Feis Cup – Senior Camogie
Loughgiel 2-13 Ballycastle 2-13
A late point from Caoimhe Wright earned Ballycastle a replay in Tuesday evening’s Senior Feis Cup Camogie final at Armoy. Seconds earlier it appeared that the corner-forward had squandered the chance after she put a harshly awarded free wide of the posts, but she gained possession shortly after the poc-out and sent a brilliant shot between the Loughgiel posts from over 50 metres to tie the game at 2-13 apiece.
With both teams lining out without their county players because of the next week’s All Ireland Intermediate final against Kilkenny, there were a good few changes on both sides, but it didn’t diminish the excitement of a great game. Ballycastle held the upper hand in the early stages as a point from Aoife Toner and two from Caoimhe Wright had them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after ten minutes.
A goal from corner forward Annie Lynn put Loughgiel in front in the 11th minute and Emma McMullan edged them two ahead two minutes later, but a point from Ballycastle centre forward Aine Donnelly just before the first half water break left her team trailing by just a point. (0-4 to 1-2)
Two more points from the fleet footed Annie Lynn just after the resumption put Loughgiel a goal clear and they appeared to be gaining the upper hand, but five minutes before half time Coimhe Wright pointed a free to cut the gap to two, before corner forward Rianna McBride broke through to fire the ball to the Loughgiel net and put her team in front. Emma McMullan brought the Shamrocks back level on 30 minutes with a well taken point, but in first half injury time Niamh O’Neill put Ballycastle back in front ash she gave them a 1-6 to 1-5 lead at the break
Less than a minute into the second half Caoimhe Wright put Ballycastle two clear, but points from Megan McGarry, Kirsty McKendry and Emma McMullan, in reply to one by Ballycastle’s Caitlin Heggarty, left the teams tied on 40 minutes. It was score for score for the next twenty minutes, but when Emma McMullan scrambled the ball over the goal line following a save from an Annie Lynn shot at goal, Loughgiel appeared to have sealed it.
However straight from the poc-out Caoimhe Wright won possession and soloed through to crash home the equaliser from twenty metres. Emma McMullan got the Shamrocks in front again in injury time and they again looked like they had it won, but after Wright missed the chance from the free, she made amends with a spectacular equalising point to leave both sides to do it all again next week.
LOUGHGIEL
Shauna McKillop, Charlene Campbell, Katie Lynn, Katie McKillop, Emma McFadden, Ciara Laverty, Shauna Devlin, Ciara Boyle, Ciara Dobbin, Emma McMullan, Claire McKillop, Kirsty McKendry, Annie Lynn, Megan McGarry, Ciara Connolly.
BALLYCASTLE
Danielle McMichael, Niamh Anne Donnelly, Katherine Donnelly, Emma Laverty, Enya McShane, Catherine McShane, Bronagh McCaughan, Maria Donnelly, Maebh O’Neill, Caitlin Heggarty, Aine Donnelly, Aoife Toner, Caoimhe Wright, Niamh O’Neill, Riana McBride.
Referee – Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)
