Fast start the key to success
Enniscorthy girls show good form to claim ‘B’ crown
COL. BRIDE (E’CORTHY) CASTLECOMER C.S. 2-8 1-3
A FAST start by a classy Coláiste Bríde outfit set them on course for glory in the Leinster Colleges Junior ‘B’ camogie championship final against Castlecomer in Graiguenamanagh on Saturday.
The Enniscorthy school, playing with the elements in the first-half, set their stall out from the opening whistle. They swarmed all over their Kilkenny opponents, never allowing them a second in tough conditions, and were full value for their reasonably comfortable victory.
One would have to feel a little sorry for the runners-up. ‘Comer weren’t as talented as Coláiste Bríde, that was evident throughout, but they never quit, despite having the misfortune of coming out after half-time to find that the strong first period wind had all but disappeared.
With that kind of good fortune and playing as well as they did, Coláiste Bríde were never going to be stopped.
Of course, heavy conditions are often considered a great leveller, as things can get sticky, play can be fragmented, and scores are invariably hard to come by.
Nobody told the Enniscorthy girls that they were supposed to find the going tough. They put down the marker right away with flowing attacking play, not only easy on the eye but also devastatingly effective.
Maybe their most ‘experienced’ player, Oulart-The Ballagh’s Siobhán Sinnott, had a big hand in their quick start.
She dropped a second-minute ball into the goalmouth that Ruth Phelan collected but, when the ‘Comer stopper tried to clear, Leah Scallan blocked the ball into the net.
A tight angle on the left couldn’t stop Sinnott from making it 1-1 to nil a minute later, and soon Scallan almost had a second goal, only to be denied by a fine Phelan stop.
Sinnott converted the resulting ‘45, and Loren Doyle opened her account as the lead swelled to six after seven minutes.
The scoring slowed up but Doyle and Lucy-Jo Egan continued to create from midfield. When things did get past them, which was rare, the whole defence was absolutely superb, holding their opponents scoreless in the first-half.
Orla Redmond popped over a tidy score in the 18th minute, but things got decidedly better for Coláiste Bríde when Sinnott’s long-range dead-ball proved too hot for Phelan and Co. to handle on the goal-line and slipped into the net.
Leading by 2-4 to nil at the break, the Enniscorthy girls left the field for the dry confines of the dressing-room. When they and their opponents re-emerged twelve minutes later, the rain had stopped and the breeze had died.
Still, in the 33rd minute, Castlecomer got the major fillip they desperately needed when Angela Fahy swatted home a loose ball in the goalmouth after Katie Brennan’s long-range shot had been batted into her path.
Ellen Gunner pointed a 40th-minute free to put six between the sides, but that’s as close as they got. Doyle registered her second picture perfect point to calm any potential nerves before they even appeared.
After Gunner pointed a ‘45, Kellyanne Dempsey was pole-axed for a penalty but Sinnott prudently chose to tap it over (2-6 to 1-2) with eleven minutes remaining.
From then on Coláiste Bríde rarely looked like conceding the goal their opponents badly wanted.
Sinnott, who was unerring from placed balls all morning, converted two more after fouls on Redmond and Nadine Fortune as Coláiste Bríde comfortably held out to take the Leinster crown and advance to an All-Ireland semi-final in the coming weeks.
Coláiste Bríde: Anna Nolan; Anna Jevens, Abbie Dagg, Lauren Delaney; Ciara O’Connor (capt.), Miria O’Dowd, Eabha Farrell; Lucy-Jo Egan, Loren Doyle (0-2); Orla Redmond (0-1), Kellyanne Dempsey, Siobhán Sinnott (1-5, 1-2 frees, 0-1 ‘45, 0-1 pen.); Nadine Fortune, Leah Scallan (1-0), Sarah Walsh. Subs. - Dara O’Leary for Walsh (44), Rioghna Hourihane for Egan (60+1), Leona Buckley for Fortune (60+1), Cora Redmond for Jevens (60+1), also Ciara Doyle, Ruth Bolger, Róisín Scallan, Donna Delahunty, Katie Foley, Guevara Hughes, Bronagh Kenny, Isobel Kavanagh, Ciara Lawler, Niamh Larkin-Cooney, Muireann Murphy.
Castlecomer: Ruth Phelan; Yvonne Dooley, Shannon Conroy (capt.), Ciara Brennan; Kate Ring, Carlise Comerford, Sofia Kerr; Ava O’Shea, Caoimhe Hennessy; Angela Fahy (1-0), Ellen Gunner (0-3, 2 frees, 1 ‘45), Chloe Ryan; Sarah Brennan, Katie Brennan, Leah McCarthy. Subs. - Joanne Comerford for Ryan (40), Gráinne Comerford for S. Brennan (50).
Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny).