Rathgarogue-Cushinstown savour stunning Minor success

RATHGAROGUE-C’TOWN 6-9 RAPPAREES 3-5

HOSTS Rathgarogue-Cushinstown claimed a stunning Minor Roinn 2A camogie championship title with victory over a gutsy Rapparees outfit recently.

After the game was called off the day before, the New Ross District side won home advantage and their ground was a superb venue for a final in which both sides gave everything in heavy conditions.

The hosts were excellent all over the field and showed real hunger to add a Minor crown to the Under-16 title this group won two seasons ago. While everyone played their part, the home side had an unlikely heroine.

Often when goalkeepers get a mention it’s for giving up a goal or making a mistake, but Abbie Delaney was arguably the key component of this victory.

Not only did she make the blocks and stops to prevent damaging Rapps goals, her big puck-outs were hugely important in setting up countless scores.

Otherwise Katie Murphy was her usual influential self, nabbing a brace of majors.

Niamh O’Shea got critical scores and the defence worked tirelessly to keep a young Rapparees attack at bay.

These two sides have many things in common and one is their youth. All but one player off both teams is Minor next year, and the vast majority of the squads were still Under-16s, which bodes well for the future of the clubs involved.

While it’s a tough defeat for the Rapps to take, all but one of their players have picked up at least one county title through the under-age ranks.

Up-to-the-age Bonnie Kinnaird is the only one without, but she has led by example with this squad and was excellent in this game too.

Katie Murphy had an early goal on the board and it was tight heading towards the interval. Kinnaird, Ciara O’Connor, Anna Kavanagh and Ciara Boland all had first-half scores as the visiting team stayed in contention (1-5 to 1-4).

Critically, Niamh O’Shea and Orlaith Gaffney netted late in the first-half as Rathgarogue-Cushinstown took a 3-5 to 1-4 interval lead.

The inspirational Leah Kidd kept Rapparees in the game, but the hosts did start easing clear.

Katie Murphy completed her hat-trick as the second-half wore on, and Cora McGrath also found the net as Rathgarogue-Cushinstown eased their way to a memorable crown on their own home turf.

Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Abbie Delaney; Katelyn Carty, Claire McCarthy; Caoimhe Cowman, Sinéad O’Brien; Cora McGrath (1-1), Ella Foley, Caoimhe Lyng (capt.); Katie Murphy (3-3), Fiona Lyng; Orlaith Gaffney (1-2), Niamh O’Shea (1-4). Subs. - Gráinne O’Neill for F. Lyng, also Aimee Stafford, Amy Martin, Anna O’Brien, Chloe Byrne.

Rapparees: Alysha Dagg; Abbie Dagg, Megan O’Connor; Ciara O’Connor (0-1), Rachel Murphy-Buckley; Eabha Farrell, Aine Murphy, Bonnie Kinnaird (1-1); Ciara Boland (1-1), Erin Cahill; Leah Kidd (1-1), Anna Kavanagh (0-1). Subs. - Méadhbh Foley, Erin Peoples, Amy Shannon, Ailbhe Harrington, Ria Murphy, Abbie Jordan.