Clonakilty defeat Coachford in gripping game

Sacred Heart 2-5 Coachford 2-3

The second year camogie players made the journey to Castle Road Mahon to take on Coachford in the quarter final of the County A Championship and eventually escaped to victory having been pushed all the way by the mid Cork ladies. Played in bright sunshine on a bitterly cold January morning, Sacred Heart hit their stride early and took the lead courtesy of a Hazel Nyhan goal. The Coppeen lady was on the end of Fiona Walshs pass and  she slalomed through the defence before finishing low past the despairing dive of the Coachford net minder.

That was to be the only score in the opening ten minutes as the middle eight of both teams seems to cancel each other out. Slowly SHSS began to get on top and driven on by the outstanding Aisling Coakley, Roisin Forristal and Amber Bishop the scoreboard began to tick over,  another Nyhan point from play( before she succumbed to injury) and a long range free converted by Leah Mc Carthy, after she was fouled, pushed Clon 5 ahead . Coachford added two point of their own before Amber Bishop pointed for Clon as time expired . Half time 1-4 0-2.



The second half saw Clon adding an early point through Andrea Whelton  before Coachford began to assert themselves on the game. Despite stout defending from the superb Mairead Whelton and Tara Hourihane as well as a great save from Emma Rea Coachford added 2-1 to their tally which put them into a one point lead with five minutes to go. Game on!!

Shss sensing it was now or never launched attack after attack but failed to trouble the scoreboard until Roisin Forristal escaped the shackles of her marker to bear down on goal before finishing with precision to the top corner as the keeper advanced. Clon now leading by two points as we entered injury time still had to defend two balls that bounced around their goalmouth, but on each occasion Shona Fleming carried them to safety, the second clearance signalled full time and relief for the girls who now move on to the semi final.

Team
Emma Rea
Ava Sexton
Julie Cunningham
Marianne Keohane
Aisling Coakley
Mairead Whelton
Clodagh O Keefe
Tara Hourihane
Leah Mc Carthy
Andrea Whelton
Roisin Forristal
Amber Bishop
Anna Kenneally
Hazel Nyhan
Fiona Walsh

Subs
Shona Fleming
Aisling O Mahony
Ide Barry
Izzy Neville

Molly