Kevin’s edge battle of Saints
ST BRIDE’S ST KEVIN’S 1-7 2-8
NOT since the great battle of Ardee between CuChulainn and Fherdia has there been as anticipated a match as the Camogie Senior Championship final between St Kevins of Philipstown and St Brides of Knockbridge.
The venue was the same and not dissimilar from the myth we learned at school, this epic match had everything from the intensity of both team’s preparations, the energy and determination of the players to the sheer bravery shown by both teams on the field.
Brides were first off the mark with a point from Daire Hoey off a 45 and quickly followed by goal a minute later from Eilish O’Hare. St Kevins looked a little shocked for a few minutes with the intensity of the youthful ST Brides team and took a few minutes to settle which they duly did with back to back points from Caoimhe Matthews and Aoife Gregory
Such was the competition in the midfield that it was further 7 mins before the flag was raised again, with the Brides Daire Hoey registering a point from play followed a minute later by another point, this time from a free.
The last 5 mins of the first half saw such intensity as St Kevins tried to keep in touch which saw Aoife Gregory rewarded with two points. The Brides Goalkeeper, Emma Gernon pulled off an incredible save which would have evened things up before one of the Knockbridge club’s young guns, Cara McKeever, pulled of an incredible point from play which was probably the best score of the match.
At half time St Brides were ahead 1-4 to St Kevins 0-4
The second half began with the same intensity of the first with both team managers, making positional changes. Indeed the half time team talks by St Kevin’s Gary Rellis and St Brides David Hoey and Eddie Quigley seem to fire up the girls even more than the first half.
Whatever was said at the Phillipstown half, they dug deep in to their pool of experience from their previous four in a row wins at this level and it’s fair to say that they owned the second half.
St Brides were first on the scoreboard after 6 mins in the second half with another excellent point from play by Cara McKeever. St Kevins, began their purple patch at this point firstly with Alanna Dowling’s goal followed by points from Susan Byrne, Alanna Dowling, two pints from Aoife Gregory and Philipstown’s second goal from Eleanor Smyth. During this period, the Brides seemed to run out of steam only managing two further points from frees, both from Eilish O’Hare.
The game finished up St Brides: 1-7 St Kevins: 2-8 which was a fair result on the night with St Kevins taking the Fr Soraghan cup for the fifth time in a row.
As both teams bring forward players from their juvenile setup, we can look forward to many more battles in all competitions from these teams. For the youthful St Brides team, they should be congratulated on some excellent defensive work from another young gun, Niamh Cunningham as well as a steady hand up front Eilish O’Hare. The skill and energy displayed by Daire Hoey in the first half, delivered that half to them, but the more experienced St Kevins, kept her off the ball in the second and allowed them to driver forward to the win.
Player of the match was awarded to Aoife Gregory, not just for her scoring but also her playmaking skills and presence which led to the Kevins’s victory.
Louth County Board chairperson Lorraine Young, presented the Fr Soraghan cup to St Kevins Captain Linda Fagan and congratulated both teams on a very close and entertaining match. She thanked the referee, Paul Flanagan (Dublin), lines men, umpires and St Marys Ardee for the excellent pitch.
ST Kevins: Cliodhna Duffy, Linda Fagan, Leanne Meehan, Courtney Dowling, Rinky Kelly, Sarah Mulroy,7 Niamh Murray, Eleanor Smyth, Susan Byrne, Katie Matthews, Aoife Gregory, Allana Dowling, Ellen Buterly, Cheryl Campbell, Niamh Logue, Aisling Matthews, Donna King, Caoimhe Matthews, Julie Guinan, Ailish Carroll, Sara McMahon, Lauren Fagan.
ST Brides: Emma Gernon, Clodagh Fennell, Niamh Sweeney, Naoise Kirk, Deirdre Dunne, Caoimhe Hoey, Niamh Cunningham, Orla McGeeney, Claire Ward, Daire Hoey, Eilish O’Hare, Grainne Mackin, Cara McKeever, Sarah McArdle, Deirdre McArdle, Rachael Lynch, Roisin Soraghan, Christine Kirk, Aisling Agnew, Niamh Fennell, Laura Byrne, Aine McKenna, Orla McKenna, Yvonne Quigley, Trisha Byrne, Blaithin Sharkey, Sarah Clifford, Aimee McNally.