Sport

O'Leary strikes late as Cork triumph

Camogie Round-up : Camogie is in a healthy state if yesterday's National League finals at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, are anything…

Mon May 07 2007 - 01:00

Camogie Round-up: Camogie is in a healthy state if yesterday's National League finals at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, are anything to go by as Limerick, trained by former senior hurler Ciarán Carey, took a first Division One B title, defeating Cork by 1-14 to 0-5.

Wexford went agonisingly close to winning the Division One A encounter before Cork prevailed at the finish by 3-8 to 2-10 thanks to a late Jennifer O'Leary pointed free.

A spectacular goalscoring spree from both sides between the 48th and 58th minutes ensured the crowd were on the edge of their seats.

Goals from O'Leary, Una O'Donoghue and Síle Burns in a five-minute spell gave Cork a 3-6 to 0-9 lead with seven minutes remaining but Wexford full forward Michelle Hearn hit the net on two occasions to ensure parity as the game headed for injury-time.

READ MORE

Wexford had come out strongly in the opening half to hold a 0-8 to 0-3 interval advantage thanks to good work in the midfield sector from Kate Kelly and Caroline Murphy, but Cork came back firmly in the second half to ensure Gemma O'Connor lifted silverware following the game.

In the Division One B decider, Limerick had 12 points to spare over Cork at the finish - 1-14 to 0-5 - but it wasn't that clearcut a game as Cork really pressed hard.

Eileen O'Brien was the tormentor-in-chief for Limerick in the opening half with four fine points and her side held an 0-8 to 0-1 interval lead.

A Marie Keating goal in the 36th minute ensured a 12-point gap and although the teams were well matched over the final quarter, it was Limerick captain Aoife Sheehan who lifted silverware at the end.

SCORERS

DIVISION ONE A FINAL: Cork: J O'Leary 1-4 (three frees); U O'Donoghue 1-1; S Burns 1-0, G O'Connor 0-2; A Geary 0-1. Wexford: M Hearne 2-0; K Kelly 0-5 (three frees, one 45); U Leacy, C Murphy 0-2 each; A Codd 0-1 (free).

DIVISION ONE B FINAL: Limerick: M Keating 1-3; E O'Brien 0-5 (two frees, one 45); D Fitzpatrick (free), O Curtin, N Mulcahy, S McAuliffe, M Kelly 0-1 each. Cork: D Twomey 0-2; E O'Sullivan, A Thompson, R Myers 0-1 each.