Defeat to Roscommon ends Limerick junior camogie teams' All-Ireland hopes

THREE INJURY time points from Shauna Fallon ensured that Limerick exited the All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship at the hands of Roscommon at Conneff Park in Clane.

David Deady's side fell to a 0-13 to 1-7 loss in Kildare after a titanic clash against the Rossies. Limerick clawed back a four-point deficit with 10 minutes of the second half elapsed to lead by one heading into the final five minutes.

However, Fallon squared the game up for a fifth time and added three more at the death to see Roscommon earn the three-point winning margin.

Lisa English gave Limerick the perfect start with a point after just 24 seconds but Fallon responded with the equaliser on seven minutes. It was the first of 12 points for the impressive half forward.

Fallon soon had the Rossies in front for the first times but a Valerie Shanahan free and a fine Sarah Cosgrove effort from play saw Limerick 0-3 to 0-2 in front after 11 minutes.

Limerick then nearly got in for a goal when Laura Southern did brilliantly to find Niamh Brennan in space but her powerful low shot was brilliantly diverted away from goal by Roscommon keeper Michaela Fallon. Brennan then hit the target with an excellent point to send Limerick two points clear.

That was the end of the scoring for Limerick in the first half as Fallon took control of the contest. Two frees by her saw the game level and then Niamh Fitzgerald fired over a point from play to put the Rossies ahead on 22 minutes. Fallon then got her fifth of the half to see her side go in at the break 0-6 to 0-4 in front.

Fallon was the star turn at the beginning of the second half as well, adding another three points to her total that saw Roscommon go four to the good.

Limerick needed something special to get back into the game and it was Shanahan that provided it with a goal from a 21-metre free after Brennan's second from play to cut the gap to one.

Two frees by Shanahan then had Limerick dreaming of a semi-final but those hopes were dashed as four on the trot by Fallon saw Roscommon home to victory.

SCORERS - LIMERICK: Valerie Shanahan 1-3 (1-3 frees), Niamh Brennan 0-2, Lisa English and Sarah Cosgrove 0-1 each.

SCORERS - ROSCOMMON: Shauna Fallon 0-12 (0-4 frees, 0-2 '45s), Niamh Fitzgerald 0-1.

LIMERICK: Naomi Ryan; Abby Murrihy, Tara Lenihan, Megan Ryan; Aisling Irwin, Sarah Shanahan, Ciara Houlihan; Ann Kennedy, Claire Power; Lisa English, Valerie Shanahan, Emma English; Sarah Cosgrove, Niamh Brennan, Laura Southern. 

SUBS: Phoenix Mulcaire-Shire for L English (h-t), Ciara English for E English (42 mins). 

ROSCOMMON: Michaela Fallon; Shona Hanly, Marie Carty, Chloe Whyte-Lennon; Sarah Dooley, Sally Bolger, Aine O'Meara; Orla Connolly, Rachel Fitzmaurice; Shauna Fallon, Niamh Watson, Niamh Fitzgerald; Anna Campbell, Claire Curley, Sinead Mannion. 

SUBS: Tara Naughton for Watson (54 mins), Erin McDermott for Mannion (57 mins).

REFEREE: Bernard Heaney (Westmeath).