Rockett sees red as Déise prepare for Croker
Tempers flare between the teams during the second-half of the game.
Niamh Rockett will miss Waterford's All Ireland Quarter Final clash with Kilkenny at Croke Park on Saturday after receiving a straight red card at the end of last Sunday's frustrating loss to Cork.
Six minutes into injury time, the second half substitute caught Laura Hayes with a high challenge as the Cork number nine emerged from a ruck. Hayes got treatment on the ground before she walked off the field with the medical team.
The red card aside, both sides were left bewildered by some of the non-decisions from referee Donnacha O’Callaghan. More physicality is now encouraged in camogie but blatant fouls were ignored here. It was hard to tell what was a free or not.
A late, late point from the returning Ashling Thompson sealed Cork’s third straight win and a ticket to the semi finals. A lacklustre spectacle will be remembered for a freak first half goal by Rebel netminder Amy Lee. On a bright and breezy afternoon, she traded passes with Libby Coppinger from a short puckout and let fly from her own D. The sliotar bounced over opposite number Brianna O’Regan and ended up in the back of the net. The wind was so strong in Páirc Uí Rinn that the tricolour blew off the flagpole!
Waterford played better against it in the first half but wasted nine shots at goal. Five points in each half was a disappointing return. Their second defeat, coupled with Galway's big win over Tipperary, sent the Déise into the quarter final draw on Monday morning where they got Kilkenny.
Eleven of the 24 scores arrived from frees. The sweepers (Clodagh Carroll at one end and Meabh Murphy at the other) and the strong wind contributed to the low numbers and the low quality. On a tough day for forwards, Sorcha McCartan excelled in the red corner. She caused Laoise Forrest problems right from the throw in. The Down native threw over three points off her left in the first half and won two frees in the second half. Strangely, a switch was never made in the Déise full back line. Vikki Falconer held Amy O’Connor scoreless from play in the other corner.
Is it time for Waterford to abandon the sweeper? While they are curtailing the opposition to around fourteen scores per match, they are struggling at the other end. In their last four games, covering the Munster Final and the All Ireland series, the Déise have averaged just thirteen points. They have also failed to raise a green flag. The talent in that front six is capable of so much more.
Clodagh Carroll reads the game superbly as the spare defender and was Waterford’s best player on Sunday but their marquee forwards are getting bottled up. Defences are able to double mark Beth Carton. Perhaps the most significant stat of them all is that the Déise have lost three of those four matches.
All Stars Lorraine Bray and Niamh Rockett watched the first half of this one from the dugout. Bray suffered a hamstring injury against Tipperary. Waterford went with one change from the loss to Galway as Maggie Gostl replaced Alannah O'Sullivan. Ashling Thompson was back for the home team after recovering from an elbow injury.
Cork captain Meabh Cahalane won the toss and chose to play with the stiff breeze. Three superb Sorcha McCartan points and that bizarre Amy Lee goal left the hosts three up at the break (1-5 to 0-5). Both sides struggled with their shooting. Cork hit nine wides while Waterford sent five off target and four short.
Mick Boland’s charges went for goal off the throw in but Millie Condon got a crucial hook as Eimear O'Neill pulled the trigger. From the counter attack, McCartan sent over her first point. After Beth Carton and O'Neill missed chances, Mairéad O'Brien opened Waterford's account. Amy Lee then surprised everyone in the ground by finding the net with that fierce slap of the ball.
Waterford recovered from that soft concession with points from Annie Fitzgerald and Bevin Bowdren. Against the elements, the visitors worked the ball patiently through the lines but didn't get the scores that their approach play deserved. Meanwhile, McCartan looked lethal up top with two over the shoulder points from opposite wings. Fitzgerald hit back with her second. There were no further scores from play as Cork’s finishing let them down. Amy O'Connor and Saoirse McCarthy converted frees either side of one from Beth Carton.
Lorraine Bray entered the fray at half time and nearly made an immediate impression but her shot was batted away by Amy Lee. Carton reduced the gap to two as she finally fended off Ava Fitzgerald to score from play. That was as close as Waterford got.
Four Cork points on the trot (three Amy O’Connor frees and Orlaith Cahalane from play) put them out of sight. The Déise subs combined as Bray set up a Niamh Rockett white flag. Donnacha O’Callaghan warned Bray and Laura Hayes after a pushing and shoving match erupted in front of the Waterford goal.
Rachael Walsh broke through a hard tackle and laid on a score for Carton to make it a four point game as five minutes flashed up on the board. There was no catching the hosts however as the young fans chanted ‘Rebels, Rebels, Rebels’ in the stand. Waterford’s afternoon went from bad to worse in injury time.
Amy O’Connor 0-6 (6fs), Amy Lee 1-0, Sorcha McCartan 0-3, Saoirse McCarthy 0-2 (2fs), Ashling Thompson, Orlaith Cahalane 0-1 each.
Beth Carton 0-4 (2fs), Niamh Rockett (1f), Annie Fitzgerald 0-2 each, Bevin Bowdren, Mairéad O’Brien 0-1 each.
Amy Lee; Izzy O'Regan, Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane; Ava Fitzgerald, Meabh Murphy, Isobel Sheehan; Millie Condon, Laura Hayes; Saoirse McCarthy, Ashling Thompson, Emma Murphy; Sorcha McCartan, Orlaith Cahalane, Amy O'Connor.
Niamh McNabola for Murphy (59), Hayley Ryan for Hayes (67).
Brianna O'Regan; Vikki Falconer, Alannah McNulty, Laoise Forrest; Rachael Walsh, Orla Hickey, Keeley Corbett Barry; Eimear O’Neill, Abby Flynn; Mairéad O’Brien, Beth Carton, Bevin Bowdren; Clodagh Carroll, Maggie Gostl, Annie Fitzgerald.
Lorraine Bray for Gostl (HT), Alannah O’Sullivan for Bowdren (Blood, 32-37), Niamh Rockett for O’Brien (35), Alannah O’Sullivan for Hickey (56), Roisin Kirwan for Fitzgerald (58).
Donnacha O'Callaghan (Limerick)
Sorcha McCartan shot three first half points and won two second half frees.
That bizarre Amy Lee goal was a big moment in a low scoring game.
Niamh Rockett’s late red card.
Waterford will face Kilkenny at Croke Park on Saturday. The curtain raiser to the All Ireland Hurling Semi Final between Cork and Galway.
