Camogie News

Fr. Murphy’s go into this years Senior Championship Final having lost out on a place in the final last year for the first time in five years. They were beaten in the semi final by eventual winners Tara.

Having gotten off to a slow start this season, the girls in purple and gold started to find form towards the end of the group stages of the championship, registering wins over Bros. Pearse and Croydon to finish second in the group.

Fr. Murphy’s were winners of the Senior Championship in 2007 and 2008, and were also history makers in 2008. They were the first team from Britain to win at championship level in Ireland, beating Donard Glen of Wicklow comprehensively in the Leinster Quarter-final, before losing out to Shinrone of Offaly in the semi-final.

There are quite a few familiar names in the Fr. Murphy’s squad for the final, with Melanie Hogan, Brenda Kerr, Eimear O’Higgins and Bronagh McLernon having been good servants to Fr. Murphy’s Camogie for many years. As is always the case in London, new players have come into the squad this year, which has meant the girls in purple and gold have gone from strength to strength.

Tara have strong players all over the field, with many representatives on the county team, and their resilience will be difficult to break down.

Fr. Murphy’s beat Croydon in a tough semi-final, when they were far from their best. The week previous, the Murphy’s had beaten Croydon comprehensively but failed to find that form again on semi-final day. It was a very close encounter, and the girls in purple and gold wasted a lot of possession, but in the end they did enough to reach their fifth final in six years.

Tara have yet to really be tested this year, having won all their games so far very comfortably, but Fr. Murphy’s hope to hit form on the 3rd July and wrestle the title back.

In the last group game of the senior camogie championship, in sweltering conditions at Mitcham, Fr Murphy's came second in the group thanks to a comprehensive 5-08 to 2-02 win over Croydon.

Croydon had the aid of what breeze there was in the first half, but Murphy's Thressa McConnell opened the scoring with a long range point. This was equalised by Croydon's Sarah Allen and shortly after that Katie Cullen doubled a ball to the Murphy's net, leaving them 1-01 to 0-01 ahead. Thressa McConnell hit two more points for the girls in purple and gold and this was followed by an excellent strike for a point by Emma Taylor. Ruth Foley then goaled just before the break to leave the score at half time Fr Murphy's 1-04 Croydon 1-02.

Fr Murphy's hit the ground running after the break and Niamh Keane bagged a goal, which was quickly followed by a wonderful point from Hannah Noonan. Niamh Keane added another, then two bursts forward resulted in goals for Sandra Martin. Claire Towey also got her name on the scoresheet, fielding a high ball and rounding the full back to score a goal and then a point. Ashling Touhy then goaled for Croydon, but Fr Murphy's had the last word with a point from Sandra Martin, leaving the final Score Fr Murphy's 5-08 Croydon 2-02.

The two teams now meet on Saturday in the Semi Final at Ruislip 2pm. It promises to be a far more competitive game, with both teams determined to book a spot in the final, having both lost at semi final stage last year.

Fr. Murphy’s took on Bros. Pearses on Saturday in the second round of their senior championship on Saturday 15th May. Having suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Tara the previous week, the girls in purple and gold had a lot to prove. They asserted their authority on the game from the start, winning a lot of the possession throughout the first half. They failed to capitalise on this, however, and went into the break having only scored twice, leading by two points to one, the points coming from Claire Towey and Sue Harding while Emma Linnane kept Bros. Pearse in touch.

Fr. Murphy’s came out fighting after the half time break, however. Emma Taylor was fantastic at midfield, clearing ball and setting up attacks. Shortly after the restart Maura McAuley pointed and this was shortly followed by a Sue Harding goal. The girls in purple and gold had definitely upped a gear. Thressa McConnell added a point, before Claire Towey scored a goal. She followed a high ball in which was blocked by Bros. Pearse goalkeeper initially but the ball rebounded off Towey and ended up in the back of the net.

The threat from the Bros. Pearse attack was still ever present with Emma Linnane and Jennifer O’Donovan, but the Fr. Murphy’s defence held strong and worked extremely hard throughout.

Thressa McConnell added another point for Fr. Murphy’s but Bros. Pearse fought back with a goal. Jackie Shiels sealed the win for Fr. Murphy’s, however, with a goal minutes from the end. Centre-back Eimear O’Higgins sent a high ball goalwards and Shiels connected fantastically to send it into the back of the net to leave a final score of 3-05 to 1-01.

Fr. Murphy’s: Melanie Hogan, Jackie Shiels, Liz McGrath, Anne Marie Keogh, Bronagh McLernon, Eimear O’Higgins, Jade O’Neill, Ruth Foley, Emma Taylor, Sue Harding, Maura McAuley, Claire Towey, Anna Gibson, Thressa McConnell, Dee O’Riordan. Subs: Michelle McKay

Fr. Murphy's travelled to Birmingham to defend their International Womens Festival title with a strong side, despite being without eight girls on duty with the county team. They were drawn in a group with John Mitchels (Birmingham), Tara (London) and Liverpool Hope University, while the other group contained Green Isle (London), Erin go Bragh (Birmingham) and Cullion from Westmeath.

The girls in purple and gold opened with a game against John Mitchels of Birmingham and were soon underway with goals from Maura McAuley(2) and Hannah Noonan, and a point from Dee O Riordan was shortly followed by a goal from Sandra Martin. They led 4-01 to 0-00 at half time. Two points each for Sandra Martin and Alicia O Sullivan, gave them a win with a score line of 4-05 to 0-00, and captain Anna Gibson celebrated by
keeping a clean sheet.

Next up was the all London clash with Tara's, which proved to be an exciting game. Denise Gilligan opened the scoring for Tara with two points, but Maura McAuley replied for the Murphy's. Then a shot from Denise Gilligan looked to be sailing over the bar, but dipped into the net. In a typical Murphy’s fashion though, the girls fought for everything.
Fiona Noone, on her first outing for the camogie team, was a big presence on the pitch and Hannah Noonan and Jade O Neill carried the ball and ran at the Tara defence. Sandra Martin and Maura McAuley were always a threat and although at half time Tara led 1-02
to Murphy's 0-02 you could just sense the girls in purple and gold had a lot more fight in them. Dee O Riordan who had to come off injured during the first half returned to the pitch for the second half and the Murphy's threw everything at Tara. They had a few wides, but midway through the half, after the Tara keeper made a double save, Alicia O'Sullivan whipped the ball to the net to draw level. Maura McAuley then pointed
a placed ball, and the Murphy's came under immense pressure for the final minutes but managed to hold onto their slender lead. With the Referee about to blow the full time whistle Maura McAuley pointed again from an acute angle for Murphy's to run out winners on a score line of 1-04 to 1-02.

With the bare nine players, the girls in purple and gold were starting to tire and the injuries were starting to mount. Having already secured a semi final place, they lost the last group game to an excellent Liverpool Hope University side 2-02 to 0-03.

They were drawn against Cullion of Westmeath in the semi final. Through tired and aching limbs they battled on. Cullion got a great start of a goal and two points before Maura McAuley replied with a point. The half time score was 1-03 to 0-01 in favour
of Cullion, but in the second half the Murphy’s fighting spirit appeared again. Jade O’Neill goaled and Sandra Martin was desperately unlucky with a goal chance that would have drawn the game. The final score in Cullion’s favour was 1-04 to 1-01.

Fr. Murphy's club are very proud of their girls this weekend. Not only did they have eight players on duty for the county team in a marvellous win over Tyrone but they also found another nine with a never say die attitude to represent the club in Birmingham.