Keeper's red card sours Gailltír win over Clanmaurice  

With Alannah O’Sullivan controlling midfield, the Waterford side were deserving winners

Sara Murphy (Clanmaurice), Joe Mullins referee with Gailltír joint captains Alannah O’Sullivan and Maeve Sheridan before their Munster Club Senior Camogie clash on Sunday

AIB Munster Senior Camogie semi final: Gailltír (Waterford) 2-13 Clanmaurice (Kerry) 1-8 

Gailltír proved to have too much firepower in a dominant second half as they put a gusty Clanmaurice side to the sword and will now play St Finbarr’s in the Munster final.

However they lost their goalkeeper Noelle Murphy minutes from time to a red card for a late strike as she cleared the ball. Unless she wins an appeal, Gailltír will have to find a new keeper for the decider.

Gailltír looked lively early on and the dangerous Annie Fitzgerald raised the opening white flag. Laoise Forrest doubled that lead but Clanmaurice, led superbly from centre back by Patrice Diggin, began to curb the dangerous Gailtir attack. Having been fouled, Diggin opened the Kerry account from the free.

Clanmaurice had Sara Murphy, Niamh Leen, Diggin and Aoife Behan defending tenaciously. Up front, Jackie Horgan did her best despite being well marshaled by Kate Lynch.

A long ball found Horgan, who beat her marker and Maeve Sheridan had no option but to foul the full forward and the referee pointed to the spot. Patrice Diggin gave Murphy no chance with the penalty. 

Boosted by this, Clanmaurice added points from Horgan (’45) and Kate Lynch from play and suddenly, they were leading 1-3 to 0-3.

A Diggin free had the Kerry side dreaming but Gailltír regained their composure and Annie Fitzgerald created a chance that Caoimhe Flynn finished to the net. Two Laoise Forrest frees restored Gailtir’s lead as they retired 1-5 to 1-4 up.

Molly Comerford and Jackie Horgan swapped early points but that was as good as it got for Clanmaurice.

By the end of the third quarter it was 1-9 to 1-5 with two frees for Forrest and a point by substitute Maria Brennan.

Forrest with a free and the unstoppable Annie Fitzgerald pushed the home side further clear with Jackie Horgan stemming the tide with a super point. 

But with Alannah O’Sullivan controlling midfield, Gailltír had a late Annie Fitzgerald goal to put icing on the cake.

Clanmaurice died with their boots on but Gailltír were deserving winners. Though celebrations will be somewhat muted after losing their keeper.

Scorers for Gailltír: L Forrest (0-7, 6fs), A Fitzgerald (1-3), C Flynn (1-0), M Comerford, M Brennan and A O’Sullivan (f) (0-1 each 

Clanmaurice: P Diggin (1-4, 1-0 pen, 4fs), J Horgan (0-3, ’45, f), K Lynch (0-1) 

GAILLTÍR; N Murphy; K Lynch, S Fitzgerald, M Sheridan; A Hartley, C Carroll, C Sherlock; C Flynn, A O’Sullivan; A Ferguson, A Power, C O’Sullivan; M Comerford, L Forrest, A Fitzgerald 

Subs: E Fitzgerald for C O’Sullivan (34), M Brennan for C Flynn (42), V O’Sullivan for A Ferguson (60) 

CLANMAURICE: A Fitzgerald; R McCarthy, S Murphy, M Costello; N Leen, P Diggin, A Behan; C Spillane, K Lynch; A O’Sullivan, L Collins, E Slattery; E Ryall, J Horgan, L Houlihan.

Sub: C Evans for E Slattery (47) 

Referee: J Mullins (Clare)