Best Under-16 show secures ticket to Leinster shield decider

WEXFORD SAVED their best performance for the last round-robin game in the Leinster Under-16 camogie championship as they bested previously unbeaten Dublin in UCD on Sunday to finish the group in fourth place.

Despite the impressive victory, the Slaneysiders dropped below Offaly in the table on score difference but it didn’t alter the situation, with the two sides meeting in the shield final in the coming weeks.

That should be an excellent game after the teams played out an entertaining draw in St. Patrick’s Park a few weeks ago. If Wexford can maintain their improvement in form, they should go into the All-Ireland series with a bit of confidence and some hope of glory.

Here they really came together as a team to put in a fantastic performance. From front to back everyone played their part in this success, which is exactly how Wexford need to continue to play to make the most of their talents.

It helped that Wexford got off to a flying start, with Emma McCarthy on the scoresheet as early as the fourth minute.

Ciara Whelan added a second but Dublin did have a little purple patch of their own, scoring four points in reasonably quick succession.

McCarthy added a second point in the 21st minute before Áine O’Loughlin found the net to give Wexford a major fillip.

That goal ensured the Slaneysiders finished the period on the front foot, with McCarthy and Keelin Doyle making it 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval.

With just half the job done, Wexford knew they needed another big effort after the resumption.

Ciara Whelan matched points with Dublin in the opening ten minutes, with each side adding two. Despite Dublin registering a goal as the half progressed, the visitors to UCD kept pressing on.

Whelan scored her fourth and fifth points to end the third quarter before substitute Amy Power rattled the net in the 54th minute.

When Ellie Steadmond added her name to the scoresheet one minute later, Wexford held a 2-10 to 1-6 advantage.

To be fair to the hosts they did keep battling to the end, tacking on the last three points, but it was Wexford’s day and they can now look forward to a meeting with Offaly and a chance to end the Leinster campaign in positive fashion, with the shield in their possession.

Wexford: Muireann Kavanagh (Craanford-Monaseed); Maria Laffan (Glynn-Barntown), Elaine Doyle (Buffers Alley), Emily Murphy (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy); Caoimhe Moore (Oulart-The Ballagh), Sarah Kirwan (Kilrush, joint-capt.), Chloe Steadmond (Craanford-Monaseed); Róisín Doyle (St. Anne’s), Ellie Steadmond (Craanford-Monaseed, 0-1); Caoimhe McGonigle (Ballynastragh Gaels), Ciara Whelan (Blackwater, joint-capt., 0-5, 2 frees), Dearbhla Dolan (Monageer-Boolavogue); Áine O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue, 1-0), Emma McCarthy (Oylegate-Glenbrien, 0-3), Keelin Doyle (Oylegate-Glenbrien, 0-1). Subs. - Emma James (St. Patrick’s) for Dolan (31), Kitty Roche (St. Ibar’s/Shelmalier) for McCarthy (37), Makayla Tobin-Cosgrave (Kilrush) for McGonigle (43), Amy Power (St. Martin’s, 1-0) for O’Loughlin (49), Éabha Keane (St. Martin’s) for C. Steadmond (49).