All Ireland Camogie Quarter Final
Waterford 2-20
Clare 2-10
Tomás McCarthy at Croke Park
Niamh Rockett fired 1-11 on Saturday afternoon as Waterford reached the All Ireland camogie semi finals for the third time in four years. Mick Boland’s side will face defending champions Cork on Saturday, July 26 at Nowlan Park.
A hard working Clare side made the Déise sweat for their first win at Croke Park since the 2015 All Ireland intermediate success against Kildare. The Banner hassled and harried until Niamh Rockett’s goal five minutes from time settled the issue. A patchy performance won’t be good enough next time out.
Goals in either half from Annie Fitzgerald and Rockett broke the Banner’s resistance. Rockett continued her rich vein of form. The 2020 All Star is absolutely relishing the free taking duties. She didn’t miss any placed balls. That’s an impressive haul of 3-63 this season.
Vikki Falconer was immense at corner back in her first appearance at GAA HQ since she suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in the 2023 All Ireland final. Dogged, determined and dominant. Annie Fitzgerald (1-2) and Abby Flynn (0-3) also caused problems for the Clare full back line.
Towering full forward Áine O’Loughlin raised two green flags for the Banner in the first half including a goal of the year contender to the roof of the net. Keeley Corbett Barry went back to number three but the high ball inside was still an issue during the second period.
Annie Fitzgerald’s injury time major sent Waterford 1-11 to 2-5 ahead at the break. Mick Boland’s side created four goal chances in the first quarter but failed to take any. Abby Flynn was denied in the early exchanges as Susan Daly and Clare Hehir put their bodies on the line. A sign of things to come as Clare outworked Waterford throughout that opening half. Pressure on Brianna O’Regan led to a Zi Yan Spillane point.
Beth Carton intercepted a short puckout but Niamh Rockett couldn’t capitalise.
The teams were deadlocked at three points each when Carton earned a penalty in the ninth minute. The 2023 Player of the Year stepped up but Banner goalkeeper Rachael Daly got down low to save. Off the counter attack, her sister Jennifer pointed into Hill 16. Four Daly sisters started for the saffron and blue including triplets Rachael, Susan and Lynda!
Mairéad O’Brien beat four defenders with a trademark solo run but Daly saved her shot at goal. Off the rebound, Flynn was swarmed by the Clare rearguard. Back to back Niamh Rockett points, both set up by Flynn, helped Waterford into a 6-4 lead. Carton drifted deep from centre forward and fired stick passes inside.
On the quarter hour, Áine O’Loughlin fetched a high ball from Róisín Begley and unleashed a bullet that whizzed past O’Regan to the top of the onion bag. The Déise regained the lead through Rockett and Flynn before O’Loughlin struck again. This time, the full forward booted the sliotar to the bottom corner (2-4 to 0-8). Mick Boland’s side bounced back with three Rockett frees. In the fourth added minute, Flynn fed the unmarked Fitzgerald and she drilled the sliotar home to give Waterford a flattering three point lead at halfway. Her fourth goal of the championship.
There was still only a puck of a ball between them with eight minutes left. O’Loughlin continued to cause bother. Keeley Corbett Barry hauled down the Clare attacker when she threatened to complete her hat trick. The Déise defender received a yellow card. Surprisingly, substitute Ellen Casey went for goal from the free and O’Regan blocked it. Alannah McNulty then threw herself in front of Andrea O’Keeffe when she threatened a three pointer. Full back Clare Hehir nailed three frees to keep Clare in touch. Captain Lorraine Bray got two points from play at the other end as Waterford struggled to shrug off a full blooded Banner effort.
Two Rockett points settled the leaders. On 55 minutes, the Déise markswoman combined with substitute Maggie Gostl. Rockett didn’t control the pass first time but stretched out a hurley to flick the ball to the net (2-18 to 2-10). Her first Croke Park goal. Waterford could run the bench after that as Rockett and Fitzgerald added late singles.
Scorers for Waterford: Niamh Rockett 1-11 (6fs, 1 45), Annie Fitzgerald 1-2, Abby Flynn 0-3, Lorraine Bray, Beth Carton 0-2 each.
Scorers for Clare: Áine O’Loughlin 2-0, Clare Hehir 0-3 (3fs), Jennifer Daly, Andrea O’Keeffe, Zi Yan Spillane 0-2 each, Caoimhe Cahill 0-1.
Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Rachael Walsh, Kate Lynch, Vikki Falconer; Bevin Bowdren, Keeley Corbett Barry, Orla Hickey; Alannah McNulty, Lorraine Bray; Mairéad O’Brien, Beth Carton, Eimear O’Neill; Abby Flynn, Niamh Rockett, Annie Fitzgerald.
Subs: Maggie Gostl for O’Neill (44), Tara Power for Hickey (56), Molly Comerford for Flynn (59), Iona Heffernan for Corbett Barry (60), Alannah O’Sullivan for O’Brien (62).
Clare: Rachael Daly; Susan Daly, Clare Hehir, Sinéad O’Keeffe; Lynda Daly, Abby Walsh, Danielle Griffin; Niamh Mulqueen, Aoife Anderson; Jennifer Daly, Caoimhe Cahill, Andrea O’Keeffe; Róisin Daly, Áine O’Loughlin, Zi Yan Spillane.
Subs: Caoimhe Carmody for Spillane (39), Ellen Casey for Anderson (42), Grace Carmody for Andrea O’Keeffe (51), Ciara Grogan for Susan Daly (58), Aisling Cooney for Jennifer Daly (58), Muireann Scanlon for Hehir (60).
Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)
