Curran hits superb tally
OULART-BALLAGH 2-21
CLOUGHBAWN 3-4
AN OUTSTANDING performance from Anais Curran who finished with a personal tally of 1-13 inspired Oulart-The Ballagh to an eventual 14-point victory over a battling Cloughbawn outfit in this Minor camogie championship Roinn 2 final in Killurin on Saturday.
For a period of the first-half it looked as if Cloughbawn were going to blow their opponents’ challenge away as goals from as goals from Róisín Stephenson and Ciara Murphy helped them storm into a 2-0 to 0-1 lead, the Oulart-The Ballagh point courtesy of Anais Curran.
Points from Curran and Mairéad O’Brien hauled the eventual winners back into the game, but they were rocked once more at the end of the opening quarter when, following some excellent approach play, Niamh Higgins found the net with an excellent finish to give her side a 3-0 to 0-5 lead.
Oulart-The Ballagh followed this setback by upping the tempo of their game, with Anais Curran finding the net after 20 minutes. They went on to hit a string of points that left them with a 1-12 to 3-1 interval lead.
As the second-half wore on, Cloughbawn were unable to turn their possession into scores despite their best efforts, and with Anais Curran at the opposite picking off some delightful points both from play and frees, Oulart-The Ballagh eventually pulled clear to run out the most comprehensive of winners in the end.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Lauren Sinnott, Katie Murphy, Katie Roche, Rachel Sinnott, Eimear O’Connor, Katie Gallagher (1-1), Mairéad O’’Brien (0-1), Sabrina Kehoe, Saoirse Dunne (0-3), Anais Curran (1-13, 0-6 frees), Niamh Dempsey (0-1), Aoife Dunne (0-2). Subs. - Eimear Roche for O’Brien, Aine Lydon for S. Dunne, Sarah O’Dowd for Dempsey, also Rebecca O’Sullivan, Dervla O’Dowd.
Cloughbawn: Rachel Greene, Oonagh Barden, Niamh Whitty, Elaine Quigley, Róisín Stephenson (1-0), Tara Doyle, Caoimhe Doyle, Hannah Keating (0-3, 2 frees), May Wickham, Ciara Murphy (1-1), Niamh Higgins (1-0). Subs. - Julie Furlong, Caoimhe Kehoe, Niamh Kehoe, Aoife Murray, Cathy O’Brien.
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).