Rapps rule with big finish
RAPPAREES HORESWOOD
IT WAS joy for Rapparees as they turned in a storming final quarter to emerge with a six-point victory over a battling Horeswood outfit in this excellent Under-14 camogie Roinn 2A championship final in Killurin.
This was a final that produced some excellent passages of play to go alongside some outstanding individual performances on both sides.
In the end it was the scoring power of Ciara Boland that eventually separated the teams as the trophy was brought to the Cathedral town after 60 exciting minutes.
Horeswood played a key role in making this such a fitting climax to the championship. They were unlucky with some of their finishing at crucial stages, being denied by the excellent defending of the eventual winners, but they still had some fine young prospects in Eimear Desmond-Lyng and Eimear Hunt in defence.
Amy Ennis had an outstanding game in midfield, with Moira Somers and Sarah Foley showing some delightful touches in attack.
In the end it all came down to the Rapparees’ ability to take charge at a vital juncture in the final quarter.
This can be attributed to the play of Ciara O’Connor and Megan O’Connor - what an outstanding prospect - in defence, while Kasey Owens, Amy Shannon and Ciara Boland, in particular, were superb in attack.
Horeswood had a dream start when Sarah Foley fired home an excellent fifth-minute goal, but by the tenth minute the Rapparees were back level through points from Amy Shannon, Ciara Boland (free), and a great individual run and finish from Megan O’Connor.
When Ciara Boland finished for an excellent goal on 25 minutes it gave the Rapps a real boost, as it helped them to a 1-5 to 1-2 lead, although in additional time Sarah Foley saw a goal-bound shot come back into play off the right-hand post.
After Ciara Boland had extended her side’s lead with a point on the resumption, Horeswood to their credit battled back for points from Amy Ennis (free and play), and a neat Sarah Foley effort, to leave just two points separating the sides (1-7 to 1-5) after 42 minutes.
Just three points still separated the sides entering the closing ten minutes, but then a Megan O’Connot cross found Ciara Boland who sent an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net from 20 metres, giving her side a 2-9 to 1-6 lead.
Horeswood responded with points from Eimear Hunt and Moira Somers.
After an Amy Ennis goal two minutes from the end reduced the deficit to three points (2-11 to 2-8), it was in additional time that an Abby Jordan shot found the corner of the net to secure the title for the Rapps amidst great scenes of joy.
Rapparees: Bronagh MurphyRachel Murphy-Buckley, Abbey Dagg (0-1 free), Ciara O’Connor, Megan O’Connor (0-1), Leah Kidd (0-2), Erin Cahill, Kasey Owens, Amy Shannon (0-2), Shauna Doyle, Ciara Boland (2-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Ella Kinnaird. Subs. - Abby Jordan (1-0), Jenna Kirwan, Niamh Farrell.
Horeswood: Hannah Chapman, Yvonne Murphy-Walsh, Eimear Desmond-Lyng, Annie Rose Lyng, Eimear Hunt (0-1 ‘45), Jasmine Howlin, Amy Ennis (1-5, 0-1 free), Ciara Walsh, Moira Somers (0-1), May Dempsey, Sarah Foley (1-1), Lauren Howlin-Bolger. Subs. - Shauna Foley, Jo Doyle, Amy Kent, Abbie Malone, Sally Kehoe.
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).