Oulart-The Ballagh add another title with league win
ALL-IRELAND Senior camogie champions Oulart-The Ballagh outscored Rathnure in a rip-roaring county league final in Piercestown, winning on a 4-15 to 4-8 scoreline.
The victors were without long-time number one Helena Jacob, as well as the experienced Colleen Atkinson, from their All-Ireland winning back seven, and teething problems arose.
However, one major bright spot was the impressive performance of youngster Katie Murphy at wing-back.
Rathnure hit the front in the third minute when Jackie Carr goaled from close range, but a stunning response in the 18th minute from Shauna Sinnott - the best player on the pitch - gave the opposition a 1-4 to 1-1 lead.
Jackie Quigley and Marie Morrissey found the net to push the black and ambers ahead by 3-3 to 1-6, but Oulart-The Ballagh didn’t panic and responded with 1-3 without reply before the break.
Diane Ryan raised the green flag, and a brace of majors on the re-start from Una Leacy put the favourites very much in the driving seat.
Although Rathnure did have the final say with Jackie Carr’s second goal, it wasn’t enough to stop Oulart-The Ballagh from claiming another victory.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Leanne Nolan; Ciara Storey (capt.), Karen Atkinson, Brídín Redmond; Katie Murphy, Mary Leacy, Aoife O’Connor; Stacey Redmond, Shelley Kehoe (0-1); Louise Sinnott, Shauna Sinnott (1-4), Stacey Kehoe (0-3); Diane Ryan (13), Una Leacy (2-1), Ursula Jacob (0-3, 1 free). Subs. used - Aideen Brennan, Katie Gallagher, Laura Sinnott.