Munster Junior Camogie Championship
Waterford 1-10 Clare 1-9
Waterford’s Junior Camogie team made a winning start to this year’s Munster Championship at Fr McNamara Park in Ennis on Sunday afternoon last where they had one point to spare over a strong Clare side.
Fielding a team made up of youth and experience as well as some members of Donal O’Rourke’s senior panel, Kevin Barry’s side looked at the break as if they were going to have a very comfortable win as they turned around with a 1-7 to 1-2 advantage showing on the score board.De La Salle Club player Niamh Murphy accountED for 0-6 of this tally, four of which came from placed balls. But the home side came more into the game in the second thirty minutes and in the end Waterford needed a point two minutes from time from top scorer Niamh Murphy to secure the win after Clare had drawn level just seconds earlier.Niamh Murphy opened the scoring from a placed ball in the first minute only for it to be cancelled out with an effort from Louise Browne three minutes later.
Waterford went back in front with another Niamh Murphy free but Clare took the lead on seven minutes when Regan Conway finished to the net for the first goal of the game, giving her side a 1-1 to 0-2 lead.
Niamh Murphy and Aleisha Malone swapped scores before points from Shauna Fitzgerald and Niamh Murphy followed to level matters with 25 minutes played.
Another brace of scores from the De La Salle club player followed to give Waterford an 0-7 to 1-2 lead with half time approaching, but Waterford turned around in an even better position as Saint Anne’s player Bronwyn Grace finished to the net on the stroke of half time.
: Niamh Murphy who hit eight points for Waterford against Clare in Ennis on Sunday.
Clare started the second half with a Kate O’Gorman point but Waterford went up the other end and won a penalty which Aoife Fitzgerald had saved and deflected out for a ’45 from which Niamh Murphy made no mistake in restoring a five point advantage for Waterford.Clare however enjoyed a purple patch as Regan Conway hit a brace of frees before Kate O’Gorman pointed to leave just two between the sides. Another Regan Conway point from a free left the minimum between the sides before Aoife Fitzgerald put a little bit of daylight between the sides on the score board.Regan Conway pointed again from a free on 52 minutes to leave just one between the sides once more and the same player levelled matters with an effort from play with three minutes of the hour remaining.
Just seconds after that equalising effort Niamh Murphy pointed her eighth point of the game that was good enough for a win by the narrowest of margins.
