Kerry won away to Meath this afternoon in the Centra National Camogie League.
It ended 2-10 to 1-11.
Cork fell to a 2-10 to 1-11 loss to Antrim at the MTU
Tipperary fought back in the second half but couldn't find a way past Kilkenny who came out on top by 15 points to 10.
Full review
By Kevin Egan
For a quarter of a century post World War Two, Antrim and Dublin were the dominant powers in the world of camogie, sharing the championship every year between 1941 and 1968. Antrim picked up the 1967 All-Ireland after putting five goals past Cork in the semi-final and it’s debatable whether or not the Saffrons have enjoyed a more meaningful result against the Rebels between that semi-final and today’s Centra National League game at MTU Cork, where Nicole McAtamney and Aimee Ferris scored goals to edge last year’s Division 1B champions into a narrow two-point win.
Cork lined out with just three of the side that contested last year’s All-Ireland senior final but they paid a heavy price for that decision and relegation is now very much on the table for Cork, who still have ferociously tough games against Kilkenny, Tipperary and Galway to come.
Antrim roared out to an early 0-6 to 0-1 lead on the back of frees from McAtamney and a neat Eabha McAllister score, but there were still no alarm bells ringing for Cork, who were playing into a fiercely strong lead.
Two Emma Murphy points either side of a Cliona O’Callaghan goal chance that was saved by Caitriona Graham suggested Cork working their way back into the game and the Rebels were still favoured at half time, trailing by 0-8 to 0-5.
McAtamney and Orlaith Cahalane traded goals as Cork took their first lead of the game with 48 minutes played, but Aimee Ferris raised a green flag three minutes later and from then on, Antrim’s desire to secure a historic result and Cork’s lack of senior experience led to a memorable 2-10 to 1-11 win that blows the top tier of the Centra League wide open.
Kilkenny are now top of the table after they defended home advantage against Tipperary, the hard work done in the first half when they racked up an 0-11 to 0-2 interval lead playing on soft ground and with the Freshford breeze behind them. Asha McHardy’s reputation as one of the game’s rising stars will be burnished by another incredible performance where she hit 0-6 from play, including three in a row late in the first half when Kilkenny put their stamp on the game.
Two Eimear McGrath frees either side of a Róisín Howard point reduced the gap to five with ten minutes to play but that was as good as it got for Tipperary, who couldn’t draw any closer against their neighbours.
In Division 1B, the meeting of Clare and Wexford was moved to Parteen where Lorna McNamara’s freetaking was crucial to Clare picking up a seven-point win over Wexford.
Despite leaving three goal chances behind them, Clare were 0-12 to 0-4 in front at the break and never looked like being reeled in with Abby Walsh and Claire Hehir dominating from half-back. Linda Bolger and Chloe Cash did the bulk of the scoring for Wexford, contributing 0-6 between them.
In Kilcormac, Fianait Dooley and Mairéad Teehan goaled to keep Offaly level at half-time after hurling into the wind against Limerick, but they failed to push on as a second half goal from Sarah O’Brien and five from play from Rebecca Delee gave Limerick a 1-15 to 2-9 win.
It was equally as close in Liatroim where Down got the only goal of the game to edge out Dublin by 1-10 to 0-10.
Centra National League Results
DIVISION 1A
Cork 1-11 Antrim 2-10
Kilkenny 0-15 Tipperary 0-10
DIVISION 1B
Down 1-10 Dublin 0-10
Offaly 2-9 Limerick 1-15
Clare 0-15 Wexford 0-9
DIVISION 2
Meath 1-11 Kerry 2-10
Kerry 0-11 Laois 0-11
Carlow 0-10 Westmeath 3-8
DIVISION 3A
Wicklow 1-1 Kildare 0-16
Roscommon 0-12 Armagh 3-11
DIVISION 3B
Donegal 4-6 Monaghan 6-6
Round up of the other 3 senior PP camogie finals today
Séamas McAleenan
Allianz Mary Moran Cup Senior B final
Presentation Wexford 0-13 Scoil Mhuire Carrick-on-Suir 3-4
PRESENTATION Wexford and Scoil Mhuire Carrick-on-Suir will have to do it all again midweek after yesterday’s Allianz Mary Moran Cup final finished in a welter of excitement in SETU Carlow.
It took late points from Emma McCarthy and sub Róisín Doyle to rescue a draw for the Slaneysiders, but they were fully deserving of a second chance that will happen on Wednesday afternoon with a replay venue to be announced on Monday.
