Leinster joy for Coláiste Bhríde girls

COLÁISTE BHRÍDE COLÁISTE MHUIRE 1-6 0-1

SCENES of unbridled joy erupted on the Fenians GAA pitch in Kilkenny last Friday afternoon when the Coláiste Bhríde Carnew Junior camogie team secured the Leinster ‘C’ crown thanks to a magnificent 1-6 to 0-1 victory over Coláiste Mhuire of Johnstown on their home turf.

The travelling support of parents, teachers and students celebrated with the weary but ecstatic players after a hectic battle that might have been low on the scoring front but was through the roof in terms of drama, effort and courage.

The management team of Bob Fitzgerald, Joan Lancaster and Elma Drummond understood the quality of the team they are charged with looking after from very early in the season and the hard work and effort, the Saturday trainings and the battles that led them to Johnstown on a cold but dry January afternoon were well worth it when Eamonn Mansfield’s final whistle sounded and Aughrim’s Emma Murphy was presented with the Leinster ‘C’ cup.

A look at the scoreboard will tell the casual reader all they need to know about this encounter. The sod was heavy, the hits hard, the pressure relentless, and while it was never going to be a pretty affair, the winning of this game came down a touch of class from midfield up and a merciless and courageous defence that surrendered not an inch to their Kilkenny opponents.

Time and time again the Coláiste Mhuire side attacked but were repelled by the Coláiste Bhríde defence. Caitling Hughes was formidable in the goals, Aoife Kinsella, Melissa Doran and team captain Emma Murphy were not going to be beaten on this wonderful day for camogie in the County Wicklow school. Huge praise has to go to the half-back line of Hannah Redmond, Karen Tomkins and Maire Deegan who were just outstanding in terms of spoiling Coláiste Mhuire forays and turning defence into attack.

Annacurra’s Laci Jane Shannon Coliste Bhríde captain Emma Murphy from Aughrim receives the Leinster Junior ‘C’ cup from Leinster Schools Camogie Chairman Jerry Drennan in Johnstown last Friday.

worked tirelessly throughout while Emma Tomkins was superb from her midfield berth.

Áine Tobin, Sarah Doyle and Hannah Doyle were a vital bridge from the midfield to the full-forward line. Sarah Doyle grabbed two vital points, one from a free, and proved capable and brave from open play.

When they reflect on the game the Coláiste Bhríde management will be thankful for the presence of Sadhbh Buttle at full-forward. Her return of three points, two of them coming during a precious phase of the game in the second half when the Carnew students needed to push on and drive Coláiste Mhuire back.

Annacurra’s Jade Shannon showed real killer instincts when she took a pass from the brave Buttle before finishing to the back of the Coláiste Mhuire net. Abbie Walshe was excellent until she picked up a bad knock and she was replaced by the very capable Róisín Byrne from Knockananna.

With the heavy sod and strong wind this game was always going to be something of a dogfight and the 0-2 to 0-1 half-time tally in

Coláiste Bhríde’s favour highlights the conditions and the defensive efforts but any suggestion that the low scoring reflected a poor game would be grossly unfair given the chances both teams created.

Coláiste Bhríde’s decision to play against the strong win and up the perceived hill in the opening half was an intelligent one. It was vital that the Carnew students stay in touching distance of the Kilkenny side and they would have been more than happy with the 0-2 to 0-1 lead at the break having held Coláiste Mhuire scoreless for 20 minutes.

Karen Tomkins proved superb in that first half, thwarting attacks and clearing ball, and her sister Emma was also very much to the fore in that opening half.

A foul by Una Brophy on the handy looking Abbie Walsh at corner-forward gave Sarah Doyle her first real chance and the Craanford player split the posts with a neat free.

Good play from Annacurra’s Jade Shannon allowed Sadhbh Buttle room for a shot and the Kilrush/Askamore attacker obliged

with a fine score after 11 minutes.

Coláiste Mhuire full-forward Teresa Fogarty notched their only score of the half from a free after 20 minutes and Coláise Bhríde retired for their half-time chat in a very good space considering they would be turning to play with the wind and down the hill in the second.

