KNOCKANANNA’S MAG
KNOCKANANNA DONARD-THE GLEN 1-12 0-06
DEFENDING champions Knockananna notched their ‘three in a row’ of Wicklow Senior camogie titles when they overcame a very game challenge from Donard-The Glen in the 2017 final played in Baltinglass on Saturday evening.
A goal from wing-forward Liz Fahey four minutes from time in the second period finally put this game out of the reach of the Donard-The Glen side, which had hung in there on the score board despite playing second fiddle to a fit and well prepared Knockananna.
Unfortunately for the organisers and players alike, the rain came down on this game from the beginning making conditions difficult.
Knockananna got into their stride early and dominated the game for much of the first half. However, they were slow enough showing their dominance on the scoreboard with the westerners staying within one score of the champions until just before halftime.
Midfielders Jessie Byrne and Claire Byrne established an early control and ensured a constant flow of play towards the DonardThe Glen end.
Claire Byrne got Knockananna off the mark with a point from play after four minutes. Kelly Byrne added another from a free a minute later. Liz Fahey struck a third in the eighth minute. While Knockananna continued to enjoy a territorial dominance, there was no score for the next 10 minutes.
A mistake from Knockananna, when a back pass from a sideline cut to a defender went wrong, allowed Kelly O’Neill in to shoot Donard-The Glen’s first point after 18 minutes.
Despite the continued dominance of the champions, they were only two points up at this stage. Emily Hadden and Claire Byrne added two points for Knockananna before Kelly O’Neill added her second point on twenty-eight minutes to leave just three points in it.
Nora O’Neill added a point from a free when Knockananna were penalised for over-carrying. Sarah Byrne kicked a fine point for the champions and a pointed free by Ciara Byrne concluded the first half scoring to leave Knockananna leading 0-7 to 0-4 at the break.
Donard-The Glen began the second period in determined fashion. Nora O’Neill pointed a free after five minutes and then she pointed a 45 three minutes later to reduce the margin back to two points. However, this was as good as it got for the westerners.
Knockananna shook themselves back into action. Claire and Jessie Byrne re-established their mid-field dominance. The halfback line of Laura Hogan, Emily Hadden and Shannagh Goetelen put up the shutters and DonardThe Glen found it very difficult to get through.
Laura Hogan had a particularly strong second half and capped off a great game with a point near the end. Sarah Byrne pointed in the 10th and 19th minute (the second could have been a goal). Claire Byrne pointed again after 22 minutes.
Kelly O’Neill pointed a DonardGlen free to stay in touch but the game was now flowing decisively in favour of the champions.
Laura Hogan pointed on 24 minutes and then came Liz Fahey’s decisive score when she turned in the goalmouth to steer the sliother past Mary Whelan to raise the only green flag of the game. The final score of the game came from Sinead Byrne leaving the champions picking up their third title in a row with a final score of 1-12 to 0-6.
The winning captain, Áine O’Keeffe, was presented with the cup by Wicklow County Board Chairperson Serge Goetelen.
Scorers – Knockananna: Liz Fahey 1-1, Claire Byrne 0-3, Sarah Byrne 0-3, Ciara Byrne 0-1, Emily Hadden 0-1, Laura Hogan 0-1, Kelly Byrne 0-1, Sinead Byrne 0-1.
Donard-The Glen – Nora O’Neill 0-3, Kelly O’Neill 0-3.
Knockananna: Macayla Murphy; Kellie Byrne, Áine O’Keeffe (C), Sarah Tallon; Laura Hogan, Emily Hadden, Shannagh Goetelen; Jessie Byrne, Claire Byrne; Liz Fahey, Aimee Maher, Sarah Byrne; Eireann Moules, Mag Roche, Dervela Byrne. Subs; Ciara Byrne, Sinead Byrne, Heather Tallon, Emily O’Reilly.
Donard-The Glen: Mary Whelan; Katie Daynes, Emer Miley, Amy Barrett; Lindsey Quinlan, Nora O’Neill, Claire Grace; Chloe Dwyer, Samantha Mills; Sheila Whelan, Aoife Grace, Grace O’Neill; Sophie Mills, Hannah O’Neill, Kelly O’Neill. Subs: Mollie McCormack, Katie Ann O’Neill, Clare Whelan, Emer Kelly.
Referee: Brian Deering (Rathvilly)