Fitzgerald treble does the trick as Déise advance to All Ireland Camogie Championship Group 2
Waterford 4-16
Dublin 2-11
Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park
A hat trick from Annie Fitzgerald fired Waterford into the knockout stages of the All Ireland championship for the eighth year in a row on a scorching Saturday afternoon.
A Dublin side fighting for their lives silenced an expectant home crowd when they raced 6-1 up after nine minutes with a strong breeze. Goals from Fitzgerald and Beth Carton, both set up by Niamh Rockett, settled the home team who went on to shoot 2-11 without reply either side of half time. The Dubs went 30 minutes without a score. This result guarantees the Déise an All Ireland quarter final at the very least. A top of the table clash away to Galway on Saturday will decide who goes straight through to the semis.
Waterford’s use of the ball and support play proved too hot to handle. They looked to work a goal chance rather than settle for an easy point. Fitzgerald (3-1), Carton (1-3) and Rockett (0-6) starred up front. Eimear O’Neill’s switch from midfield to attack paid dividends as her pace caused Dublin problems. She slotted two points before she picked up a knock in the second half. Abby Flynn moved from attack to midfield and put in a massive shift. Midfield partner Lorraine Bray ploughed forward at every opportunity as did half backs Keeley Corbett Barry and Bevin Bowdren.
Déise manager Mick Boland went with the same team that defeated Kilkenny in Nowlan Park. Eimear O’Neill and Maggie Gostl took the field after finishing the Leaving Cert earlier in the week.
Ten Under 10 teams from around the county formed a guard of honour for both sides beforehand. Waterford won the toss but Lorraine Bray elected to play against the wind. In 22 degree heat, Dublin were fired up as captain Niamh Gannon grabbed the sliotar off the throw in and drove through the Déise defence. A goal was on but her shot flew over Brianna O’Regan’s crossbar. Further points from Grace O’Shea and Aisling O’Neill made it three nil inside two minutes. Aisling Maher also missed a free. Niamh Rockett converted a badly needed placed ball for Waterford in the fourth minute. The next three points belonged to the visitors however as two from Aoife McKearney and one from Maher left them 6-1 ahead after just nine minutes.
Bray then supplied fellow All Star Beth Carton with a point. Off the Dublin puckout, Rockett won a turnover and sent Annie Fitzgerald through one on one. The Gailltir attacker slipped the ball past the advancing Eimear Hurley (0-6 to 1-2). Maher created a point for Gaby Couch at the other end.
On 18 minutes, Rockett played a free short to Carton. A move that Déise fans have seen before. She ran into the green grass in front of her and buried the sliotar to the bottom corner of the net. The 2023 Player of the Year punched the air. Waterford in front for the first time (2-2 to 0-7).

The hosts hit the last four points of the half. Teenager Eimear O’Neill used her speed in at corner forward to strike two from play as they led 2-7 to 0-8 by the break. Maggie Gostl grabbed a Mairéad O’Brien cross but Hurley thwarted her goal bound shot.
Bray split open the Dublin defence with a solo run on 44 minutes. On an advantage, the skipper offloaded to Fitzgerald who billowed the far corner. Four minutes later, Fitzgerald beat three defenders and spotted Dublin goalkeeper Eimear Hurley off her line. She flicked the ball over the stranded netminder into the unguarded net. Hat trick completed. The hard working Abby Flynn added two points.
Waterford finished with fourteen players as Bevin Bowdren received her second yellow card for charging. Déise goalkeeper Brianna O’Regan tried her best to keep a clean sheet as she denied Aoife McKearney from close range. Aisling Maher and Emma Flanagan did deliver consolation goals in injury time as Dublin exited the championship.
Scorers for Waterford: Annie Fitzgerald 3-1, Beth Carton 1-3, Niamh Rockett 0-6 (3fs), Abby Flynn, Eimear O’Neill 0-2 each, Maggie Gostl, Lorraine Bray 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Aisling Maher 1-4 (2fs, 1 45), Emma Flanagan 1-0, Aisling O’Neill, Aoife McKearney 0-2 each, Gaby Couch, Grace O’Shea, Niamh Gannon 0-1 each.
Waterford: Brianna O’Regan; Rachael Walsh, Kate Lynch, Alannah McNulty; Bevin Bowdren, Keeley Corbett Barry, Orla Hickey; Eimear O’Neill, Lorraine Bray; Mairéad O’Brien, Beth Carton, Abby Flynn; Maggie Gostl, Annie Fitzgerald, Niamh Rockett.
Subs: Vikki Falconer for Gostl (37), Alannah O’Sullivan for O’Neill (47), Iona Heffernan for Lynch (49), Jordan Scholtz for Rockett (56), Sarah Morrissey for Fitzgerald (56).
Dublin: Eimear Hurley; Abby Ryan, Hannah Leddy, Aoife Kenny; Aoife Heffernan, Emma O’Byrne, Niamh Comerford; Gaby Couch, Sinéad Wylde; Kerrie Finnegan, Niamh Gannon, Grace O’Shea; Aisling O’Neill, Aisling Maher, Aoife McKearney.
Subs: Christine Shanahan for Heffernan (HT), Jennifer Moore for Comerford (HT), Aoife Higgins for O’Byrne (41), Emma Flanagan for Finnegan (53).
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)