Carnacon march to another final

Carnacon march to another final


Semi-Final
Carnacon 2-16
Timahoe 2-6

Rory Delaney
Timahoe

AN unerring display of shooting from Cora Staunton saw Carnacon into the All-Ireland final on Sunday, as Laois side Timahoe exited the championship at the semi-final stage for the second year in a row.
Staunton’s display was one of the most complete ever witnessed on the Timahoe pitch. She kicked points from all distances and angles as the Leinster champions struggled to contain her. When the mood takes Staunton, as it did here, there is little any defence can do about it. She kicked her first point after 23 seconds and had ten registered by half time. At times there were four or five Timahoe defenders converging on her, but her strength and ability saw her through time after time. On this occasion and in this form, she was unmarkable.
Carnacon got the start that Timahoe wanted in this game, as Staunton followed up her early effort with two further points to give Carnacon a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after just four minutes. Playing into the wind in the first half, and with one player less in attack as they dropped Becky McPhilbin back to assist in marking Staunton, Timahoe were finding it hard to get the ball up to their inside forward line. Their effort was finally rewarded seven minutes in though, as Martina Dunne won possession on the left wing and split the posts with a superb score.
But that only offered brief respite for Timahoe, as Carnacon hit back hard. Cora Staunton started their most impressive spell of the game with a brace of pointed frees before Natasha Beegan finished off a nice move with her first score of the game. Staunton again took over the scoring duties after Beegan’s effort, as four points on the trot from the centre half-forward saw them go 0-10 to 0-1 ahead.
Timahoe needed something to go their way soon. They were thrown a lifeline nine minutes from half time when Mary Casey struck for their first goal, as she pounced for a close range finish after her initial effort was saved by Michelle Higgins. Staunton and Martina Dunne then traded late frees, as Carnacon held a healthy 0-11 to 1-2 lead at half time.
Staunton and Dunne again pointed frees at the start of the second half before any lingering hopes Timahoe may have had of staging a comeback were dealt a crushing blow. It was no great surprise that Staunton was behind the score, as she burst through from the left wing, and holding Aisling Quigley off with her right hand, she powered a left-footed shot past Bernie Deegan for her side’s first goal.
Ten minutes would then pass before another score was registered, as Martha Carter’s powerful shot found the net despite Bernie Deegan getting a hand to it. Timahoe responded well, with Mo Nerney winning possession from a long ball before it was worked to Maggie Murphy, and she finished low past Michelle Higgins.
The rest of the game was competitive but not close, as Carnacon retained a healthy lead and chipped in with scores whenever they needed them, as they ran out deserving ten-point winners in the end.

Carnacon
M Higgins; N Hurst, C McGing, S McGing; M Corbett, A Loftus, N Tierney; C Egan, M Ging; A Brennan, C Staunton (1-14, 0-8f), M Carter (1-0); M Gill, F McHale, N Beegan (0-2).
Sub used: D Hughes for Gill (27 mins).

Timahoe
B Deegan; G Dunne Snr, L Delaney, T Lalor; S Quigley, G Dunne Jnr, A Hooban; A Quigley, B McPhilbin (0-1); A Casey, M Casey (1-0), S Barry; G O’Connor, M Dunne (0-4, 3f), M Murphy (1-1).
Subs used: M Nerney for Hooban (45 mins); AM Kelly for S Quigley (50 mins); J Curley for O’Connor (60 mins).

Referee: MJ O’Keeffe (Cork)