Alley on song
Junior ‘B’ league success
A COMMANDING first-half display and a couple of well-timed goals in the second period guided Buffers Alley to an easy 3-13 to 1-5 victory over Glynn-Barntown in the Junior ‘B’ camogie league final in Oylegate on Sunday.
The Monamolin women hardly missed the target in a clinical shooting spree in the first 20 minutes, and had surged 1-9 to no score in front by the 21st minute.
While Megan O’Brien, Anne Cousins and Méabh Hughes all registered neat points, their goal was of the fortunate variety when an effort at the posts by Emer O’Leary dropped into the net.
Glynn-Barntown’s only response to that ferocity were a couple of frees from Cora Doyle, while a pair of neat efforts from Amy Mitten and one from a tight angle by Anna Doyle ensured Buffers Alley had a commanding 1-11 to 0-2 half-time advantage.
And they crafted a brilliant second goal nine minutes into the new half when Mitten and Hughes combined to set up O’Brien to round the goalkeeper and bat home.
Glynn-Barntown hit back with their most productive period, and were aided too by a fluke goal themselves as Oilbhe Raftery’s shot at the posts was spilled over the line on 49 minutes to reduce the gap to 2-12 to 1-4.
But the champions-elect responded with their third goal one minute later as O’Brien lurked on the border of the square before goaling from close range.
Hughes completed their scoring with her sixth point shortly before being replaced by Mary Alice Murphy, and the contest petered out until the end as Buffers Alley took home the spoils.
Incidentally, both sides came into the final with unblemished records of three wins from three games in opposite groups.
Buffers Alley: Noelle Doran; Becky Kavanagh, Catherine O’Loughlin, Danielle O’Brien (capt.); Aoife Whelan, Shauna Lawless, Eleanor Hammel; Sinéad Furlong, Saoirse O’Connor; Anna Doyle (0-1), Emer O’Leary (1-0), Amy Mitten (0-3); Megan O’Brien (2-2), Méabh Hughes (0-6, 2 frees, 1 ‘45), Anne Cousins (0-1). Subs. - Andrea Kinsella for O’Brien (52), Mary Alice Murphy for Hughes (55), Sara Jo Kenny for Kavanagh (57), Niamh O’Connor for A. Doyle (59), also Sinéad Kenny, Muireann Nic Corcráin, Marina Mordaunt, Kaycee Hearne, Aisling Lyons, Paula Lyons, Nicole Hammel.
Glynn-Barntown: Lara O’Shea; Aoife Barron, Ciara Walsh, Bridget Doyle (joint capt.); Jess Howlin, Niamh Buckley, Eimear Buckley; Emma Sinnott, Emma Goff (joint capt.); Andrea Carley, Oilbhe Raftery (1-0), Cora Doyle (0-3 frees); Clodagh White (01), Mairéad Whelan, Emma Sweeney. Subs. - Alibeth Moran-Curran for C. Walsh (19), Emma Dempsey (0-1) for Howlin, Aine Doyle for B. Doyle (HT), Niamh Cogley for N. Buckley (HT), also Eimear Jackman, Katie Barron, Katie Kehoe, Caoimhe Neville, Eva Arthur, Eva Crean, Emma Walsh.
Referee: John O’Rourke (Shamrocks).