Junior delight for Craanford
Monageer pipped by point
ANOTHER INTENSE game between these great rivals saw a solitary point divide the sides at the finish as Craanford-Monaseed held off a late surge from a battling Monageer-Boolavogue outfit to take the Junior ‘A’ camogie county championship title in a thrilling final in Farmleigh on Saturday.
The eventual winners looked to be on their way to the title when leading by six points entering the final quarter, but they had to withstand a tremendous late surge from their opponents, whose third goal arrived as the game entered additional time.
The north Wexford side’s defence held out in the three minutes of additional time allotted, holding off their opponents in a tense and dramatic finish to an excellent final.
Craanford-Monaseed opened the game impressivel,y dominating the opening five minutes, but they could only manage a Laura Doran point from an acute angle.
Monageer-Boolavogue in their first real attack got their opening goal after six minutes when Michelle Kehoe played a quick ball inside to Orla Stafford who finished to the net.
But with Una Sinnott beginning to thrive in the open spaces of midfield, shooting a delightful 50-metre point off the left wing in the process, Craanford-Monaseed took the initiative.
This resulted in their opening goal from wing-forward Katie Smith who drove a tremendous shot to the corner of the net having knifed her way through the defence, giving her side a 1-3 to 1-0 lead.
When a Dee Boland long-range free found the net after 18 minutes, Craanford-Monaseed looked comfortable, but Monageer-Boolavogue battled back for Michelle Kehoe to crash a 25-metre free low to the corner of the net, leaving the eventual winners leading by 2-4 to 2-0 at the interval.
Through the third quarter Craanford-Monaseed looked the sharper as Una Sinnott and Anna Whitty were controlling midfield, while Emma Poole, Katie Smith and Dee Boland carried the threat in attack.
After Smith and Síona Nolan (free) had exchanged opening points, Craanford-Monaseed continued to dictate the pace, with Una Sinnott firing over a fine left-handed point from distance, a score which esed her side into a 2-8 to 2-1 lead as the game entered the final quarter.
Síona Nolan’s pointed free hauled Monageer-Boolavogue back into contention, and when Sarah Figgis deflected a Nolan free to the net on 60 minutes just the minimum (2-8 to 3-4) separated the sides.
Both sides battled through the final minutes with little between the teams, but Sinnott won crucial outfield possession in the closing minutes to help ease the pressure, seeing her side survive to lift the cup.
Craanford-Monaseed: Rebecca Doran; Katie Kenny, Siobhán Finn, Catherine Conroy; Grace O’Halloran, Sarah Lifely (0-1), Lorna Whitty; Anna Whitty, Una Sinnott (0-2); Aoife Curran, Emma Poole, Katie Smith (1-1); Orla Montague, Dee Boland (1-2 frees), Laura Doran (0-2). Subs. - Kerry O’Brien for Doran, inj., Siofra Doyle for Montague, also Amy Hyland, Rebeca Fleming, Celine Keating, Kerri Daly, Hollie Kavanagh, Bríd Kenny, Catríona Doran, Rita Doyle, Sarah McCormack, Emma Dunbar, Katie Wilson, Michaela Smith, Jodi Lifely.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Gráinne McCabe; Ellen Gahan, Orla Gahan, Julie Gahan; Eimear McCabe, Ruth Walsh, Ciara Gahan; Anna Murphy, Síona Nolan (0-3 frees); Michelle Kehoe (1-0 free), Michelle Gahan, Yvonne Walsh; Sarah Figgis (1-1), Orla Stafford (1-0), Róisín Cooney. Subs. - Michaela Hawkins for Cooney, Emma Moorehouse for Kehoe, also Orla Flynn, Leah Wall, Aoife Kehoe, Bridget O’Sullivan, Mary Doyle, Fiona Gahan, Fiona Uí Shionóid, Ciara McBride, Sinéad Gahan, Emma Mernagh, Michelle Kavanagh, Niamh Kehoe, Kate de Lacey.
Referee: David O’Leary (Rathnure).