St Clare Cup camogie final
Cross and Passion Ballycastle 3-7 v St Patrick’s Maghera 0-7
By Seamus McAleenan
CROSS and Passion Ballycastle finished strongly in the second half of this St Clare Cup final in Ballymena yesterday to complete an unprecedented five in a row of titles at this level. Before the run began in 2014, Cross and Passion had only ever collected four titles, but they are now very definitely the team to beat at all levels after another battling performance mixed with no little skill. Yesterday St Patrick’s Maghera put it up to them throughout, but Ballycastle were able to find the net at crucial points to continue their unbeaten run.
Their opening goal came in the first 30 seconds with Fionnuala Kelly racing down the centre to find Bronagh Magill who off-loading for Orlagh Laverty to plant in the net. That brought a quick response from Maghera and a point from Leah Lennon was sandwiched between two from Cara McElwee before the sixth minute with Laverty also adding a point. For the rest of the half, the game settled down a little, with Maghera probably the more dominant team and the sides turned over level at 1-3 to 0-6, with Maghera finishing the half strongly with two frees from Emma Collins and a point from the other Lennon twin, Aimee.
Nuala Devlin had also landed two Ballycastle points in that first half and she eventually opened the second half scoring after seven minutes with a point before the pivotal point of the final arrived. Orlagh Laverty’s free dropped short in the Maghera goal-mouth. Leah Donaghy saved twice, but Bronach Magill eventually forced it over the line to open up a four points’ lead to which Laverty added another point from a free.
Although Collins responded with a point for Maghera, it turned out to be their only point of the half and Player of the match Nuala Devlin, who was causing serious problems down the right wing, brought her tally to 1-4, striking 1-1 in the last five minutes to seal the victory, her goal driven hard across the St Pat’s keeper and into the far corner of the net. Devlin was one of a number of stars in this excellent game along with Bríd Magill at full-back, Orlagh Laverty, Cassie McArthur and Fionnuala Kelly, while Maghera were best served by Abi McNeill and Clara Ferris in defence and Cara McElwee, and Aimee Lennon in attack.
Cross and Passion : S McMullan, E Graham, Brid Magill, C McQuillan, A Donnelly, C McArthur, F McIntosh, A Magill, F Kelly, N Devlin 1-4, O Laverty 1-3, 0-1 free, C McMillan, KL Hunter, Bronach Magill 1-0, C Connolly
St Patrick’s : L Donaghy, U Rafferty, A McNeill, C Ferris, A Molloy, E Martin, C McEldowney, D Donnelly capt., C McAleese, C McElwee 0-2, L Lennon 0-1, A Gillan, K McAleese, A Lennon 0-1, E Collins 0-3
Subs : B McLoughlin for E Martin, ER Glover for A Lennon
Referee : Owen Elliott (Ballymena)
Pics by John McIlwaine