Super saints finish with a flourish
ST. JAMES’ 4-7 MONAGEER-B’VOGUE 2-5
ST. JAMES’ capped an excellent display with a late scoring flourish that handed them an eventual eight-point victory over a battling Monageer-Boolavogue outfit in this excellent Under-14 camogie Roinn 2A championship final in Castleboro.
Both teams embraced the occasion as they served up some excellent passages of play throughout, a challenge that released all that is best in under-age camogie.
The respective sets of forwards picked off scores with some superb finishing, while the defensive play was also something that caught the eye, despite it being a high-scoring final.
St. James’ laid the platform for this excellent win with a fine opening half, a period in which they enjoyed quite a lot of possession which they managed to turn into scores, despite the staunch defending of their opponents.
The opening ten minutes proved crucial. With the respective defences giving little away, an Amy Barrett pointed ‘45 gave the eventual winners a lead they were never subsequently to lose.
While Monageer-Boolavogue showed real battling qualities, they were finding difficulty in translating their possession into scores which was to prove the story of their game through the opening period.
When it looked as if this was turning into what could be a low-scoring game, Jamie Walsh struck for her opening goal on eleven minutes, finishing with a fine shot to the top right-hand corner of the net.
And two minutes later she utilised her hard-won possession with another fine finish, giving her side a 2-1 to nil lead.
Monageer-Boolavogue had to wait until the 14th minute for their opening score, a Dara O’Leary pointed free with the same player going on to add a further two unanswered points.
St. James’ finished the half strongly though, adding further points through Jamie Walsh, Amy Barrett, who was proving a dominant figure with two, and Rachel Walsh to lead by 2-5 to 0-3 at the interval.
On the resumption, Monageer-Boolavogue fought their way back into the game with an Emma Molloy ground shot finding the net within four minutes of the re-start.
They were much improved through this opening spell, as Dara O’Leary added a fine point to their tally to reduce the deficit to four (2-5 to 1-4) after 40 minutes.
The Enniscorthy District side were dominant through this period of the game, but St. James’ eventually managed to lift the siege through a Ciaradh Conolly point.
And the same player went on to
dominate the closing ten minutes, adding two excellent goals following runs through the defence to ensure victory.
While the opposition continued to give their all, they could only produce a late Emma Miller goal, with her 30-metre shot nestling in the corner of the net in additional time.
St. James’: Eimear Kehoe, Ava Fitzgerald, Abbie Nolan, Rachel Reburn, Jamie Walsh (2-1), Amy Barrett (0-3), Jessie Dillon, Ava White-Keating, Hannah Barrett (0-1 ‘45), Ciaradh Connolly (2-1), Lauren Murphy, Rachel Walsh (0-1). Subs. - Ruby Murphy, Zoe Dunne, Máire McDonald, Kelly Nolan, Louise Walsh, Katie McDonald, Caoimhe Whelan, Alex Doyle, Laura O’Brien.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Molly Murphy, Tara Kendrick, Abby Gibbons, Dara O’Leary (0-4, 2 ‘65s, 1 free), Annie Hendrick, Chloe Nolan, Emerson Doran, Holly Bolger, Emma Miller (2-1, 0-1 free), Sophie Kirwan, Ella Delaney, Lena Ahuir. Subs. - Taylor Gibbons, Katie Burke, Sophie Redmond, Abby O’Brien, Jessie Byrne.
Referee: Aiden O’Brien (Cloughbawn).