St Finbarr’s defeat Inniscarra to book Cork senior camogie semi spot

Orlaith Cahalane produced an impressive performance to inspire the Barrs to victory.

BARRS' STAR: Orlaith Cahalane in action for the Barrs in the SE Systems Cork senior Camogie championship. Pic: Larry Cummins

St Finbarr’s 1-13 Inniscarra 0-8

St Finbarr’s are the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the SE Systems Cork senior camogie championship after they got past a resilient Inniscarra at Castle Road on Saturday.

They were knocked out last year by Cloughduv at this stage but there was never any danger of lightning striking twice at the same venue.

The Brian O’Sullivan managed outfit will know their opponents in the last four later today following the Cloughduv/Courcey Rovers tie (4.30pm).

The remaining quarter-finals, also this afternoon, see Glen Rovers take on Killeagh while champions Sarsfields meet Blackrock, with the semi-finals pencilled in for next weekend.

Backboned by a number of inter-county players, including seniors Méabh and Orlaith Cahalane, and Sorcha McCartan who was marshalled by 37-year-old stalwart Rena Buckley, the signs from St Finbarr’s impressive group games were evident from early as leading scorer Orlaith Cahalane had the sliotar in the net after just 20 seconds when she collected a McCartan free.

With her sister and defender Méabh unmarked, the number six was on a lot of ball as the Barrs slotted over points from Nicole Olden (2), McCartan, Katie Wall and Orlaith Cahalane (3) to open a 1-7 to nil lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Inniscarra, short influential midfielder Katie O’Mahony due to a broken thumb and they also lost their other midfield player Áine O’Regan to a head injury immediately after the interval, began their scoring in the 25th minute when Joanne Casey slotted a free following a foul on Claudia Keane.

Meanwhile there was just one white flag for St Finbarr’s while Casey added another Inniscarra score from play to cancel a McCartan, the mid Cork side trailed 1-8 to 0-2 at the break.

With the breeze to come in their favour, Inniscarra were far more competitive in the second half, and while Casey would go on to record all of their scores - six of these were from placed balls but they came as a result of various players fouled going forward.

Meanwhile, McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane and Keeva McCarthy supplied the Barrs’ second half scores.

The Blues did enough, but there will be sterner tests ahead.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: O Cahalane (1-5, 0-2 frees), S McCartan (0-4, 0-2 frees), N Olden (0-2), K Wall and K McCarthy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Inniscarra: J Casey (0-8, 0-6 frees).

ST FINBARR’S: C Hurley; S Punch (Capt), A Egan, M Cahalane; C Golden, A Shannon, H O’Leary; A O’Neill, E Olden; N Olden, K Wall, S McCartan; E Wigginton Barrett, O Cahalane, K McCarthy.

Subs: M Twomey for E Olden (58).

INNISCARRA: C Buckley; A O’Leary, J Lyons, R Buckley; C Ring, G O’Leary, B Holland; A O’Regan, A Lotty; C Keane, R Quigley (Capt), E O’Reilly; A Power, J Casey, N Byrne.

Subs: E Looney for A O’Regan (31 inj), M Lyons for A Power, E Crowley for R Quigley (both 45), L Desmond for N Byrne (54).

Referee: Anthony O’Regan (Youghal).