Cloughduv 2-15
Newcestown 0-5
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
NEWCESTOWN’S search for a first senior camogie championship win of the 2022 campaign goes on following a heavy defeat to Cloughduv.
The West Cork club was second best to a sharper Cloughduv side who netted a goal in either half en route to a deserved Group B victory.
‘Obviously after losing two games in a row we are going to be relying on other results,’ Newcestown captain Maeve Lynch told The Southern Star.
‘There will have to be a bit of a miracle for us to come out of the group. We (Newcestown) are not going to hang our heads. This championship is still ongoing. We are going to drive on for the next two games, try and get a win under our belts and see what happens from there.
‘Anything is possible as it is a very hard senior championship to call. All the teams in our group are extremely good.’
Coming off a narrow loss to Ballygarvan, the concession of a second-minute goal against Cloughduv put Newcestown immediately on the back foot. Failing to convert two huge goal chances, the West Cork side trailed 1-5 to 0-2 at the break prior to conceding another goal early in the second period. Though they worked hard, two scores from open play was never going to be enough for Newcestown who face Sarsfields and Fr O’Neill’s in their remaining Group B fixtures.
Lisa Lynch’s expertly-finished second-minute goal set the tone for a dominant Cloughduv display. Aoife O’Sullivan saw a goal-bound effort blocked in reply. The West Cork side trailed 1-1 to 0-1 after Lynch and Ciara O’Sullivan (free) traded scores.
A Rachel Hurley brace increased Cloughduv’s advantage as a hard-hitting match saw Newcestown’s Maria Kenneally yellow carded following an off-the-ball incident.
Cloughduv goalkeeper Ciara O’Leary produced the first of two world-class saves to deny Aoife O’Sullivan a certain goal after 18 minutes. Rachel Hurley’s third consecutive score made it a six-point game before Ciara Aherne split the posts at the opposite end. Aherne was prevented from adding a goal by another spectacular Ciara O’Leary stop before Niamh McNabola made it 1-5 to 0-2 at the interval.
A Ciara O’Sullivan free reduced the deficit immediately after the restart but it was Cloughduv who dominated the third quarter.
Lisa Lynch converted two quick-fire frees prior to Niamh McNabola forcing her way through and firing into the net after 33 minutes. Lisa Lynch (free) and McNabola scores put the result beyond doubt, 2-9 to 0-3, with 20 minutes remaining.
A stop-start fourth quarter saw Newcestown reduce the deficit courtesy of Ciara Aherne and Grace Ryan (free). Once again Cloughduv responded with Lynch and McNabola restoring their team’s 12-point lead.
Former Cork All-Ireland and All-Star dual winner Briege Corkery came off the bench and contributed two quality scores. Another substitute, Amy Sheppard, and Niamh McNabola completed the scoring as Cloughduv ran out convincing 2-15 to 0-5 winners.
‘It is a savage championship. The standard of senior (club) camogie in the county is extremely high this year and there are no easy groups,’ Maeve Lynch added.
‘Unfortunately, Newcestown is a team going through a bit of a transition at senior (level) right now. We are a very young panel so it is all about blooding as many of those girls as possible in the senior championship.
‘A lot of our girls are only making their senior championship debuts this year. There is huge potential within the Newcestown senior panel though. We are building for the next couple of years.
‘It is a rebuilding process but there is huge potential there, great players coming through and every single one of them has proven they are up to the challenge.’
Scorers
Cloughduv: Lisa Lynch 1-5 (4f); Niamh McNabola 1-4; Rachel Hurley 0-3; Briege Corkery 0-2; Amy Sheppard 0-1.
Newcestown: Ciara O’Sullivan 0-2 (2f); Ciara Aherne 0-2; Grace Ryan 0-1 (1f).
Cloughduv: Ciara O’Leary; Aisling Buckley, Laura Buttimer, Julie Vering; Laura Bateman, Aisling Kelleher, Aileen Corkery; Aoife Barry Murphy, Ciara Hughes; Rachel Hurley, Maire Corkery, Niamh McNabola; Clodagh Sheppard, Niamh O’Leary, Lisa Lynch.
Subs: Aoife Twomey for Laura Bateman (25), Amy Sheppard for Niamh O’Leary (ht), Briege Corkery for Clodagh Sheppard (49).
Newcestown: Orla Dineen; Aoibhinn Wilson, Aoife O’Sullivan, Siobhan Kelleher; Rachel Hallahan, Claire Kingston, Maria Kenneally; Maebh O’Donovan, Emma Murphy; Ciara Aherne, Ciara O’Sullivan, Grace Ryan; Aoife O’Sullivan, Aisling O’Donovan, Maeve Lynch.
Subs: Colette O’Toole for Maeve Lynch (39), Alice Buckley for Aoibheann Wilson (45).
Referee: Aidan Cummins (Sliabh Rua).
