All-Ireland decider for Coláiste Bhríde side
Colaiste Bhríde Carnew through to All-Ireland decider
COLÁISTE BHRÍDE 3-7 MARYFIELD CONVENT 0-6
COLÁISTE BHRÍDE CARNEW will take on Cashel CBS in the All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ camogie final on March 7 after they stormed past Drumcondra’s Maryfield College thanks to a strong second-half showing in blustery Bunclody on Monday afternoon.
Originally fixed for Carnew Emmets GAA Club, the overnight rains forced the move across the Wexford border to the impressively dry Halfway House Bunclody GAA pitch that was being swept clean by a very strong wind down towards the town end.
Coláiste Bhríde captain Melissa Doran won the toss and elected to play against that wind in the first half and it was this decision that went a long way to Bob Fitzgerald’s side securing victory on the day and a final berth against the Tipperary school that dumped them out of last year’s competition at the semi-final stage at a venue still be to decided.
It was clear from the off that the Drumcondra students could hurl but the bobbly surface and the strong wind weren’t helping their cause and nor was the teak tough Coláiste Bhríde defence within which Melissa Doran stood like a rock.
The big question was whether the Leinster champions could keep the Maryfield score low enough to give themselves a fighting chance in the second half when they would turn around with the wind at their backs and things were looking very good at the end of the first quarter when the Dublin side had been limited to a single score, two wides and a saved penalty while Coláiste Bhríde had bagged two points from the hurl
Jade Shannon of Coláiste Bhríde Carnew drives forward against Maryfield Convent from Drumcondra in the All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ semi-final in Bunclody on Monday afternoon.
of Sarah Doyle (two frees) in a half where the Carnew attack just didn’t function whatsoever.
A strong finish to the half for the Maryfield side saw them take a 0-3 to 0-2 lead into the break with Ava Lambe shining brightest for them.
Coláiste Bhríde on the other hand could only improve as they had yet to see any major offerings from Sadhbh Buttle, Sarah Doyle, Roisin Byrne, Laci Jane and Jade Shannon and Shauna O’Shea to name but a few.
The sides were level five minutes into the second half when
Sarah Doyle fired over off her right. Where the Maryfield half had been congested and claustrophobic in the first half there was now space to be enjoyed with manager Bob Fitzgerald appealing to his charges to get out of the center and free up the space for the attackers.
A goalmouth scramble ensued not long after Doyle’s opening score of the second half and it as Jade Shannon who managed to flick the ball goalward and although it looked to have come back off the post, referee Pat Kehoe from Rathvilly declared that the ball had in fact came back off the stanchion for the nets just under the crossbar and the goal stood in what was a massive boost for the Coláiste Bhríde side.
It was at this stage that Sarah Doyle took control of affairs and she added a rapid 1-2 – her goal a sublime strike low and hard to the bottom corner of the net after a tasty pass from Sadhbh Buttle – to the Coláiste Bhríde account and it was very hard to see any way back for a gallant Maryfield side at this stage. They would need goals and progress up the field in the face of that wind was very difficult to say the least and they were now behind by 2-5 to 0-3.
A superbly struck free from Dearbhla Parker reduced the deficit but Aughrim’s Shauna O’Shea grabbed Coláiste Bhríde’s third goal moments later to more or less kill the game off as a contest.
Parker added another free before Sarah Doyle replied likewise at the other end and then it looked like Maryfield had been given something of a foothold in the
game when they were awarded a penalty but this one, like the one in the first half, was saved superbly on the line but in the resulting exchange another foul was committed and another penalty was awarded. Parker stood up this time and drove the ball over the bar for Maryfield’s last score.
Coláiste Bhríde charged down the field and Sarah Doyle bombed over another wonderful score to make it 3-7 to 0-6.
Referee Pat Kehoe sounded the final whistle much to the delight of the travelling supporters from Craanford, Aughrim, Carnew, Annacurra and beyond.
It’s on to an All-Ireland Junior ‘B’ final for this very talented group of girls. Now they just need to believe in themselves and go on and do it.
- Coláiste Bhríde Carnew: Sarah Doyle 1-7 (3f), Jade Shannon 1-0, Shauna O’Shea 1-0.
Maryfield Convent: Dearbhla Parker 0-3 (3f), Megan Lambe 0-1, Grace Gilroy 0-1, Ava Lambe 0-1.
Kate Butler; Anna Tompkins, Melissa Doran, Kayla Tighe; Hannah Redmond, Aoife Kinsella, Ciara Wafer; Karen Tomkins, Eimer Mutton, Erin Callaghan, Sadhbh Buttle, Laci Jane Shannon; Roisin Byrne, Sarah Doyle, Jade Shannon. Subs: Saoirse Kenny for E Callaghan, Eimear Byrne for LJ Shannon, Shauna O’Shea for S Buttle, Hannah Doyle for A Kinsella, Abbie Walsh for J Shannon,
Scorers COLÁISTE BHRÍDE CARNEW:
Sarah Preston; 23 Kate Byrne, 2 Sophie Forrestal, 24 Shanna Rose Suelo; 5 Ruth Jakobaiste, 10 Dearbhla Parker, 18 Abbey Treacy; 8 Ava Lambe, 11 Claire Finn; 6 Jane Murray, 12 Grace Gilroy, 27 Louise Hennessey; 13 Roisin Boland, 15 Tessa Lambe, 27 Megan Lambe.
MARYFIELD: REFEREE:
Pat Kehoe (Rathvilly)