Cushinstown capture title
Two-goal burst is crucial
R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 2-10 BUNCLODY 2-3
TWO GOALS in as many minutes midway through the second-half propelled Rathgarogue-Cushinstown to victory in the Under-14 Roinn 1A camogie championship final in Oylegate.
The sides were deadlocked at 2-2 to 0-8 with 44 minutes on the clock, but quick-fire goals from Grace Donovan and Katie Murphy, who scored all but one point of their side’s tally between them, put Rathgarogue-Cushinstown firmly in the driving seat and they never looked like relinquishing their grip thereafter.
The Bunclody girls couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Eva Rothwell driving a ground stroke to the net inside three minutes, but the impressive Katie Murphy steadied the Rathgarogue-Cushinstown ship with three good points on the trot to draw them level.
A Grace Donovan free edged them in front for the first time, but Bunclody struck for a second goal on 23 minutes, with Katie Moynihan finding the back of the net, although points from Cora McGrath and Grace Donovan had Rathgarogue-Cushinstown back on terms before the interval.
After Muireann Doyle and Katie Murphy shared four points between them early in the second-half, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown assumed control with two goals in quick succession.
First a Grace Donovan free from the right sideline nestled in the corner of the net, and then Katie Murphy got on the end of Claire McCarthy’s delivery and swept the ball past Rachel Kehoe.
Bunclody tried hard to battle back, but Rathgarogue-Cushinstown refused to buckle, with deadly duo Donovan and Murphy adding another two points to their tally and Jacqui Kehoe replying.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Gráinne O’Neill; Elaine Aspel, Katelyn Carthy (capt.), Aimee Stafford; Caoimhe Cowman, Claire McCarthy, Ellie Nugent; Grace Donovan (1-3, 1-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45), Cora McGrath (0-1); Amy Martin, Katie Murphy (1-6), Fiona Lyng; Orlaith Butler, Anna O’Brien, Chloe Monaghan. Subs. - Kate Mythen for O’Brien, Aoibheann Doran for Martin, Ciara Kirwan for Butler, Gemma Martin for Monaghan, also Abby Delaney, Jessica Sutton, Lily Somers, Nicole Whitty, Tara Bookle, Tara Nolan.
Bunclody: Rachel Kehoe; Rebecca O’Neill, Tracey Furlong, Riona Mahon; Aoife Murphy, Naomi Kavanagh, Leah Morris; Róisín O’Sullivan, Laoise Kearney; Jacqui Kehoe (0-1 free), Aoife Farrell, Paulina Farynik; Muireann Doyle (capt., 0-2, 1 free), Eva Rothwell (1-0), Katie Moynihan (1-0). Subs. - Alena Moore for Rothwell, also Catherine O’Connor, Rebecca O’Connor, Corrie Fitzgerald, Doireann Ní Bhroin, Eimear Cowman.
Referee: Mick Lanigan (St. Ibar’s/ Shelmalier).