No answer to Dubs in final
Leinster final woe for Wexford
DUBLIN WEXFORD
MORE heroics from Anais Curran couldn’t stop Wexford falling to their second loss in a week, this time in the Leinster Camogie Under-16 A final in Camross on Saturday afternoon last.
The Oulart-The Ballagh youngster racked up 1-7 of her side’s tally and has been the catalyst for a lot of her sides good moments this season.
However, Dublin, with a point to prove after their All-Ireland semi-final loss three weeks earlier, were a little too good on the afternoon.
They had their own version of Curran, the impressive Aoife Mahon top-scored for the Metropolitans with nine points. They got more scores from other areas of the field and it was enough for victory.
It was nip and tuck in the early stages with the sides trading points. Curran had already started to get her tally going when she produced the first goal of the game at the start of the second quarter.
When Lauren Murphy knocked over a nice score just before the break it gave the Slaneysiders something to hold on to, leading 1-6 to 0-5.
However, they lead was shortlived as Laura Quinn netted before Mahon levelled the scores with a point. Curran put Wexford ahead again but that was the last time they held a lead.
At this stage the exertions of last week clearly told on a jaded group. Dublin strung eight points in a row together and Wexford had no answer.
Curran got a couple of late scores while Katie Smyth was also on target with her second of the day but the Slaneysiders couldn’t get the goal they badly needed.
Despite a disappointing end to the campaign for Wexford, it’s been a successful year in many respects for the Under-16’s. An All-Ireland Final, just the fourth time a team from the county has made it that far, shows great promise for a competitive minor side in the next couple of years.
It also suggests that the level of player coming through is higher than in recent seasons and that can only be a positive. This game ends competitive age inter-county camogie for the season at all levels for Wexford.
Wexford: Aoife Mahon; Tara Doyle, Amy Cahill, Laura Doran; Roisin Parker, Ciara O’Connor, Lorna Fortune; Ciaran Walsh, Kate Kirwan; Megan Cullen, Lauren Murphy (0-1), Amy O’Leary; Katie Smyth (0-2), Anais Curran (1-7, 0-7 frees), Aisling Alouf. Subs. Emma Dempsey for Alouf (50), also, Sophie Roche, Shauna O’Leary, Doireann Cullen, Aoife Dempsey, Eimear Byrne, Siobhan Sinnott, Amy Mitten, Eimear O’Connor, Leanne Rowe, Mollie Somers, Amy Cousins, Kate Foley, Elena Kenny.