McCarthy, Isabella Canning and Clodagh Byrne put Presentation three up before Emma O’Shea opened Scoil Mhuire’s account with a point in the 10th minute. Despite two points from Emily Cooney efore 20 minutes were played, Mekdes Harte and McCarthy (two) put Wexford three up heading towards the break.
Cooney then finished a good move involving Sarah Connolly and Ruby Morris with a goal for Carrick-on-Suir. But a 45 from Emma McCarthy ensured they still finished a point behind at the change of ends.
Cooney found the net for her second goal in the 36th minute, but once again McCarthy responded with three frees. Moya Egan and sub Amy Power exchanged points as the game headed into the last ten minutes.
Grace Farrell then put Carrick two up with a well-taken goal only for top-scorer McCarthy and Róisín Doyle, a huge impact from the bench, to hit the scores that sent the teams to a replay.
McCarthy and Emily Cooney were the cutting edge for each team. But a number of other players in the each defence stood out as well.
Presentation: E McCarthy 0-8, 4 fs, I Canning, C Byrne, M Harte, A Power and R Doyle 0-1 each.
Scoil Mhuire: E Cooney 2-2, 0-1f, G Farrell 1-0, E O’Shea and M Egan 0-1 each
Allianz Lily Spence Cup Senior C final:
St Cuan’s Castleblakeney 3-6 St Mary’s Charleville 0-10
THREE first half goals yesterday in Nenagh were instrumental in sending the Lily Spence Cup to Connacht for the third year in a row. St Cuan’s Castleblakeney’s name will follow those of Mercy Roscommon and Portumna Community school after yesterday’s victory over St Mary’s Charleville.
Nathasha Kelly scored the first goal after five minutes. Emma Barrett followed with the next one seven minutes later, but St Mary’s had got a foothold on the game before Clodagh Jordan hit their net for the third time five minutes from the break.
Orla Troy from frees kept St Mary’s in touch and they trailed by 3-2 to 0-5 at the break.
After half-time, Charleville put on the pressure and Saoirse McDonagh made three excellent saves between the posts for St Cuan’s, twice in the first five minutes and then a point-blank stop from Lauren McAuliffe midway through the half during a period of sustained pressure from the Munster side.
Aoife Scarry’s frees kept St Cuan’s just far enough ahead to hold off Charleville for whom Aoife Morrissey, Caila Nelligan, Chloe Jones and McAuliffe were best.
For the winners Aoife Jordan, Aoife Scarry, Lynn Hartigan, Niamh Gormally and Clodagh Jordan were best.
St Cuan’s: C Jordan 1-1, N Kelly and E Barrett 1-0 each, A Scarry 0-5, 4 fs.
St Mary’s: O Troy 0-6, 5fs, A Morrissey, N Gammell, L McAuliffe and C Hickey 0-1 each
Allianz Dónal Burke Cup Senior D final
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde Newcastlewest 1-16 Sacred Heart Tullamore 1-5
A GOAL in the 46th minute confirmed another Munster winner in the Allianz Dónal Burke Cup yesterday.
Just three of the 15 finals contested to date have gone to schools outside the province and Scoil Mhuire agus Íde Newcastlewest already had a marker down at the break when they led by 0-12 to 1-2.
However they had still to face the stiff breeze in the second half in Nenagh. Their defence closed down for the third quarter, but it wasn’t until they worked the sliotar up the field at the start of the final quarter that their supporters could begin celebrations.
Player of the Match Hazel Horgan buried the Limerick side’s goal from that foray to add to seven points she had collected over the game. The other main scorer for Newcastlewest, Mia Smith, was also in the running for Horgan’s accolade as were several players in defence.
Tullamore goalkeeper Aoife Fitzsimons was inspired during the first half, while Maeve Duffy and Rachel Cunningham also worked hard to keep the Leinster champions in the game.
Duffy hit the net for Sacred Heart’s first score, but already Horgan (from frees) and Smith from play were eating away at their confidence.
The Limerick pair hit five points each with one each from Kaylaigh Hurley and Sarah Cagney while Lily Marie Dolan and Rachel Cunningham responded with a couple of points for Sacred Heart.
There was plenty of pressure from Tullamore after the break, but just two more points from Cunningham before Horgan’s goal lifted the siege and eased Scoil Mhuire agus Íde over the line.
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde: H Horgan 1-7, M Smith 0-5, S Cagney 0-2, K Hurley and E Horgan 0-1 each
Sacred Heart: M Duffy 1-0 R Cunningham 0-4, 3fs, L M Dolan 0-1
