniffy tagged along two more points for Oranmore Maree while Dolan hit back with her fifth of the day to leave it 2-9 to 0-8 after 38 minutes.

O’Reilly struck her second major a minute later, and Oranmore Maree looked in control of the game. Dolan inspired Clarinbridge in the final 20 minutes, however. She answered the goal by the 45th minute, striking over three more points, two from frees.

O’Reilly hit back with a free for Oranmore Maree but two more Dolan points and a goal from Niland left three between the sides heading into the final ten minutes. It looking like Hanniffy had got the insurance score in the 58th minute, but Dolan showed her leadership by pointed a free and then finding the net in the dying seconds.

​Senior B Championship

St Thomas’ 3-20

Ahascragh Caltra 0-10

St Thomas have laid down another marker in the Senior B Championship with a big win over Ahascragh Caltra in Castledaly on Thursday evening. Amy Caulfield and Emma Reaney swapped scores early on. St Thomas then hit a purple patch as Aine Keane slotted over three points while Caulfield and Ciara Mullins tagged on one each to leave them five in front after ten minutes.

Sarah Noone got Ahascragh Caltra’s second score of the day but St Thomas’ hit back again with five unanswered points through Calufield, Keane, Aoife Brennan and two from Siobhán Mullins.

Aoibhe Glynn (free) and Megan Lawlor replied for Ahascragh Caltra but it was Caulfield who had the final say of the half as she pointed for the fourth time to leave it St Thomas’ 0-12 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

Ahascragh Caltra’s Caoimhe Ní Ceallaigh opened the scoring in the second half with a well taken point. But like the first half, St Thomas’ went on another scoring spree with points from Keane and Caulfield, while Siobhán Mullins got their first major of the day.

Ni Ceallaigh replied for Ahascragh-Fohenagh but from the restart, Orla Mullins netted St Thomas’ second goal. Two points from Moya Glynn and one from Jane Higgins helped in reducing the deficit for Ahascragh Caltra.

Caulfield and Noone then swapped scores but it was all St Thomas for the finish as they hit 1-4 without reply. 1-2 from Keane and points from Caulfield and Abbie Massey saw them run out convincing winners.

​Carnmore 1-17

Killimor 0-11

Carnmore overcame Killimor on Tuesday evening to secure their first victory in the Senior B Championship. It was the visitors who started the brightest with a point from Maeve Muldoon and a free from Niamh Horan, either side of a Muireann Conroy point for Carnmore.

Carnmore hit a purple patch, scoring five points without reply. Three frees from Ava Morley and two frees from Alannah Fahy gave them a 0-6 to 0-2 lead by the 13th minute. Horan replied with a free for Killimor but Carnmore struck back through two Jennifer Hughes frees and and a point from captain, Jessica Donlon.

Horan helped reduce Killimor’s deficit heading into the break as she slotted over four more points, 0-3 through frees, either side of a free from Fahy, but it was Carnmore who closed the half’s scoring with another Donlon point as they led 0-11 to 0-7 at the break.

Killimor outscored Carnmore three points to two on the resumption. Horan slotted two points, while Kate O’Sullivan got her name on the scoresheet. Fahy kept the scoreboard ticking for Carnmore with two points, before they struck hit 1-3 without reply.

Points from Grainne Fahy and Hughes and 1-1 from Morley left Carnmore 1-16 to 0-10 in front before Horan and Morley swapped frees late on.