Venue confirmed for Rynagh's All-Ireland camogie final

St Rynagh's are heading to Croke Park for their All-Ireland intermediate camogie club final against Salthill-Knocknacarra on Sunday, March 6.

Fixture details have been revealed by the Camogie Association, with the defending champions and their Galway opponents set to do battle at GAA headquarters (throw-in 2pm).

The All-Ireland senior final between Oulart the Ballagh (Wexford) and Sarsfields of Galway will also be played at Croke Park on the same day.

St Rynagh's booked their place in the final with a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over Gailltír in Nenagh last Saturday. A goal from a penalty by Róisín Egan, early in the final quarter, was the difference as the Banagher club overcame their familiar foes from Waterford.

The sides have enjoyed a wonderful rivalry in recent years, with Gailltír beating Rynagh’s in an All-Ireland final before the Offaly women exacted revenge in the 2020 decider played in December and repeated the trick to book their spot in the upcoming 2021 decider.

The penalty which led to Egan' s goal was awarded after a foul on Siobhán Flannery by Hannah Flynn, just a minute after Flannery had rifled a first-time shot inches wide when a goal seemed certain.

This time, her contribution did lead to a green flag, though Egan’s shot had to be inch-perfect and a bullet with that, as it hit the top corner, despite ‘keeper Ciara Jackman almost getting her hurley to it.

Egan was monumental throughout, along with Kate Kenny and Flannery, and Kenny followed up quickly with a stupendous score, her fifth point. Within minutes of being level, Gailltír were five points down.

Gailltír got the gap back to two, with Molly Comerford and Annie Fitzgerald splitting the posts. But Flannery landed a monstrous point with the last puck from a free and it was the Faithful women who progressed.

Gailltír started ideally with a sixth-minute goal from the lively Alannah O’Sullivan, who was alert to pounce when St Rynagh’s goalie Ellen Gilligan was caught advancing too far under Kate Lynch’s delivery and could only bat it up into the air. O’Sullivan was in like a flash to bat the sliotar to the net.

Crucially, St Rynagh’s responded in kind inside 60 seconds, when Linda Sullivan dispossessed Jackman as the netminder attempted to gather the sliotar following a brilliant run by Emma Corcoran, and was able to finish to an empty net.

It was nip and tuck from there until the penalty, as Kenny and Aoife Fitzgerald exchanged points, while Laoise Forrest stood out for Gailltír with three points from play. But once Egan's shot billowed the net, the Offaly girls were clear and that was the margin in the end.

Meanwhile, Salthill-Knocknacarra defeated Portaferry of Down in their All-Ireland semi-final, played in Abbotstown last Sunday.