Oulart survive a major scare
Leacy goal downs Rathnure
OULART-THE BALLAGH 1-8 RATHNURE 0-8 STRONG FINISHING Oulart-The Ballagh progressed to yet another Talbot Collection Senior camogie championship final but marched off the pitch at Farmleigh on Sunday knowing that they were lucky indeed to have the luxury of a three-point cushion at the end of play.
Rathnure contained the champs to a mere trio of points in the firsthalf and had enough chances themselves over the course of the hour to have caused the upset they craved to inflict on their arch-rivals.
Instead it appeared to be business as usual to anyone reading a scoresheet which showed the ever-prolific Una Leacy bagging the only goal of the day and free-taker Ursula Jacob batting over five points.
Rathnure served early notice that the reality was anything but a stroll in the park as Oonagh Doyle collected the opening point of a fine day with the going soft under foot.
The favourites responded promptly in kind through captain Una Leacy, who was clearly cast by the side’s mentors as their target woman on the edge of the square.
The problem was that, with supply largely cut off by a vigilant defence to the skipper for the remainder of the half, there was no one else on hand to rack up the scores.
With the exchanges hot and heavy in all sectors, Rathnure eased gradually ahead through the placed ball striking of Ciara O’Connor, despite the early loss of Jackie Quigley with a serious leg injury.
The only significant blemish on their first-half showing was failure to convert all their chances, with six wides clocked up, allowing Ursula Jacob to keep the gap down to just two at the break (0-5 to 0-3) with a couple of fine hits from wide on the left.
Rathnure re-emerged intent to keep the edge and Lenny Holohan’s cúilín immediately after the throw-in suggested that they were in good fettle.
Indeed, they began to shade the territorial battle despite playing into a slight breeze and sparkling play in the right corner by Holohan might have yielded a hat-trick.
When all she collected instead was one more point, the blackand-amber left themselves exposed to a late red tide.
They remained two points to the good on 50 minutes but were in arrears shortly afterwards once Una Leacy was given space to pick her spot and stitch the ball past the helpless Laura Brennan.
The momentum had shifted and there was no comeback for Rathnure though full-forward Aoife O’Connor spurned a goal chance on the hour.
That left the last word to the excellent Shelley Kehoe who landed the final point for the winners from around half way.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Sharon Kehoe; Shauna Redmond, Karen Atkinson, Aideen Brennan; Ciara Storey, Mary Leacy, Katie Murphy; Louise Sinnott, Shelley Kehoe (0-1); Brídín Redmond, Ursula Jacob (0-5, 4 frees), Stacey Kehoe (0-1); Katie Gallagher, Una Leacy (1-1), Leanne Nolan. Subs. - Aoife Dunne for B. Redmond (30), Diane Ryan for Nolan (30), Laura Sinnott for L. Sinnott (60).
Rathnure: Laura Brennan; Bernie Holohan, Jackie Quigley, Louise O’Leary; Leanne Foley, Evelyn Quigley, Olivia Hearn; Laura Redmond, Michelle O’Leary; Marie Morrissey, Michelle Martin, Oonagh Doyle (02); Ciara O’Connor (0-4, 3 frees, 1 ’65), Aoife O’Connor, Lenny Holohan (0-2). Sub. - Fiona Donnellan for J. Quigley (2).
Referee: water). Justin Heffernan (Black-