Duanes Daybreak & Hardware Intermediate Camogie Championship – Wednesday, 11th July 2018
Craughwell 1-14 Kiltulla/Killimordaly 1-8
Darren Kelly in Duggan Park
League champions Craughwell took their place among the top four teams in the intermediate championship as they secured a semi-final place in Ballinasloe.
Leanne Freaney struck 12 points with Katie Stephens getting an all-important second goal as they sent Kiltulla/Killimordaly out of contention and into a relegation battle with Shamrocks.
A strange stop-start first half witnessed no scores from play as Freaney and Lorraine Ryan displayed their abilities from the dead ball.
CRAUGHWELL INTO SEMI-FINALS!#Duanes Daybreak Intermediate @OfficialCamogie Championship Latest in Duggan Park
RESULT!!!@CraughwellCC 1-14@kiltullagh 1-8#galwaycamogie #Camogie2018
— Official Galway Camogie (@GalwayCamogie96) July 11, 2018
Kiltulla/Killimordaly lost to Castlegar in their opening game and needed a result, starting brightly with Ryan hitting the target four times.
That gave them a 0-4 to 0-0 advantage on 14 minutes but Craughwell were back on par within 10 minutes. It took them time to settle but Freaney’s influence was growing as she sent over four frees, two won by Emma Gaffney, to level affairs.
Ryan put Kiltulla/Killimordaly back in front but Freaney restored parity before forcing keeper Michelle Fergus into a save. Another score from the Craughwell scorer-in-chief gave them a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
The game opened up much better after the restart with both sides allowed to express themselves and Kiltulla/Killimordaly struck the first blow. On 35 minutes, the game’s first from play was a goal as Laura Mitchell picked out Sarah Staunton.
Kiltulla/Killimordaly were back ahead but their lead was short lived. Gaffney got Craughwell’s first open score and on 39 minutes, she set up Katie Stephens who found the net and Craughwell led 1-7 to 1-5.
Clare Monaghan came close to a Kiltulla/Killimordaly goal on 41 minutes that could have saved the tie. Freaney responded with two Craughwell frees putting four between them before Ryan reduced arrears to 1-9 to 1-6.
Another Kiltulla/Killimordaly goal looked essential but Craughwell were applying the pressure as Mary Dunphy and Freaney gave them a five-point cushion.
Ryan and Mitchell did add to Kiltulla/Killimordaly’s tally before the finish but Craughwell were always in control and closed the game out. Freaney brought her tally to double digits before another two placed balls rounded out the result.
With only two teams qualifying from four as opposed to three in previous campaigns, Craughwell and Castlegar’s two wins secured the semi-final spot while they’ll get to test themselves against each other before meeting either Carnmore or Ahascragh/Caltra.
Kiltulla/Killimordaly’s game with Shamrocks will now be effectively a relegation semi-final to see who takes on Kiltormer or Mountbellew/Moylough.
Scorers:
Craughwell – Leanne Freaney 0-12 (eight frees, two 45s), Katie Stephens 1-0, Mary Dunphy 0-1, Lauren Gilligan 0-1
Kiltulla/Killimordaly – Lorraine Ryan 0-7 (six frees, one 45), Sarah Staunton 1-0, Laura Mitchell 0-1
Craughwell: Shauna Burke; Claire Forde, Sinead Gaffney, Hannah Rabbitte; Andrea Tobin, Lauren Gilligan, Leanne Freaney; Linda Porter, Ciana Reidy; Emma Gaffney, Emma Waters, Mary Dunphy; Sandra Greaney, Katie Stephens, Aoife Raftery.
Kiltulla/Killimordaly: Michelle Fergus; Aisling Sheehan, Fiona Gilligan, Ciara Walsh; Nicola Lawless, Leah Burke, Rachel Brogan; Aoife McSweeney, Kate Lawless; Laura Mitchell, Lorraine Ryan, Niamh Flannery; Sarah Staunton, Clare Monaghan, Gemma Creaven.
Referee: James Lundon
