Minor camogie team’s second loss

THE LONG trip to Gort proved unsuccessful for Wexford as they slipped to their second consecutive defeat, this time against Galway, in the All-Ireland Minor camogie championship on Saturday.

The Slaneysiders, who lost their opening encounter to Dublin, started the game with just five of their side up to age. Unfortunately, it proved to be another steep learning curve for Neil Cullen’s charges as the hosts blitzed ahead in the first-half to build a big lead.

To their credit, Wexford battled back in the second-half, played with a lot more confidence in themselves and each other, and matched a decent side which is substantially further along in its development.

The hosts showed their prowess in a powerful opening half. They spread their points around well and grabbed a couple of goals courtesy of Mairéad Dillon and Chloe Reilly to end the opening period 2-8 to 0-3 ahead.

Anais Curran registered a pair of dead-balls for Wexford, and St. Martin’s youngster Ciara O’Connor also hit the target with a free, but their side were well behind.

Things improved five minutes into the second-half when Lettie Whelan fired a closerange free into the net.

While Wexford looked better after the break, it didn’t necessarily show on the scoreboard, with just a further Curran point added to Whelan’s goal. Substitute Laura Doran impressed in defence as her side limited the hosts to just four Niamh Niland frees.

What you don’t need after a tough slog on a bitterly cold day is to get back to the dressing-room and find no warm showers, but that’s exactly what Wexford encountered and is a further indictment of the poor organisation of camogie’s hierarchy.

Wexford still have a slim chance of making the last four. They will need help from elsewhere but, first things first, they will have to head up to neighbours Kilkenny on Saturday and take the three points home with them.

Wexford: Gráinne McCabe; Aisling Halligan, Anna Hennessy, Amy Cahill; Elaine Quigley, Ciara O’Connor (0-1 free), Alannah Davis; Kate Kirwan, Sarah Harding-Kenny; Megan Cullen, Anais Curran (0-3 frees), Ciara Walsh; Lettie Whelan (1-0 free), Lauren Murphy, Katie Smyth. Subs. - Laura Doran for Cahill, inj., Ciara Banville for Smyth, Ailis Neville for Halligan, also Lara O’Shea, Doireann Cullen, Niamh Kehoe, Mollie Somers, Saoirse Dunne, Ciara Carroll, Amy O’Leary, Ciara Bridges, Eimear O’Connor, Mollie Power.