St. James’ in fine form
ST. JAMES’ 8-14 BALLYGARRETT 1-3
ST. JAMES’ claimed the Under-16 camogie Roinn 2A twelve-a-side title in comprehensive fashion, beating Ballygarrett in Bree recently.
This was a memorable success for the Ramsgrange club.
They have been fantastic all season long, dispatching opponents with relative ease, playing with a confidence seldom seen at this level.
The twelve-a-side system is a wonderful tool for smaller clubs like St. James’ to be able to compete on their own, with their own identity.
They have a really small squad of 14 girls, all of whom fight hard for the shirt, week in, week out.
If there’s one thing that could have made the success all the sweeter, it would have been the opportunity to test themselves against the cream of Roinn 2B.
The hunch is that Rapparees and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy might have been stronger opposition, than what they faced, for the all-dominant St. James’ and they would have, no doubt, relished the challenge.
Despite that, you still have to go out and win.
St. James’ won the group stage encounter against the same opposition by a big score so complacency can set in. Management were keen to not allow that to happen and it was important that the New Ross District club got off to a fast start.
True to form, St. James’ dominated from the off. Ava White-Keating found the net, and Jamie Walsh also goaled, while excellent county Under-16 Ciara Walsh also found a way past the Ballygarrett ‘keeper three times to ease her side clear.
Not that they were just concerned with getting goals on the board, since Ella Dalton was racking up the points, as was Walsh, and there was even a score for a marauding half-back, the talented Ciaradh Connolly, as her side racked up 5-11 by the interval.
With a lead in excess of 20 points at the half-time break, St. James’ were able to take their foot off the gas in the second-half and enjoy their victory march.
Erin Shannon hit the net and Ella Dalton bagged a brace to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Their opponents, who ended with Mia Davey and Aoife Wafer on the scoresheet, did have some attacks but the St. James’ defence and promising 13-year old Rachel Walsh, in goal for the champions, repelled Ballygarrett’s best advances to seal the cup in style.
St. James’: Rachel Walsh; Róisín Lyons, Amy Molloy; Aoife Connolly, Ciaradh Connolly (0-1); Emma Walsh, Bríd Walsh (joint capt.), Erin Shannon (1-0); Ava White-Keating (1-0), Jamie Walsh (1-2); Ella Dalton (2-7), Ciara Walsh (joint capt., 3-4). Subs. - Amy Barrett, also Leah Murphy.
Ballygarrett squad: Kelly Smith, Holly Moran, Hannah Lannigan, Shannon Harkin, Katie Tobin, Sadbh Corcoran, Caoilfhionn Nolan, Aoife Wafer, Mia Davy, Shannon Fleming, Jade Moore-Kavanagh, Jessica Farrell, Rebecca Prendergast, Ceanna MacNamee, Orla Wafer, Molly Hoctor, Rebekah Burke, Ayla Hughes (starting team and scoring tallies were not provided by the club, despite an undertaking to do this prior to the game).
Referee: Francis Neville (Shelmaliers).