Myshall master camogie crew from the girls in blue
N. EOIN (CARLOW) 2-5 OYLEGATE-G’BRIEN 0-2
OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN came out second best despite a gutsy performance against an impressive Naomh Eoin (Myshall) side in the John West Féile na nGael Division 3 camogie Shield final on Sunday afternoon.
In a closely-fought encounter, it was a quick-fire brace of majors from Myshall centre-forward Abbie Foley which determined the outcome.
The sides traded punches early on in the sweltering heat of the Halo Tiles and Bathrooms Ferns Centre of Excellence, with Orla Redmond and Caoimhe Jordan sharing narrow misses from point attempts.
Myshall’s intention to look for goals was evident early on when Kim Doyle’s shot was blocked well on the line by a resolute Oylegate-Glenbrien rearguard. The Wexford side responded by offering their own goal threat, with Polly Frost finding Kelly-Anne Dempsey whose shot was well saved.
From the resulting ’45, Frost got the scoreboard ticking for the first time when she coolly pointed. This lead was doubled in the ninth minute, with Orla Redmond swivelling and registering one of the most impressive scores of the game.
Moments later, more resolute defending and goalkeeping heroics from Chloe Murphy denied efforts from both Abbey Foley and Shannon Slye, but eventually Myshall did get off the mark and the lead was cut to just one before the interval, with Foley making no mistake from a central free (0-2 to 0-1).
After the break, the Carlow side began to push on. Two quick points immediately after the restart flipped the lead into their favour, with Nora Sullivan and Foley on target to give their side the advantage.
Oylegate-Glenbrien missed an opportunity to go back level in the fifth minute of the half when Dempsey’s free drifted narrowly wide. Soon after, the forward had another effort, this time at goal, stopped fantastically by Myshall’s Kira Nolan. The Enniscorthy District side were knocking on the door, while their counterparts were holding firm.
Myshall doubled their lead through Sarah-Jane Doran before the game’s decisive 60 seconds. Foley pounced on a loose ball before turning into space and unleashing a rocket into the top right corner of the net to push her side into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.
From the resulting puck-out, Foley found herself in possession again, rifling another unstoppable shot past Murphy in the Wexford side’s goal. In just under a minute of play Myshall had extended their lead to eight points and knocked any remaining wind completely out of the Oylegate-Glenbrien sails.
Despite their best efforts to turn the game around in the dying minutes, there was little Oylegate-Glenbrien could do. Amie Nolan added Myshall’s fifth point to seal victory and the Division 3
camogie Shield for the Carlow team.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Chloe Murphy; Sarah Cosgrave, Maria Downes, Rioghna Hourihane; Ciara Lawler, Elisha Dempsey, Mary Moran; Orla Redmond (0-1), Blaithnaid O’Leary; Ellen O’Gorman, Polly Frost (0-1 ‘45), Hannah Mernagh (capt.); Rachael Hayden, Ciara Hennessy, Kelly-Anne Dempsey. Subs. (rolling) - Hannah Byrne, Caitlin Curran, Annelies Doyle, Emma Lawler, Abbie Hall, Karen Hayden, Ava Whelan, Aisling Murphy, Laura O’Brien.
Naomh Eoin: Michaela Donoghue; Katie Bowes-Breslin, Kira Nolan, Chloe Murphy; Rachel Kavanagh, Therése Nolan, Anna Nolan; Caoimhe Jordan, Maria O’Neill; Kim Doyle, Abbie Foley (capt., 2-2, 0-1 free), Sarah-Jane Doran (0-1); Amie Nolan (0-1), Nora Sullivan (0-1), Rhiannan Kenny. Subs. (rolling) - Emma Slye, Shannon Slye, Lauren Kavanagh, Danielle Nolan.
Referee: John O’Rourke (Shamrocks).