Waterford 0-25
Clare 3-15
Goals win games, we are often told. Well – not always. Clare, who recently won the Division 1B National Camogie League by beating Dublin at Nowlan Park, scored three goals – two in normal time and one late in extra time at Zimmer Biomet Cusack Park on Saturday – but they still had to settle for second best to a Waterford side that has returned to winning ways following their Division 1A league loss to Galway.
This was a game that remained close throughout, but at the end of over 80 minutes, it was Waterford who emerged to set up a Munster semi-final meeting with Kerry over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Lorraine Bray opened the scoring in the first minute, but the sides were soon level when Áine O’Loughlin fired over. Máiréad O’Brien edged Waterford back in front with a fine solo run and point after using her catches well along the way.
Lorna McNamara and Niamh Rockett swapped scores before Abby Flynn fired over a brace and Rockett added a free to open up a four-point advantage.
Clare struck for their first goal on 21 minutes. After Abby Flynn was penalised for steps, Clare Hehir sent a long delivery into the full-forward line. Andrea O’Keeffe won possession, took on the defence and fired to the left-hand side of Brianna O’Regan’s net to leave just one point between the sides.
Lorraine Bray extended Waterford’s lead, but three points in five minutes from Lorna McNamara gave Clare the advantage for the first time. However, deep in stoppage time, Ciara Sherlock fired over to leave it level at 0-8 to 1-5 at the break.
If the first half was tight, the second half was equally close. Annie Fitzgerald edged Waterford in front before McNamara levelled. Niamh Rockett and Aoife Anderson traded scores.
Five minutes into the second half, Clare struck their second goal. Ziyann Spillane blocked down a Waterford clearance and the ball broke to McNamara, who struck first time and then guided it over the line to put Clare 2-7 to 0-10 ahead.
Aoife Anderson extended Clare’s advantage, and they then relied on goalkeeper Doireann Murphy to deny Máiréad O’Brien a goal chance.
Points from Rockett, Alannah O’Sullivan and Bevin Bowdren reduced the gap to one. Scores from Andrea O’Keeffe and McNamara, with a Rockett free in between, left Clare 2-10 to 0-14 in front.
Bowdren and Róisín McMahon exchanged points before a brace from Rockett brought the sides level with four minutes remaining. Annie Fitzgerald edged Waterford ahead, but a McNamara free sent the game to extra time.
Ziyann Spillane and Rockett traded early scores in the first period of extra time. Fitzgerald nudged Waterford ahead before Clare needed Niamh Mulqueen to make a crucial goal-line block after Rockett got the better of Murphy. From the resulting 45, the St Anne’s player put Waterford 0-21 to 2-13 in front.
Rockett added two more in the first half of extra time, with Spillane responding, to leave Waterford 0-23 to 2-14 ahead at the change of ends.
Beth Carton extended the lead midway through the second period of extra time, but McNamara replied.
A minute from time, Clare struck for a third goal to level matters. McNamara floated in a free from the left, and Aisling Cooney won possession before firing to the net.
However, Waterford refused to yield. Deep into added time, Róisín Kirwan combined with Alannah O’Sullivan and fired over the winning point for Mick Boland’s side.
Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Alannah McNulty, Keeley Corbett Barry, Vikki Falconer; Rachael Walsh, Clodagh Carroll, Ciara Sherlock; Orla Hickey, Lorraine Bray; Mairead O’Brien, Beth Carton, Annie Fitzgerald; Abby Flynn, Niamh Rockett, Maggie Gostl.
Subs: Alannah O’Sullivan for Orla Hickey (15); Róisín Kirwan for Abby Flynn (40); Bevin Bowdren for Maggie Gostl (40); Laoise Forrest for Ciara Sherlock (56); Abby Flynn for Mairead O’Brien (72); Sarah Lacey for Annie Fitzgerald (76)
Scorers: Niamh Rockett 0-10; (0-7f; 0-2 ‘45); Annie Fitzgerald 0-3; Abby Flynn, Lorraine Bray, Alannah O’Sullivan, Bevin Bowdren 0-2 each; Máiréad O’Brien, Ciara Sherlock, Beth Carton, Róisín Kirwan 0-1 each.
Clare: Doireann Murphy; Susan Daly, Sinead O’Keeffe, Niamh Mulqueen; Muireann Scanlon, Abby Walsh, Clare Hehir; Róisín McMahon, Danielle Griffin; Ziyan Spillane, Andrea O’Keeffe, Ellen Casey; Lynda Daly, Lorna McNamara, Aine O’Loughlin.
Subs: Aoife Anderson for Susan Daly (13); Caoimhe Carmody for Ellen Casey (43); Maeve Millea for Lynda Daly (51); Aisling Cooney for Aoife Anderson (54); Ciara Grogan for Susan Daly (HT/ET) Ellen Casey for Áine O’Loughlin (HT/ET); Áine O’Loughlin for Sinead O’Keeffe (78)
Scorers: Lorna McNamara 0-8; (0-4f); Áine O’Loughlin, Andrea O’Keeffe 1-1 each; Aisling Cooney 1-0; Aoife Anderson, Ziyan Spillane 0-2 each; Róisín McMahon 0-1.
Referee: Colm Maher (Cork)
