This article is from page 81 of the 2009-10-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 81 JPG
THE golden era of Kilmaley domi- nance continued on Saturday as they eventually edged out a spir- ited Sixmilebridge challenge to win back-to-back senior titles. On a spe- cial day for Clare camogie who were celebrating their 75th anniversary, it was probably too much to expect that the showpiece event of the day would live up to expectations, but that won’t bother Kilmaley who cemented their place in history with a second suc- cessive championship.
In truth, it was a turgid stop-start affair, littered with frees, lineballs and scrappy play that ensured it never bettered mediocrity. After two thrilling semi-finals, this his- toric decider was expected to be an Open encounter, pitting the defending champions against the coming force of Sixmulebridge but in a low-scoring affair that only saw one point from play over the hour, it turned out to be a slog that needed all of Kilmaley’s experience to prevail.
That Kilmaley eventually came out on the right side of the result was predominantly down to experience. Having been in this situation before and boasting a vastly experienced spine of Denise Lynch at full-back, the multi-talented Eimear Considine outside her and Helen McMahon, captain Emma O’Driscoll and Claire McMahon further forward, they knew that patience was the key to success and overall they just had the more attacking options and threat.
Sixmilebridge on the other hand, despite being fully determined, never really threatened the Kilmaley goal throughout the hour and only for the unerring accuracy of Chloe Morey from placed balls, it 1s difficult to see how they would have won this tie. The loss of captain and their most experienced forward, Noeleen Ney- lon to injury after only 16 minutes was considerable and while they bat-
tled hard, only Chloe Morey, Bridget O’Halloran, Niamh Corry and oc- casionally Sinead Tuohy offered any purposeful resistence.
For the majority, it was a straight shoot-out between freetakers Claire McMahon and Chloe Morey who traded scores all afternoon. Sixmi- lebridge were quicker off the blocks to open up a two point advantage by the 11th minute but McMahon and Kilmaley soon settled to draw level at 0-3 to O-3 at half-time. There were half chances of goals in the opening period but only half chances as twice
Kilmaley put searching passes over the top in the early stages but were unable to capitalise. Late in the half, Sinead Costelloe had Sixmilebri- dge’s best chance of the match when she got on the end of a dropping free from Chloe Morey but hit her shot straight at Edel Griffey.
Kilmaley were better after the break though, but were almost dealt a huge blow when Claire McMahon sustained an injury to an ankle in the opening minutes. The former county senior recovered though to tack on two further frees by the turn of the
final quarter and give the holders the lead for the first time.
With the game slipping from their grasp, Sixmilebridge switched Sine- ad Tuohy to midfield and they did cut the deficit to only the minimum with only eight minutes remaining when Morey converted another free.
Kilmaley had to dig deep and in the move of the match, finally grabbed a point from play when Siobhan Ma- her soloed down the left wing and out in a teasing delivery that broke off lively substitute Aisling Darcy to Emma O’Driscoll to point over her
shoulder. However, with 16 year old Chloe Morey driving Sixmilebridge on at every opportunity, they didn’t wilt and set up a grandstand finish when Morey herself was fouled out- side the “45 and got up to convert the resulting free in the 57th minute.
The game was finally settled in injury-time when Claire McMahon added her sixth free of the day and al- though they held a dangerous lead for the remainder, Sixmilebridge hadn’t the firepower to take advantage.
Sixmuebridge’s young side will be back though and the experience of reaching a county final should stand to them in the coming years.
However this was Kilmaley’s day and whether they win in style or just win ugly, the main thing is that they are still winning and more signifi- cantly are still the standard bearers in the county for everyone else to aspire to.