Doyle free forces third game
Impossible to separate Gorey C.S. and Carnew girls
ANOTHER FEROCIOUS battle between these two committed and class camogie teams failed to produce a winner as a Sarah Doyle converted free once again left the final score level at the death in the replay of the Leinster Schools Junior ‘B’ championship final between Coláiste Bhríde Carnew and Gorey Community School in a windswept Carnew Emmets G.A.A. club on Saturday.
These two fierce opponents are like the camogie gift that keeps on giving for the healthy crowd of supporters who braved the bitter cold and feisty wind for this replay after the drawn game in Gorey the previous Saturday.
While certainly not the most memorable game in terms of free-flowing camogie, this clash will be remembered for the bravery of the young players from both schools, the relentless willingness to put the body on the line, the strength of character of Gorey Community School to overtake Coláiste Bhríde and look to have it won, only for the Carnew students to rally yet again and force this fixture to a third episode that promises to be a proper humdinger.
In many ways this was a polar opposite game towards the first. It was Coláiste Bhríde who started the brighter, opening up a 0-2 to nil lead and keeping Gorey C.S. scoreless for 21 minutes of that opening half.
The elements proved to be the real dictator on the day. A nasty wind fleeced all before it as it blew from the dressing-rooms to the opposite corner. A biting cold didn’t help matters either.
Coláiste Bhríde faced into that wind for the opening half and were off the mark in the opening few moments when a Sarah Doyle free from deep broke to Jade Shannon who turned her marker superbly and slotted over.
A foul on the excellent Sadhbh Buttle allowed Sarah Doyle swipe over the free, and Bob Fitzgerald’s team looked to be settling well.
Referee Aidan O’Brien spent much of this game re-starting after heavily populated rucks formed rapidly around breaking ball.
This added to the drama of the affair and a palpable tension could be felt around the sidelines of the top pitch in Carnew.
The excellent Aisling Fitzpatrick got Gorey C.S. off the mark after 21 minutes, from a free won by Súin Murdiff.
Tara O’Connor had been drafted back to curtail the influence of Sarah Doyle who was joined by Jade Shannon in a two-woman full-forward line, with Sadhbh
Buttle roaming around hungry for work.
Another Sarah Doyle free after 25 gave the home side some breathing space, but a foul on the dangerous-looking Róisín Hughes allowed Aisling Fitzpatrick the chance to grab their second and she did so with aplomb.
Gorey sent in Róisín McGonigle for Murdiff after 26 minutes, and 60 seconds later Coláiste Bhríde should have pounced on the first goal chance, but Jade Shannon’s snapshot from the ground dribbled wide of the upright.
With 20 gone in the second-half, things were looking good for the home side as they led by 0-6 to 0-3 (three Sarah Doyle points, two frees), but there was a sense that the Coláiste Bhríde side hadn’t capitalised during that period of dominance and that a price would have to be paid.
And so it was. A long ball that should have been dealt with by the Carnew defence found its way to Róisín Hughes who had been more or less starved of possession up to then, and she stormed down on the Coláiste Bhríde goal and finished superbly so we were heading for extra-time.
Coláiste Bhríde’s Sadhbh Buttle was unfortunately lost to injury with about ten minutes to go, and the Kilrush player was missed in a big way.
A wonderful ‘45 from Aishling Fitzpatrick gave the Gorey side the lead for the first time after six minutes of extra-time, and when Mia Kinsella swept the ball over the Coláiste Bhríde line it was looking like Gorey C.S. had done enough to secure the crown with a 2-4 to 0-6 lead.
A foul on Eimer Mutton 45 out gave Sarah Doyle the chance to make it a one-score game, but her sweetly-struck free whizzed all the way to the back of Keeva Steadman’s net and Coláiste Bhríde were back to within a point.
And then, with time almost up, the excellent Laci Jane Shannon, who had worked tirelessly throughout, won a free.
Up stepped Sarah Doyle and the rest is history!
Massive games came from Coláiste Bhríde’s Melissa Doran, Ciara Wafer, Róisín Byrne, Laci Jane Shannon, Jade Shannon, Sarah Doyle and Sadhbh Buttle before her injury.
Gorey Community School’s Tara O’Connor was relentless on Sarah Doyle, Aisling Fitzpatrick was stunning from the frees, Katie Bolger was excellent, while Róisín Hughes and Caoimhe Browne mightn’t have enjoyed a busy supply line but they made do with the scraps they could snatch from the battle that raged for over 80 minutes.
Bring on the replay, and here’s hoping that Sadhbh Buttle’s injury is not serious and that she is fit to play because she is a key factor in what is becoming an epic battle.
Gorey Community School: Keeva Steadman; Saoirse McDonald, Millie Doran, Mia Davey; Beibhinn O’Brien, Tara O’Connor, Maeve Bairéad; Elizabeth Gahan, Aisling Fitzpatrick (0-4 frees); Súin Murdiff, Olive Curtis, Katie Bolger; Mia Kinsella (1-0), Róisín Hughes (1-0), Caoimhe Browne. Subs. - Róisín McGonigle, Caoimhe Fleming, Orlagh Bolger.
Coláiste Bhríde Carnew: Kate Butler; Anna Tomkins, Melissa Doran, Kayla Tighe; Aoife Kinsella, Karen Tomkins, Ciara Wafer; Eimer Mutton, Róisín Byrne; Shauna O’Shea, Laci Jane Shannon, Jade Shannon (0-1); Sarah Doyle (1-6, 0-5 frees), Hannah Doyle, Sadhbh Buttle. Subs. - Saoirse Kenny, Abbie Walsh, Hannah Redmond.
Referee: Aidan O’Brien (Cloughbawn).