Senior A Club Championship Final: Sarsfields v Oranmore Maree

November 12, 2022

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Windows & Rooflighting LTD Senior A and B Club Championship Finals

SENIOR A

Oranmore Maree 2-09 Sarsfields 2-11
Date: 5 Nov, 3pm
Venue: Duggan Park
Ref: Sean Byrne

Player of the Match: Shannon Corcoran (Sarsfields)
Senior A Trophy: Catherine Donnellan Cup

MATCH PROGRAM: Download (PDF)
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: View highlights (Video credit: Stream Sports Ireland)

VIEW FULL MATCH: Sarsfields v Oranmore Maree (Galway Camogie YouTube Channel)

**Sarsfields – 2022 County Senior A Champions**
**Back Row:** Elysia Cox, Denise Gormally, Erica Leslie, Bronagh Deeley, Ciara Ward, Cliona Cahalan, Orlaith McGrath, Maria Cooney, Caoimhe Kelly, Ciara McGrath, Sarah Gallagher, Laura Glynn, Melissa McDonnell, Ciara Kyne, Klara Donohue, Rachel Murphy, Shannon Corcoran
**Front Row:** Jasmine Scully, Aisling Dillon, Laura Ward, Clodagh McGrath, Cora Kenny, Tara Kenny, Sarah Spellman, Siobhan McGrath, Kate Gallagher, Rachel Murray, Joanne Daly, Reitseal Kelly, Aoibhe Deeley, Niamh McGrath. Mascots Freya & Oisín Helebert
**Team photo credit:** Don Soules Photography

Match Report

By Sarah Gaughran, Galway Camogie PRO
Sarsfields were crowned 4 in a row Senior Champions in Galway on Saturday when they overcame a close encounter with Oranmore Maree. Sarsfields were clinical up front while Oranmore Maree had some missed chances throughout the contest that would have helped them in getting them over the line. The experience that Sarsfields have in grinding out victories in close encounters proved pivitol to their win yesterday.

Oranmore Maree started the brightest in the contest with county star Ailish O’Reilly slotting over a free in the opening minute. Sarah Spellman responded with a fine point from play 3 minutes later to leave the sides level. Eimear O’Donovan and Rachel Hanniffy replied with two quick fire points for Oranmore Maree while Niamh McGrath responded with a point for Sarsfields. On the 9th minute, Spellman delivered a low ball into Klara Donohue, Donohue took on the Oranmore Maree defence and she laid off the pass to player of the game, Shannon Corcoran and she made no mistake in sticking the ball into the back of the Oranmore Maree net. Corcoran replied with a point a minute later to leave 3 between the teams. O’Reilly found Niamh Hanniffy with a wonderful pass and Hanniffy, even though she was being fouled, still managed to stick the ball in the back of the Sarsfields net to leave the teams level heading up to the midway point in the half. Siobhan McGrath replied with a free for Sarsfields while Donohue got at the end of a great passage of play for Sarsfields and stuck the ball in the back of the net to leave 4 between the teams. O’Donovan and Siobhan McGrath swapped scores on the 19th and 22nd minutes while Oranmore Maree finished the strongest off the strongest with 2 O’Reilly frees to leave it Sarsfields 2-5 Oranmore Maree 1-6 heading into the break. Oranmore Maree will look back on a missed goal opportunity in the 23rd minute and will be disappointed that they didn’t capitalise on the opportunity.

Siobhan McGrath and O’Reilly swapped frees in the opening 7 minutes of the 2nd half. 3 unanswered points by Sarsfields through the sticks of Siobhan McGrath (2) and substitute Caoimhe Kelly left Sarsfields in the driving seat with 11 minutes of normal time remaining. O’Reilly added two more frees for her side on the 54th and 55th minute but McGrath replied with a free of her own inbetween O’Reilly’s scores to leave 4 between the sides heading into the final few minutes. Substitute and Galway U16 star, Caoimhe Kelly stood up with a super score from an incredibly tight angle on the 58th minute and this looked like it secured the victory for Sarsfields. However, Lauren O’Dea got on the end of a long ball into the Oranmore Maree forwards, and she stuck the ball into the back of the next to leave two between the teams with 3 minutes remaining. Oranmore Maree did get the opportunity at the end to try and sneak another goal that could have won the game for the when Roisín Black launched a high ball into the square, but the Sarsfields defence stood strong to ensure that they would claim their 6th title in 7 years.

Oranmore Maree will look back at their missed scoring chances throughout the game that could have helped them in getting over the line. Sarsfields will be delighted to have gotten over the line without some key players such as Orlaith McGrath and Erica Leslie and they also lost Maria Cooney with 15 minutes reaming due to an ankle injury. Oranmore Maree must be credited for their much-improved performance from the 2021 final. They are a side that is up and coming and look like their day will come over the next few years. Sarsfields on the other hand were very strong in the backs and clinical up front and that was key to their victory. They now march on to defend their All-Ireland crown.

TEAMS

Sarsfields:
L Glynn, R Kelly, L Ward, K Gallagher, T Kenny, M Cooney, J Daly, C McGrath, N McGrath (0-1F), K Donohue (1-0), S Spellman (0-1), R Murray, S Corcoran (1-1), S McGrath (0-6, 0-4F), C Kenny
Substitutes: C Kelly(0-2) for Donohue, 43 mins, C Cahalan for Cooney, 45 mins, C McGrath for Kenny, 57 mins.

