Munster Senior Camogie Semi-Final – Kilmayley (Clare) v St. Catherine’s (Cork)

Munster Senior Camogie Club Semi-final

St Catherines (Cork) 1-7 Kilmaley (Clare) 1-3

Cork representatives St Catherine’s booked their place in the Munster club championship final and set up a meeting with holders Cashel as they recorded a four point victory over Clare representatives Kilmaley in Ballynoe on Saturday. St Catherine’s playing against the strong wind led at the break 0-4 to 0-1 Orla Cotter and Maeve O Keeffe at mid field working hard to keep the ball moving to their inside lines. Orla Cotter and Lisa Higgins were on target with points as the St Catherines defence stood firm under pressure form the Kilmaley attack Sandra Noonan, Liz Power and Orna Neville prominent for St Catherine’s. Orla Cotter and Evelyn Roynane added points to the St Catherine’s tally before Maria Hehir found the range with a point after Kilmaley had hit five wide’s. Denise Leahy was called on to make a difficult save to deny Shonagh Enright’s a goal just before the break as Kilmaley tested the St Catherine’s defence.

St. Catherines extended their lead with a Denise Twomey point from the restart and three minutes later Orla Cotter sent a long range shot to the net, Kilmaley battled hard forcing Denise Leahy to bat the ball to safety on a number of occasions but with Orla Cotter pointing two frees St Catherine’s continued to hold the upper hand. With eight minutes remaining Shonagh Enright pointed and still working hard they grabbed a goal Denise Lynch sending a high shot to the net from a free thirty metres out, on the puck out came the full time whistle and a place in the final for St Catherines was secure.

Scorers for St Catherine’s : O Cotter 1-3 (0-3f), E Roynane, L Higgins, Denise Twomey Deirdre Twomey 0-1 each.Kilmaley: D Lynch 1-0 (f), S Enright 0-2 (0-1f), M Hehir 0-1.

St Catherine’s: D Leahy; S Noonan, F Noonan (c), Y O’ Neill; O Neville, L Power, C Motherway; O Cotter, M O’ Keeffe, A M Hayes, E Roynane, R O’ Callaghan; Deirdre Twomey, L Higgins, Denise Twomey.

Sub: D Mulcahy for E Roynane (52).

Kilmaley :E Giffey; S Reidy, D Lynch, S O’ Halloran; L Higgins, E Considine, A Giffey S Maher, E O’Connor; S Enright, E O Driscoll( c), H Mc Mahon; A Darcy, M Hehir, K Cahill.

Sub: N Cahill for L Higgins (59).

Ref: Eamonn Browne (Tipperary).

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Cork star midfielder Orla Cotter is eagerly looking forward to St Catherine’s first Munster senior club final appearance when they meet 2007 All Ireland club champions Cashel at Mallow next weekend following their defeat of Clare outfit Kilmaley in the semi-final, 1-7 to 1-3, at Ballynoe on Saturday.

Building on their recent historic first Cork County championship victory, 21-year-old Cotter says the east Cork club which is home to Cork senior hurling manager Denis Walsh, is now entering bonus territory.

“When we won the Cork county final that was everything, it was our first time in the final so we were all on a high. But now that we have progressed to a Munster final, we realise there is more to achieve. We are representing Cork and for that reason alone we want to do our best,” she said.

“Since winning the county final a week ago we have been busy going around with the Cup, but when we went back training, our next goal was the provincial championship. We are delighted to be in the Munster final, and to have got there short three of our players is encouraging.”

Cotter’s sister Fiona, and Finola Neville were on school tour in Paris, and full back Noreen Mulcahy has departed to Australia since their county final triumph. Cotter and Neville will be available next weekend.

In very difficult conditions the Cork side, after playing against the cross wind, led at half time, 0-4 to 0-1, and it was Cotter’s goal in the second half that finally saw off the visitors, whose green flag came in the dying stages.