New Ross Standard

Martin’s march on in Leinster

Impressive home victory on first-ever provincial outing

- BRIAN CARTY

ST. MARTIN’S ST. VINCENT’S

ST. MARTIN’S history-making Senior camogie team made a successful first-ever excursion into the AIB Leinster Club championsh­ip with an impressive 1-11 to 0-5 victory over an out-of-sorts St. Vincent’s in Sunday’s semi-final at a bright Piercestow­n.

The Marino-based women had recently claimed their third successive Dublin championsh­ip and must have quietly fancied making an impression against the less-experience­d hosts.

But St. Martin’s ripped up the script yet again with a performanc­e full of heart and vigour, with Linda Bolger particular­ly outstandin­g at centre-forward. Indeed, the nippy county player finished with seven points to her name, no mean feat considerin­g she was being closely monitored by former Cork All-Ireland winning captain Anna Geary.

Bolger opened the scoring with a free inside the first minute after her twin sister, Lisa, was pushed, and the former knocked over another free on four minutes following an over-zealous challenge on the free-running Chloe Foxe.

A fine point on the run from Claire Donnelly got St. Vincent’s up and running two minutes later, but Linda Bolger soon pounced on a loose ball before gleefully pointing from play for a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after ten minutes.

Ciara O’Connor then won a puck-out down her wing and strode forward to neatly split the posts, while Bolger cleverly followed suit from a tricky angle on the left as the gap was increased to 0-6 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.

An excellent expansive pass from Aisling Maher opened up a point for Ali Maguire a minute later, before Sarah O’Connor was quick across the ground to intervene when Eimear McCarthy closed in on goal.

Lisa Bolger picked off St. Martin’s last score of the first-half after being fed by Amy Cardiff, and their 0-7 to 0-4 cushion at the interval looked potentiall­y vulnerable given the fact that St. Vincent’s had use of the stiff breeze for the second-half.

However, St. Martin’s couldn’t have dreamed of a better re-start, as the visitors’ netminder Eimear Brannigan slipped under pressure and Lisa Bolger was subsequent­ly upended in the melee that followed at the expense of a penalty.

Recent All Star nominee Sarah O’Connor ventured forward to calmly drive low down the centre for the goal that altered the course of the game.

Aisling Cronin popped up for a nice point after a breakaway run from Emma Codd, and Aisling Maher responded with a free that proved to be the losers’ last score. Incidental­ly, that Maher free arose after play was pulled back despite Niamh Hetherton initially poking to the net.

And St. Vincent’s woe was copper-fastened when Maher received her marching orders for an off-the-ball incident twelve minutes from time, although to be fair St. Martin’s were already well on top before that dismissal.

Earlier, Linda Bolger maintained her accurate ways with a free on 42 minutes, while developing star Lettie Whelan was also on target after some more unselfish work by Cardiff.

That imbalance in playing personnel only served to see the game meander to a largely uneventful conclusion, with Linda Bolger’s fifth free the only score before the end.

That conversion brought up the final scoreline of 1-11 to 0-5, and even though success has been a welcome bedfellow in both codes for St. Martin’s in a phenomenal year for both genders in the club, there may yet be even more joy to come as they look forward to a maiden provincial decider in due course.

St. Martin’s: Mags D’Arcy; Aine Ennis, Lauren Carty, Niamh Dunne; Mary Barrett, Sarah O’Connor (1-0 pen.), Katie O’Connor; Amy Cardiff, Chloe Foxe; Aisling Cronin (0-1), Linda Bolger (capt., 0-7, 5 frees), Ciara O’Connor (0-1); Lettie Whelan (0-1), Lisa Bolger (0-1), Emma Codd. Subs. - Becky Hamilton for Dunne (52), Rachel Bridges for Ennis (59), Elsa McDermott for Carty (61).

St. Vincent’s: Eimear Brannigan; Ciara O’Leary, Gráinne Quinn, Lora Smith; Ellen McGovern, Anna Geary, Eva Marie Elliott; Deirdre Johnstone, Claire Donnelly (0-1); Emma Brennan, Eimear McCarthy (capt.), Niamh Hetherton; Aisling Maher (0-3, 1 ‘ 45, 1 free), Aine Fanning, Ali Maguire (0-1). Subs. - Róisín Drohan for Johnstone (HT), Aine Woods for O’Leary (41), Sarah O’Donovan for Hetherton (42), Evelyn Twomey for Fanning (46), Kate McCarry for Donnelly (55).

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).

 ??  ?? Katie O’Connor (St. Martin’s) about to close down Niamh Hetherton (St. Vincent’s).
Katie O’Connor (St. Martin’s) about to close down Niamh Hetherton (St. Vincent’s).
 ??  ?? Team captain Linda Bolger challenges Eimear McCarthy.
Team captain Linda Bolger challenges Eimear McCarthy.
 ??  ?? Sarah O’Connor (St. Martin’s) puts pressure on Aine Fanning.
Sarah O’Connor (St. Martin’s) puts pressure on Aine Fanning.

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