By Anthony Newman
Comeragh Rangers 1-12
Southern Gaels 0-11
An historic day for Comeragh Rangers as they won the AIB Munster Ladies Football senior championship for the first time in the club’s history.
It was a battle all the way to the finish and they had to withstand a Southern Gaels second-half comeback, who came from nine points down at half-time to just two last on.
But late points from Sarah Connolly and Clodagh Power helped secure the title for the Waterford side.
Katie Murray opened the scoring for Comeragh Rangers, with Ava Connolly adding a second for them as the Waterford side enjoyed early possession.
Rachel Dwyer pulled a point back for Southern Gaels, from a free and a second free from her had the sides level after five minutes, 0-2 each.
Clodagh Power set up Mairead Power to put Comeragh back in front. Eibhlin Power added another as the Waterford side led by 0-4 to 0-2 after nine minutes.
Mayers Lyons pulled a point back for Southern Gaels, before Connolly was on target again for Comeragh. Emma Murray increased their lead further, as they led by double scores, 0-6 to 0-3, after 15 minutes.
That became four when Clodagh Power scored from a free as they were making full use of the wind at their backs.
They increased that lead even further when Emma Murray intercepted a pass to set up her sister, Katie, for the game’s opening goal, to make it 1-7 to 0-3.
Clodagh Power stretched their lead further, with Mairead Power adding another to see the Waterford side lead by 1-9 to 0-3 at half-time.
Now playing with the wind Southern Gaels started the second-half on the front foot, with Jess Gill scoring from a tight angle to make it 1-9 to 0-4.
Lyons added another as Comeragh were finding it difficult to get out of their own half as Southern Gaels pressed up on their kick-outs.
Dwyer added another from a free and with 38 minutes gone it was 1- 9 to 0-6.
Anna Galvin, who had moved from centre-back to midfield, was having a big influence on the game and she kicked a superb point to reduce the deficit even further.
By the time 45 minutes were played Comeragh’s lead was down to three, thanks to two points from Gill as Southern Gaels were dominating at this point.
Comeragh’s first score of the second-half came after 56 minutes when Shauna Dunphy burst forward to set up Eibhlin Power to point.
But from the restart the lead was back down to three, when Dwyer scored at the other end.
Another superb point from Gill had only two between the sides as the game headed for injury-time.
But Comeragh kept battling and Clodagh Power scored to put three between them again.
From the restart they regained possession to see Sarah Connolly point to make it 1-12 to 0-11.
That proved to be the final score of the game as Comeragh Rangers win the senior title for the first time in their history.
