Kilrush and Craanford girls backbone Carnew’s ‘C’ victory
COLAISTE BHRIDE (CARNEW) COLAISTE MHUIRE (JOHNSTOWN) 1-6 0-1
A COLAISTE Bhríde (Carnew) camogie team backboned by Wexford players claimed the Leinster Junior ‘C’ crown by defeating Johnstown’s Coláiste Mhuire in Johnstown on Friday.
Nine of the starting 15 players came from a combination of the Kilrush (five) and Craanford-Monaseed (four) clubs, and all put in superb shifts against the Kilkenny outfit to bring the provincial honours back to the County Wicklow school and set up an All-Ireland semi-final date with the winners of Cashel C.S. and Dublin ‘B’ on February 23.
This low-scoring encounter on a heavy sod at the Fenians G.A.A. Club was as much about powerful defending as it was about precious scores.
The Wexford quartet of Aoife Kinsella, Melissa Doran, Hannah Redmond and Karen Tomkins excelled at the back along with their Wicklow comrades, Emma Murphy and Máire Deegan, and managed to keep the Coláiste Mhuire attack to just one point, scored from a free in the first-half.
Kilrush’s Emma Tomkins was outstanding at midfield, with Craanford duo Áine Tobin and Sarah Doyle shining in the half-forwards.
When it came to vital scores it was Kilrush’s Sadhbh Buttle who stepped up and delivered.
She bagged one point in the first-half and two late on to kill the Coláiste Mhuire hope and put a big enough gap between the sides to ensure any potential late rally would not spoil the party.
The eight-point winning margin was fully deserved after such a strong overall performance.
Coláiste Bhríde: Caitlin Hughes (Carnew Emmets); Aoife Kinsella (Kilrush), Melissa Doran (Craanford-Monaseed), Emma Murphy (Aughrim); Hannah Redmond (Craanford-Monaseed), Karen Tomkins (Kilrush), Máire Deegan (Carnew Emmets); Laci Jane Shannon (Annacurra), Emma Tomkins (Kilrush, 0-1); Áine Tobin (Craanford-Monaseed), Sarah Doyle (Craanford-Monaseed, 0-2, 1 free), Hannah Doyle (Annacurra); Abbie Walshe (Kilrush), Sadhbh Buttle (Kilrush, 0-3), Jade Shannon (Annacurra, 1-0). Subs. - Eimear Byrne (Kilrush) for J. Shannon (40), Róisín Byrne (Knockananna) for Walshe, inj. (44), also Fiona Doyle (Craanford-Monaseed), Shauna O’Shea (Aughrim), Aoife Callaghan (Carnew Emmets), Erin Callaghan (Carnew Emmets), Shauna Donoghue (Craanford-Monaseed), Aoife Campbell (Aughrim), Sophie Dotan (Carnew Emmets), Nadine Fitzgerald (Annacurra), Mollie Mulroe (Carnew Emmets), Halle Barnes (Annacurra), Áine Doran (Kilrush), Hollie Byrne (Aughrim), Emma Kinnear (Carnew Emmets).