Milford end Oulart-The Ballagh’s double dream

Oulart-The Ballagh’s dreams of a unique AIB All-Ireland club double were dashed at Carriganore in Waterford, after Milford narrowly beat them 1-9 to 1-8 in their senior camogie semi-final.

The 2013-2014 champions were pushed all the way by the titleholders, whose hurlers also won the Leinster championship at the end of last year. Milford will now play 2011 champions Killimor, after the Galwegians accounted for Loughgiel Shamrocks at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, by 2-7 to 1-5.

The intermediate final will be contested by Cahir and Eyrecourt, after the Tipperary girls beat Tullaroan, 1-8 to 1-5, and Eyrecourt’s goal power accounted for Eglish, 3-6 to 0-5.

Milford always held the upper hand in their heavyweight match-up involving the winners of the last four national club senior titles.

Emer Watson slotted two placed balls for the Cork unit and though Ursula Jacob responded in kind, a Laura Stack goal, followed by another couple of points, put the winners in a strong position. Jacob kept her side in touch and they trailed by just a point, 1-4 to 0-6, at the break.

Watson and Deirdre Reilly helped open up a four-point gap as the second half progressed and that was significant, as it rendered the late goal from Úna Leacy — playing her first game since having a cruciate knee ligament injury operated on last July — of consolation value only.

Brenda Hanney rolled back the years with a superlative display to help Killimor keep Loughgiel Shamrocks at bay. The former Galway star scored 1-3 in a player-of-the-match performance and with Susan Keane adding 1-2, the westerners were able to maintain control. As expected, Racquel McCarry provided the main threat for Shamrocks, providing 1-2 of their tally, and the Antrim contingent rallied well but could not reel in their gritty opponents.