Marshalstown power home
MARSHALSTOWN HAD too much fire-power for Glynn-Barntown as they claimed the Junior ‘B’ camogie league title in St. Patrick’s Park on Tuesday.
The Enniscorthy District side had just that little bit more scoring prowess. With Becky Walsh and Catherine Kelly racking up the points and those around playing supporting roles in the build-up, there only looked like one winner from early in the game.
To their credit, Glynn-Barntown battled away from an impossible position, 2-5 to no score down after 22 minutes, and made a game of it. But most of their scores came from the dead-ball efficiency of Cora Doyle, with clear avenues through their opponents’ rearguard hard to find.
It didn’t take long for the victors to test Emma Kiely in the Glynn-Barntown goal. Two minutes in and Laura Creane forced her into a stop but shortly after Catherine Kelly pointed, Marshalstown did find the net.
An Emma Lacey long ball was handpassed by Creane into Becky Walsh. The full-forward soloed through and got her shot off low to the right corner just before a big collision with goalkeeper Kiely left both players prone for several minutes.
With Kelly popping over points and Evelyn Morris adding a free, Marshalstown led by 1-4 to nil after 17 minutes. A superb take in the air and finish saw Kelly get her goal as her side’s lead continued to grow.
Glynn-Barntown got some respite with two Doyle frees and a nice Deborah Fitzharris point, but two points from distance from Becky Walsh left Marshalstown 2-7 to 0-3 in front at the interval.
A foul on Glynn-Barntown’s best player, Liz Wickham, saw Doyle convert a penalty to cut the dificit to six (2-7 to 1-4). However, Marshalstown marched down the other end and replied inside 60 seconds with Creane firing to the net after Catherine Kelly’s initial shot was saved by Kiely.
Again Glynn-Barntown responded with a powerful 20-metre Doyle free past a crowded goal-line, but the Farmleigh side edged the share of the game’s five dead-ball scores in the final 17 minutes to claim the league title in comfortable fashion.
Marshalstown: Mairéad Doyle; Brenda Byrne, Teresa Davis, Lauren Finn; Donna Byrne, Emma Lacey, Evelyn Morris (0-1 free); Alma Morris, Chloe Davis; Aoife Doyle, Catherine Kelly (capt., 1-3), Mairéad Whelan; Laura Creane (1-0), Becky Walsh (16, 0-3 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Ailish O’Connor. Subs. - Elaine Ryan for Walsh, inj. (11), Walsh for Ryan (17), Ryan for O’Connor (40), Aoife Hennessy for Whelan (44), also Caitríona Kehoe, Erin Kenny, Caoimhe Denton, Claire Roche, Mag Dunphy, Meghan Roche.
Glynn-Barntown: Emma Kiely; Mairéad Furlong, Ciara Walsh, Eva Arthurs; Niamh Buckley, Emma Goff, Danielle Doyle; Caoimhe Neville, Liz Wickham (capt.); Cora Doyle (2-5, 1-4 frees, 1-0 pen.), Deborah Fitzharris (0-1), Emma Sweeney; Bridget Doyle, Aine Doyle, Fiona Kelly. Subs. - Sinéad Dempsey for Arthurs (31), also Rebecca Crean, Carita Crean, Andrea Carley, Aisling Halligan, Helen Fanning, Eva Crean, Kayleigh Furlong, Katherine O’Rourke.
Referee: Aiden O’Brien (Cloughbawn).