Storm Emma powers Rangers to back-to-back titles
Comeragh Rangers Emma Murray lifts the trophy after her side's win over Ballymacarbry.
All the talk was about Storm Amy beforehand. All the talk was about Storm Emma afterwards.
On a wet and windy Friday night in Dungarvan, Emma Murray put on a midfield masterclass as Comeragh Rangers celebrated back-to-back county titles. The Waterford captain is one of the best players in the country right now. Manager Ger Power hugged all of the subs on the sideline before they sprinted onto the pitch at the final whistle.
Murray was simply unstoppable with ball in hand. The number eight glided past blue shirts from first minute to last. The joint captain enjoyed 51 touches in total and didn't waste a single one of them. She struck 1-4 from play and assisted two other scores in a sixteen-point win over their great rivals. It was impossible to get the ball off her.
Her sister Katie added 1-2 to the four goals she scored in last year's decider. She set up 1-3. Keeley Corbett Barry was another ball-carrying machine at midfield. Clodagh Power's fabulous first-half goal also proved crucial just moments after firing a penalty over the bar. Rangers were ruthless, and substitute Kaci Brazil blasted home a fourth major in the last minute. At the other end, Ballymac ran into a red wall as corner back Orlaith Kennedy tore into tackles.
Ballymacarbry lined out minus three big leaders. Waterford star Kellyann Hogan is playing AFLW with Collingwood, Tipperary goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick is out with an Achilles injury, while Michelle McGrath has retired after giving incredible service to both club and county. Throw in the absence of the three Ryan sisters (Michelle, Louise, and Sinéad), and this is a Ballymac team in transition. Comeragh's time is now. A Munster title is attainable for this group of players.
The Friday night lights experiment has worked a treat for the past two years. Despite the inclement weather, there was a real buzz around the ground. Music blared out before the match and at half-time. €10 was great value.
A minute's silence was observed beforehand in memory of Rosemary Fennell from Stradbally. She served as county secretary and gave a lifetime of service to ladies' football.
Fraher Field absorbed all the heavy rain that Storm Amy threw at it. The pitch was perfectly playable. Monsoon-like showers fell throughout. 1-5 without reply in the second quarter saw the defending champions enjoy a seven-point halftime lead despite playing into the wind and rain. The goal arrived in the 25th minute when Clodagh Power grabbed a short free from Eibhlín Power, held off four blue shirts, and looped the ball to the far corner of the net. The free itself was debatable as Karen McGrath appeared to win the ball legitimately off Aoife Murray. Two minutes earlier, Power chipped a Comeragh penalty over the bar after a collision between Ballymac goalkeeper Lily Browne and Kate Hahessy.
Led by the Murray sisters, Comeragh carried the ball confidently into the elements. They owned the O'Neills in the opening three minutes before Mairéad Power got the first of her two first-half points. Katie Murray also accounted for two as she slalomed through the Ballymac rearguard.
Aileen Wall had a glorious goal chance for the challengers in the twelfth minute. A long ball from Clare Walsh bounced over the head of Orlaith Kennedy, and Wall was clean through. She went for the top corner but her shot flew left and wide. Two minutes before that, Comeragh defender Kaylynn Broxson blocked down Summer Peters.
Bríd McMaugh landed two Ballymac frees while Mairéad Wall sent over a mighty 40 metre effort from play. They went 14 minutes without a first-half score before Clare Walsh struck in injury time.
Laura Mulcahy moved to midfield at the start of the second half for Ballymac and belted over a point. She also set up one for Summer Peters. Six points was as close as they got, however.
Katie Murray drilled a daisy cutter to the bottom corner on 43 minutes after she was supplied by Eibhlín Power. Emma ran the show from midfield. She weaved through blue shirts and slotted three second-half points. For one of them, she picked up the ball at the country end and finished the move at the road goal. Goal number three, with five minutes left, was made in the Murray household. The hard-working Aoife won the turnover before Katie knocked the ball down for Emma to roll it into the corner.
Comeragh emptied the bench after that, and four of the subs combined in the last minute. Sarah Connolly, Ava Connolly, and Geraldine Power were all involved before Kaci Brazil rattled the roof of the net with her first touch. The rain bucketed down as Emma Murray and Keeley Corbett Barry lifted the county cup once again.
Emma Murray 1-4, Katie Murray, Clodagh Power (0-1 penalty) 1-2 each, Kaci Brazil 1-0, Mairéad Power 0-2, Áine Power 0-1.
Bríd McMaugh 0-2 (2fs), Taylor Morrissey, Summer Peters, Laura Mulcahy, Clare Walsh, Mairéad Wall 0-1 each.
Abbey Norris; Kaylynn Broxson, Trish Kelly, Orlaith Kennedy; Kate Hahessy, Cora Murray, Shauna Dunphy; Emma Murray, Keeley Corbett Barry; Áine Power, Mairéad Power, Aoife Murray; Clodagh Power, Eibhín Power, Katie Murray.
Ava Connolly for Áine Power (43), Emma Power for Shauna Dunphy (55), Sarah Connolly for Hahessy (55), Ellen Bolger for Clodagh Power (55), Geraldine Power for Eibhlín Power (57), Nora Dunphy for Broxson (57), Kaci Brazil for Katie Murray (59).
Lily Browne; Megan O'Grady, Laura Mulcahy, Rebecca Hogan; Clodagh Hallinan, Karen McGrath, Grace Carrigan; Ruby Browne, Sadbh Hallinan; Aileen Wall, Clare Walsh, Niamh Smith; Mairéad Wall, Summer Peters, Bríd McMaugh.
Alice Meegan for O'Grady (Temporary, 4-10), Taylor Morrissey for Smith (HT), Alice Meegan for O'Grady (46), Hannah Whelan for Carrigan (54).
Padraig Nolan
The magnificent Emma Murray.
Katie Murray's goal killed off Ballymacarbry.
Friday night is the way to go for ladies football finals.
The back-to-back Waterford winners travel will play host to the Cork champions in the Munster quarter final on October 18/19.