Oranmore Maree
T Holland, M Keane, C Hanniffy, N Black, T Lawrence, C Brennan, R Black, A Finn, L O’Dea (1-0), N Hanniffy (1-0), E O’Donovan (0-2, 0-1F), S Mannion, C Power, A O’Reilly (0-6F), R Hanniffy (0-1)
Substitutes: A Connolly for Mannion, 44 mins, E Gill for Power, 54 mins.

ADDITIONAL:

Sarsfields secure win to defend All Ireland crown – Galway Advertiser
Sarsfields edge cliffhanger for county title number six – Connacht Tribune
Sarsfields Wins County Senior A Camogie Final – Commentary and Reaction – Galway Bay FM
Sarsfields make it four Galway titles in a row after seeing off Oranmore Maree in senior camogie final – Irish Independent

**Sarsfields Senior Team**
**Back row (L-R):** Orlaith McGrath, Kate Gallagher, Rachel Murphy, Maria Cooney, Denise Gormally, Laura Glynn, Cora Kenny, Ciara McGrath, Niamh McGrath (C), Cliona Cahalan, Klara Donohue, Aisling Dillon, Reitseal Kelly, Melissa McDonnell, Elysia Cox, Shannon Corcoran, Sarah Gallagher and Erica Leslie
**Front Row (L-R):** Laura Ward, Ciara Ward, Aoibhe Deeley, Caoimhe Kelly, Tara Kenny, Siobhan McGrath, Clodagh McGrath, Sarah Spellman, Joanne Daly, Rachel Murray, Jasmine Scully, Bronagh Deeley
**Team photo credit:** Don Soules Photography

**Oranmore Maree Senior Team**
**Back Row L to R:** Catherine Speirs, Aisling Finn (VC), Aoife Geraghty, Maureen Keane, Maria Tarpey, Sacra Mannion, Lorraine Reynolds, Tara Holland, Róisín Black (VC), Emily Gill, Niamh Hanniffy, Katie Killilea, Amy Connolly, Shannon Keady, Rebecca Grealish, Sarah Blake, Aisling Black, Róisín McInerney, Cecilia Furey, Maebh Carr
**Front Row L to R:** Ciara Burke, Sarah Duffy, Ailish Carr, Tara Lawrence, Ciara Hanniffy, Niamh Black, Eimear O’Donovan, Christina Brennan (C), Clodagh Power, Rachael Hanniffy, Lauren O’Dea, Ailish O’Reilly, Freya Leenane, Clodagh Mahon, Mascot, Isla Holland.
**Team photo credit:** Sandra O’Donovan

VIEW MATCH PHOTOS: Photo credit Don Soules Photography

Christina Hanley, Sean Byrne, Niamh McGrath

PRE-MATCH

Niamh McGrath (C) Sarsfields, Declan Lally (Sponsor), Christina Hanley (C) Oranmore Maree

SENIOR A FINAL PREVIEW

By Sarah Gaughran
On Saturday, Oranmore Maree will take on Sarsfields in the Windows and Rooflights LTD Senior A county final. It sees a repeat of the 2021 final where Sarsfields came out on top by nine points but Oranmore Maree seem to have learnt a lot from that day and have pushed on this year and look like a much stronger outfit.

Oranmore Maree have been one of the most impressive sides throughout this championship to date and have had an impressive championship campaign to date. They overcame Athenry, Ardrahan,
Craughwell and Mullagh during the group stages. They lost out Sarsfields during the group stages, but they were missing some key players on the day such as sharpshooter Ailish O’Reilly. This ensured they finished 2nd in the group, and they booked their place in the semi-finals. They were impressive and ruthless against Mullagh in the semi-final in very tough conditions and it was evident that they were determined to get back into the 2022 final where they will try to make up for last year’s disappointment. They seem to have learnt from their disappointment from last year’s county final and they have pushed on throughout the championship and it is clear throughout the championship that they want to go one better this year. The experience of county players, Ailish O’Reilly, Niamh Hanniffy, Roisín Black and Rachel Hanniffy mixed in with their experienced club players such as Eimear O’Donovan, dual star Sacra Mannion and Christina Brennan has proven a success to date for Oranmore-Maree. They were impressive and ruthless against Mullagh in the semi-final and they have shown that they laid down a marker throughout the 2022 championship.

Sarsfields on the other hand are the only side that is still undefeated in the championship to date. The current All Ireland Club champions are no stranger to county final day in Galway as they appear in their 7th consecutive final and winning 5 out of the last 6 titles. They are without some key players such as Orlaith McGrath who is out due and ACL injury while Maria Cooney may be a doubt for the finals after going over heavily on her ankle in the closing stages against Athenry. Sarsfields overcame Ardrahan, Craughwell and Mullagh convincingly during the group stages while they had narrow victories over Athenry and Oranmore Maree to leave them top of the group and this in turn put them straight into the semi-final. Here they faced Athenry, a side that has ran them close on a few occasions over the last few years. A strong first half performance laid the marker for their victory on the day as they ran out 3-point victors on the day. Sarsfields experience on big match days will stand to them today as they look to make it 4 titles in a row. They have also fantastic experience on their bench with the addition of newcomers and county u16 players Caoimhe Kelly and Ciara McGrath also joining the panel this year.

Both sides did not show their full hand earlier during the year during the group stages. There was still only 3 points between the sides on the day. It promises to be a fantastic match as Oranmore Maree look to make up for last year’s disappointment and Sarsfields look to make it 6 titles in 7 years for the club. Throw in is at 3PM on Saturday in Duggan Park Ballinasloe.