Niamh Rockett digs Waterford out after early Banner blitz to reach All-Ireland semi-final
Seventeen years after making her intercounty debut, Niamh Rockett scored 1-11 and kept her dream of completing what would be a sensational premier junior, intermediate and senior grand slam alive as Waterford survived the most searching of tests before stretching away to a 10-point victory in a pulsating All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final against Clare.
At the other end of the field, Vikki Falconer marked her return to Croke Park two years after buckling in the early minutes of the All-Ireland final with what proved to be a cruciate knee ligament injury, by providing an imperious defending display.
Falconer was given a bit of trouble early on by Róisín Begley, but by the second half, she was emerging from every ruck going with the sliotar, carrying, finding a team-mate, returning to base camp. Rinse. Repeat.
Don't be fooled by the margin though. This was a deficit that was harsh on Clare, even if Waterford could have had three or four goals in the first half.
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That they didn't was down to the goalkeeping of Rachael Daly, who dived full length to save a Beth Carton penalty and made another stop on the industrious Máiréad O'Brien, while Abby Flynn was denied by some last-ditch defending by Susan Daly and Clare Hehir, and Sinéad O'Keeffe put her body on the line to deny Flynn another chance.
Clare's Aoife Anderson tackles Waterford's Mairead O'Brien. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho
The Dalys were joined in defence by their triplet sibling Lynda, who recovered from a first-half injury to play well, while their younger sister Jennifer was a constant threat, scoring two points.
Áine O'Loughlin pounced for two goals in the first half, the first an absolute piledriver in the 15th minute after Begley found her peeling off Kate Lynch.
Eight minutes later, she got her hand to a low ball, turning to send a shot in off the far post.
Their work rate had Waterford struggling to get out of defence and make any real inroads up top. Annie Fitzgerald and Flynn were largely clinical when opportunities presented themselves, while Flynn and Rockett combined well for a couple of scores.
It looked like hard work for the Déise but a turnover deep in injury time created a two-on-one. When Flynn fed Fitzgerald, the Gaill Tír dynamo made no mistake from close range to give Waterford a 1-11 to 2-5 lead.
By now, Mick Boland had moved Keeley Corbett Barry back on O'Loughlin, with Lynch sitting in front.
Áine O'Loughlin celebrates a goal for Clare. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho
Clare introduced Ellen Casey at the end of the third quarter and the Newmarket-on-Fergus woman had a shot from a free well saved by Brianna O'Regan.
O'Loughlin continued to cause trouble but by hook, and perhaps sometimes by crook, Waterford kept the Banner skipper at bay.
Waterford captain Lorraine Bray got more into the game towards the finish with a couple of points, one of which was a solid goal chance.
Clare Hehir lofted three frees over the bar from distance for the Banner and it was still all to play for when Rockett exchanged passes with sub Maggie Gostl to goal in the 55th minute. The St Anne's sharpshooter had to stretch but just beat the advancing Rachael Daly to flick to the net and put eight between the counties.
Points from Rockett and Fitzgerald, who blazed just over after somehow working her way in from the endline, made it a double-figure margin, which will have fooled nobody, but for Waterford the key was ensuring a third semi-final appearance in four seasons.
WATERFORD:
B O'Regan, R Walsh, K Lynch, V Falconer, B Bowdren, K Corbett Barry, O Hickey. A McNulty, L Bray (0-2), E O'Neill, B Carton (0-2), A Flynn (0-3), N Rockett (1-11 0-7f, 0-1′45), M O'Brien, A Fitzgerald (1-2).
Subs:
M Gostl for O'Neill (44 mins); T Power for Hickey (57); M Comerford for Flynn (59); I Heffernan for Corbett Barry (60); A O'Sullivan for O'Brien (60+2).
CLARE:
R Daly, S O'Keeffe, C Hehir (0-3f), S Daly, L Daly, A Walsh, D Griffin, N Mulqueen, A Andersen, A O'Keeffe (0-2), C Cahill (0-1), J Daly (0-2), R Begley, A O'Loughlin (2-0), Z Spillane (0-2).
Subs:
C Carmody for Spillane (39); E Casey for Andersen (42); G Carmody for A O'Keeffe (57); C Grogan for S Daly, A Cooney for J Daly (58); M Scanlon for Hehir blood (60)
Referee:
L Dempsey (Kilkenny).
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