Comeragh Rangers staged a dramatic late fight back to win the County Junior Ladies Football Final at Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon.
Early in the game it looked as if it was going to be the side from West Waterford that would coast to victory in this game as they had a dream start to the game.
But no game is over till the final whistle and despite trailing by six points heading into the final ten minutes of the game Comeragh Rangers never gave up and were rewarded as they hit three late goals to win the game by three points.
However, there could be some good news on the horizon for Comeragh Rangers as their season might not be over yet as County Board officials are to check out early this week if second string sides had represent a county in Munster Ladies Football competitions.
With under four minutes played in this game Na Déise were six points up as Clodagh Ryan, Marian Troy and Margurita McCarthy who play’s senior Camogie with Limerick all hit points before Bronagh Condon hit the game’s first goal on four minutes.
Belinda O’Neill pulled two points back for Comeragh Rangers with a brace of frees but Na Déise responded with a brace of Bronagh Condon points from play.
Clodagh Ryan and Katie Buckley further stretched Na Déise’s lead by the 18 minute but Comeragh Rangers hit back with the last two scores of the half from Clodagh Power (a point) and a Catherine Power goal to giver her side hope going into the second half.
Katie Buckley and Belinda O’Neill swapped early second half scores which was followed with points from Abbey Dalton and Mary Kate Morrissey to give Na Déise a 1-10 to 1-4 advantage with 44 minutes played.
Jodie Nugent, Mary Kate Morrissey and Catherine Power all then kicked point to leave Comeragh Rangers five down with ten minutes to play.
With eight minutes to play Comeragh Rangers won a penalty which Shauna Power dispatched past Helen Walsh and Belinda O’Neill put over a free to leave just one between the sides with five minutes still showing on the clock.
A minute later Comeragh Rangers won a free thirty metres from goal which Catherine Power lobbed into the square but it deceived everyone and went into the roof of the Na Déise net.
Now two points down and trailing for the first time Na Déise pulled a point back with a Mary Kate Morrissey free with three minutes to play but soon afterwards when she had the chance to level matters with another free, she never connected right kicking off the ground from 30 metres and the ball never rose more than six inches off the ground.
In added time Comeragh Rangers secured their win with a fourth goal as Shauna Power finished to the net and while Bronagh Condon pulled one back for Na Déise it was too little too late.
Comeragh Rangers: Cailin Power; Claire Hennebry, Annette O’Connell, Lauren Galvin; Helena Power, Jodie Nugent, Keeley Corbett Barry; Maria Power, Shauna Power; Eileen Fitzpatrick, Orla Kelly, Halannah White; Beth Norris, Catherine Power, Belinda O’Neill.
Substitutes: Aoife Flynn for Helena Power, Emma Curry for Eileen Fitzpatrick, Trisha Kelly for Claire Hennebry.
Scorers: Catherine Power (2-2), Shauna Power (2-0), Belinda O’Neill (0-4f) and Jodie Nugent (0-1).
Na Déise: Helen Walsh; Michelle Condon, Maria O’Donovan, Michelle Walsh; Linda Foley, Trish Kiely, Nicole O’Byrne; Margurita McCarthy, Mary Kate Morrissey; Abbey Dalton, Marion Troy, Katie Buckley; Bronagh Condon, Clodagh Ryan, Catherine Fitzgerald.
Scorers: Bronagh Condon (1-3), Mary Kate Morrissey (0-3; 0-2f), Katie Buckley and Clodagh Ryan (0-2 each), Marion Troy, Margurita McCarthy and Abbey Dalton (0-1 each).
Referee: Tommy O’Sullivan