Ryan starred in league final win
HORESWOOD FAYTHE HARRIERS 2-13 1-9
A FANTASTIC individual performance by Horeswood forward Sinéad Ryan propelled her side to victory in the Wexford Junior ‘C’ camogie ‘B’ league final against Faythe Harriers in Taghmon.
Ryan notched a personal tally of 1-7 and was at the heart of everything good her side managed to do in the Harriers half of the field.
Their Páirc Charman opponents, on the other hand, had their moments but found the Horeswood rearguard in cracking form.
The experienced Harriers got off to the flying start, roaring into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after the opening quarter. Kim Walker and Sinéad Goff got two points each while Sara Byrne also hit the target for the purple and gold girls.
At the other end, county Intermediate Mary Cummins had two early scores on the board but it was Sinéad (two) and Gráinne Ryan who helped ease their side back to level pegging with 23 minutes on the clock.
Horeswood took their first lead when Cummins doubled on a mis-hit shot and fired past Emma Flood. They added a second major two minutes before the interval when Sinéad Ryan rattled the net from Cummins’ clever crossfield ball.
A Kate Doyle point on the stroke of half-time ensured that her side held a comfortable advantage at the change of ends (2-9 to 0-6).
However, they managed just a solitary Cummins free in the first 25 minutes of the second period as the Harriers came roaring back.
A couple of Goff points helped but it was after she was fouled, and Kim Walker sent a rocket free whizzing past a crowded goal-line, that Faythe Harriers actually looked like they might complete a sensational turnaround.
Walker fizzed over another free in the 54th minute to leave just four between the sides (2-10 to 1-9). However, Horeswood finally found their mojo and Sinéad Ryan hit the target three times in the last few minutes to see them safely home.
Horeswood: Rebecca Caulfield; Breda Cummins, Nicole Hayes; Mairéad Kehoe, Keeley Murphy; Gráinne Ryan (0-1), Jennifer Cummins, Sarah Whitty; Mary Cummins (capt., 1-4, 0-1 free, 0-1 ‘45), Chloe Power; Sinéad Ryan (1-7, 0-2 frees), Kate Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Kate Chapman for Murphy (36), Lauren O’Neill for Doyle (42), also Sarah Ronan, Aoife Foley, Clare O’Shea, Chloe Kavanagh, Amy Larkin, Emer O’Shea, Lucille Prendergast, Mairéad Barnwell.
Faythe Harriers: Emma Flood; Helen Furlong, Leonie Ennis; Shirley Roche (capt.), Ciara McGrath; Sinéad Goff (0-4, 1 free), Kim Walker (1-4, 0-2 frees, 1 ‘45), Sara Byrne (0-1); Eimear Doyle, Ruth Bridges; Kate Slaven-Barry, Róisín Barnes. Subs. - Therese Murphy for Slaven-Barry (32), Laura Foley for Barnes (42), also Aimee Doyle, Naomi Roche, Aoife McGrath, Geraldine Walker, Tanya Walker.
Referee: Seamus Whelan (Oylegate-Glenbrien).