Flynn hat trick fires Déise to facile victory
All Ireland Camogie Championship Group 2
Waterford 5-31
Derry 0-2

Tomás McCarthy at Walsh Park

One way traffic on a Saturday afternoon of sunshine and showers as Waterford enjoyed a facile 44 point win over Derry. And it could have been more as Derry goalkeeper Niamh Gribbin made four marvellous saves and Waterford hit twelve wides.
The Oak Leafers arrived in Walsh Park with only sixteen fit players. They have lost their three championship outings by a total of 102 points. An alarming statistic. Referee Cathal McAllister wisely decided not to play any additional time at the end of either half.
The Déise failed to rattle the net in Kilkenny but put that right on this occasion. Abby Flynn fired a hat trick as Mick Boland’s charges secured back to back victories. She finished with 3-3 from play. De La Salle colleague Beth Carton shot 1-8 (1-7 from play) and sprayed the ball around brilliantly from centre forward. Niamh Rockett fired 1-5 (1-3 from play) before she went off on 37 minutes with a nasty gash to her ear. Mairéad O’Brien (0-5) and Lorraine Bray (0-4) also made big contributions to the scoreboard. Centre back Keeley Corbett Barry burst forward at every opportunity.
The home line-up showed four changes from the historic win in Nowlan Park as Noelle Murphy, Vikki Falconer, Iona Heffernan and Niamh Ahearne stepped in for Brianna O’Regan, Kate Lynch, Eimear O’Neill and Maggie Gostl. Falconer’s first start of 2025 following her return from Australia.
There was a buzz around the ground as Under 8 teams from across the county lined up in front of the tunnel to cheer Waterford onto the field. Déise captain Lorraine Bray won the toss and chose to play with the elements towards the City End.
The hosts led 3-17 to 0-1 at the break and squandered four more goal chances. It was like backs versus forwards as the away team only mounted two attacks. Waterford went after goals right from the off. Derry number one Niamh Gribbin denied Abby Flynn, Lorraine Bray and Mairéad O’Brien from point blank range before Flynn batted to the net on 19 minutes. Flynn got her second after a slick passing move involving O’Brien, Niamh Rockett and Bray. In the 26th minute, Beth Carton picked out Rockett with a pinpoint stick pass. Gribbin got a stick to her low shot but the 2020 All Star still raised a green flag. Orlaith Hull finally opened Derry’s account with a free two minutes before the break.
The Under 8s filled the pitch for the half time Go Games. When play resumed, Gribbin made her fourth save of the afternoon from Annie Fitzgerald. Carton whipped home the Déise’s fourth major on 42 minutes. She then turned provider as a Brick flick set up Flynn for her hat trick eight minutes from the end. Substitute Alannah O’Sullivan added two points. Sinéad McGill delivered Derry’s second point on another day to forget for the Oak Leaf women.
Waterford can book a place in the knockout stages with victory over Dublin in two weeks’ time.
Scorers for Waterford: Abby Flynn 3-3, Beth Carton 1-8 (1f), Niamh Rockett 1-5 (2fs), Mairéad O’Brien 0-5, Lorraine Bray 0-4, Annie Fitzgerald, Alannah O’Sullivan 0-2 each, Keeley Corbett Barry, Niamh Ahearne 0-1 each.
Scorers for Derry: Sinéad McGill, Orlaith Hull (f) 0-1 each.
Waterford: Noelle Murphy; Iona Heffernan, Vikki Falconer, Rachael Walsh; Bevin Bowdren, Keeley Corbett Barry, Orla Hickey; Alannah McNulty, Lorraine Bray; Niamh Rockett, Beth Carton, Mairéad O’Brien; Niamh Ahearne, Abby Flynn, Annie Fitzgerald.
Subs: Aoife Landers for Hickey (HT), Alannah O’Sullivan for Rockett (37), Tara Power for Bowdren (44), Clara Griffin for Ahearne (52), Clodagh Curran for McNulty (54).
Derry: Niamh Gribbin; Eimear Doherty, Róisín Cassidy, Leah Lennon; Anna McDaid, Aoife Ni Chaside, Niamh Quinn; Rachel McAllister, Áine McGill; Rachel Keenan, Aimee Lennon, Sinéad McGill; Shannon Scullion, Orlaith Hull, Meabh Boylan.
Subs: Laura Coyle for Scullion (38), Shannon Scullion for Boylan (57).
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork)