Tara plays the captain’s part
Ballinastragh bag honours
BALLINASTRAGH GLS 2-9 OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN 1-5
TARA O’CONNOR played a captain’s role as she fired Ballinastragh Gaels to victory over Oylegate-Glenbrien in the Under-14 camogie Roinn 1B county championship final in a sunny Monageer.
The rangy midfielder was in top form as she struck a sensational 1-7 from play, helping her side overcome a game Oylegate-Glenbrien side who battled to the end but just couldn’t find the scores they needed.
This entertaining encounter started off with the game’s chief markswomen, Tara O’Connor and Orla Redmond, trading scores in the early exchanges, before Oylegate-Glenbrien gave themselves a flying start thanks to goal from Karen Hayden who placed the ball perfectly into the bottom corner of the net.
Their lead was shortlived however, as Tara O’Connor showed great persistence to break down a number of clearances before dispatching to the net midway through the half.
And the Gaels were given a real boost minutes later when Róisín Hughes nabbed their second goal with a screaming finish.
Redmond and O’Connor traded scores once more before the latter gave her side a handsome fivepoint lead at the break with help from Aisling Fitzpatrick.
The Oylegate-Glenbrien girls needed a good start to the new half to get themselves back into things, and they came agonisingly close to a goal straight from the throw-in, only for Orla Redmond to see her shot whizz past the post.
Redmond was putting in Trojan work, trading scores with O’Connor before another narrow miss and two points from placed balls midway through the half.
Both sides were really going at it into the final quarter, but Ballinastragh had that little bit more that was needed to seal the win.
Tara O’Connor rounded off a sublime display with two well-taken scores near the end, ensuring she accepted the cup along with joint captain, Róisín Hughes, after a hard-earned but well-deserved win.
Ballinastragh Gaels: Kiva Kinsella; Eva O’Connor, Caoimhe McGonigle, Saoirse McDonald; Anna Hughes, Cliona McCarthy, Bebhinn McDonald; Tara O’Connor (1-7), Róisín McGonigle; Riadh Murphy, Aisling Fitzpatrick (0-2 frees), Robyn Cousins; Faith O’Connor, Róisín Hughes (1-0), Ella Jones. Subs. - Leah O’Reilly for Jones, also Fia Duffy, Nessa Lucey, Rosie Rothwell, Caoimhe Noblett, Edie Byrne.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Ava Whelan; Caoimhe Whelan, Elisha Dempsey, Lisa Nolan; Caoimhe O’Leary, Caitlin Curran, Annalies Doyle; Jessica Redmond, Blathnaid O’Leary; Laura O’Brien, Orla Redmond (0-5, 2 frees, 2 ‘45s), Karen Hayden (1-0); Emma Lawlor, Kate Freeman, Abbie Somers. Subs. - Gráinne Hourihane for B. O’Leary, Amy Fortune for C. O’Leary, Sarah Roche for C. Whelan, B. O’Leary for Freeman, also Eibhlin Moran, Alex Doyle.
Referee: John O’Rourke (Shamrocks).