Two spurned chances from difficult placed balls didn’t deflate the visitors and when Jade Shannon profited from stunning work by Sadhbh Buttle who broke numerous challenges before slipping off a neat handpass to the Annacurra player who duly rattled the Coláiste Mhuire net it was a huge lift for Bob Fitzgerald’s side with only four minutes gone in the second half.

The outstanding Emma Tomkins drove over from distance shortly afterwards and then Sarah Doyle made it 1-4 to 0-1 as Elma Drummond roared ‘you’re mighty women’ from the sideline and you’d be hard set to come up with a more fitting description than ‘mighty women’ for these Coláiste Bhríde warriors.

Eimear Byrne and Róisín Byrne entered the fray in place of Jade Shannon and Abbie Walshe (injured) and both served their side excellently for the remainder of the game.

The threat posed by full-forward Sadhbh Buttle was very evident throughout and it was made abundantly clear in the fourth quarter when she walloped over two insurance points to keep Coláiste Bhríde well clear of their Kilkenny opponents.

Coláiste Mhuire would lay siege to the Coláiste Bhríde goal at times during the second half but the defensive effort from the Carnew students had to be seen to be believed. Opportunities for the Johnstown side were suffocated by relentless pressure, shots were blocked, high balls plucked bravely from a crowded sky, dangerous balls batted clear, bodies thrown on the line, tackles made again and again, and defense turned into attack with ruthless efficiency.

It was a day when Coláiste Mhuire came up against a Coláiste Bhríde team who proved absolutely resolute in their belief in themselves and their colleagues and a day when they would not be beaten and perhaps their efforts were best reflected in the final play of the game when Sadhbh Buttle gathered a dirty ball, was almost decapitated by the frenzied defence but leaped to her feet when that final whistle sounded to signal a wonderful Leinster victory. Nothing and no one were going to keep these Coláiste Bhríde players down.

- Coláiste Bhríde: Sadhbh Buttle 0-3, Jade Shannon 1-0, Sarah Doyle 0-2 (1f), Emma Tomkins 0-1.

Coláiste Mhuire: Teresa Fogarty 0-1 (f)

Scorers COLÁISTE BHRÍDE:

Caitlin Hughes (Carnew Emmets); Aoife Kinsella (Kilrush/ Askamore), Melissa Doran (Craanford), Emma Murphy (Aughrim); Hannah Redmond (Craanford), Karen Tomkins (Kilrush/Askamore), Maire Deegan (Carnew Emmets); Laci Jane Shannon (Annacurra), Emma Tomkins (Kilrush/ Askamore); Áine Tobin (Craanford), Sarah Doyle (Craanford), Hannah Doyle (Annacurra); Abbie Walshe (Kilrush/Askamore), Sadhbh Buttle (Kilrush/Askamore), Jade Shannon (Annacurra). Subs: Eimear Byrne (Kilrush/Askamore) for J Shannon (40), Róisín Byrne (Knockananna) for A Walshe (44, inj). Not used: Fiona Doyle (Craanford), Shauna O’Shea (Aughrim), Aoife Callaghan (Carnew Emmets), Erin Callaghan (Carnew Emmets), Shauna Donoghue (Craanford), Aoife Campbell (Aughrim), Sophie Dotan (Carnew Emmets), Nadine Fitzgerald (Annacurra), Mollie Mulroe (Carnew Emmets), Halle Barnes (Annacurra), Áine Doran (Kilrush/ Askamore), Hollie Byrne (Aughrim), Emma Kinnear (Carnew Emmets).

COLÁISTE MHUIRE:

Sinead Farrrell; Anna Cleere, Ciara Quelly, Una Brophy; Laura Purcell, Muire Fitzpatrick, Emma Delaney; Aoife Ryan, Jesse Newman; Róisín Ahern, Grace Campion, Eva Sumner; Sarah Phelan, Teresa Fogarty, Clodagh Ryan.

REFEREE:

Eamonn Mansfield (Kilkenny)