Sixteen goals in U16 final!
RATHGAROGUE-CUSHINSTOWN out-scored Bannow-Ballymitty in an enthralling Under-16 Roinn 2A camogie championship final in Kilmore on Sunday.
With a stunning 16 goals between the sides, it was really a game for the neutral as the spirited Rathgarogue-Cushinstown overturned an eleven-point second-half deficit.
That’s right. Incredibly, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown had only managed to score 3-1 by the 38th minute and trailed the impressive Bannow-Ballymitty by more than double figures (6-3 to 3-1).
In those opening two thirds, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown had their fair share of opportunities. Bannow-Ballymitty will pay tribute to ‘keeper Ciara Anglim for keeping them in control and she made numerous saves to keep the green tide at bay.
April Moran opened the scoring and raised the green flag in the first minute before Shannon Anglim and Jane Rossiter added to the major tally. Katie Murphy got the first two of her six goals to keep Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in touch early on.
The second 15 minutes of the first-half was significantly quieter, and a brace of minors from deadballs courtesy of Sophie Scallan was partly negated by a Niamh O’Shea point as Bannow-Ballymitty closed out the period leading by 3-2 to 2-1.
Evidently, the second-half was when the game really broke into life. Rossiter scored the first before two splendid Moran goals put Bannow-Ballymitty in total control of the scoreboard.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown fought back, partly due to the decision to shift goalkeeper Cora McGrath into midfield, and with a staggering six goals in ten-minute spell they wrote their name on the trophy.
O’Shea finished the first of the half-dozen from close range before turning provider for the next three.
Murphy scored twice from O’Shea’s service while Shannon Anglim placed spectacularly into the top left corner for the other.
Chloe Byrne and Grace Donovan both finished off goalmouth scrambles and Murphy finished well twice more, one after an impressive run through the heart of defence.
Murphy closed Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s tally with a rare minor to add to her six goals, and Bannow-Ballymitty’s late fightback probably consisted of too many singles, finishing the game with four on the trot to threaten their rivals’ hold on the lead.
Scallan was accurate again twice from dead-balls, while Niamh Millar and Rossiter scored from play.
Yet, none of these were enough to overturn the lead which Rathgarogue-Cushinstown had worked so hard to manufacture as they ensured their name was to be written on the cup.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Cora McGrath; Katelyn Carthy, Ella Foley; Orlaith Gaffney, Sinéad O’Brien; Chloe Byrne (joint capt., 1-0), Caoimhe Cowman, Caoimhe Lyng (joint capt.); Katie Murphy (6-1), Fiona Lyng (1-0); Grace Donovan (1-0), Niamh O’Shea (1-1, 0-1 free). Subs. - Christina Barron for F. Lyng (59), Becky Delaney for Donovan (62), also Amy Martin, Abbie Delaney.
Bannow-Ballymitty: Ciara Anglim; Sophie Scallan (0-4, 3 frees, 1 ‘45), Rebecca Stafford; Leah Whelan (joint capt.), Aoife White; Aisling Waters, Alison Gibbons (joint capt.), Ciara Cummins; Niamh Millar (0-1), Shannon Anglim (1-0); Jane Rossiter (2-1), April Moran (3-0). Subs. - Danielle Kinsella for Moran (44), also Therese Keating, Lily Sinnott.
Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).