Ulster Junior Camogie Championship
Loughgiel 1-12 Ballymacnab 2-7 (AET)
Loughgiel started the game strong but failed to score in both halves after the water break and allowed Ballymacnab to get back into contention both times. Ballymacnab took the lead for the first time in the 26th minute in the second half and looked like they might have done enough to steal the game, but a free from Orlagh Laverty in the 28th minute levelled the game and ensured extra time.
Ellie McKee from Ballymacnab was first to get a shot at the target in the 2nd minute but the wind pulled her shot to the right and wide. Loughgiel’s Úna McNaughton made a great run through the middle before being fouled and Loughgiel raised the first white flag through a free from Katie McKillop, this was followed up by a point from Louise McKillop after a good clearance out of defence by Megan McGarry straight into McKillop’s path and she made no mistake as she fired between the uprights. The first of three green flags were raised on the 12th minute by Loughgiel’s Ciara Connolly. Again, hard work by McNaughton in midfield, the ball was played into the square where Loughgiel’s Orlagh Laverty won ahead of Tierna Maguire but good defending by the full back line of Mairead O’Toole, Maguire and Michelle McCone ensured Laverty didn’t get a sniff at the goal instead the ball was fumbled. But Ciara Connolly was on hand to collect and smash to the back of the net.
Ballymacnab were having no luck at the other end as they missed another scorable free as it went to the wrong side of the post. They got on the scoresheet just before the water break through Aoibhín O’Hare after a few initial shots were saved but never cleared fully out of danger when O’Hare pounced on the opportunity to settle the Armagh team.
They say a water break can break a momentum, and this it did, Loughgiel raced to a 1-3 to 0-1 start but failed to score in the second quarter and Ballymacnab tagged in 0-3 to leave just two points in it at half time. Eimear Smyth got the first of the 3 points straight away with a great point from play. She should have had a goal quickly after the point but seemed to panic and took the wrong option and allowed Loughgiel to get the defence back into shape and clear the ball out of dangerous. Another goal chance went missing with Aoibhín O’Hare this time and her shot narrowly going to the outside of the post.
Loughgiel had a goal chance at the other end but a great save from Catherin Toner denied Orlagh Laverty’s shot. A poor clearance from Loughgiel’s defence allowed Ballymacnab’s half back Laura Smyth collect the ball and place between the posts with ease, this was followed quickly by another point from Eimear Smyth.
Half Time Loughgiel 1-3 Ballymacnab 0-4
Loughgiel started the second half the same way they started the first, fast out of the blocks. Úna McNaughton won the throw in and good team play between her, Orlagh Laverty and Katie McKillop resulted in McKillop getting her third point of the day. McKillop was working the ball well up the wing when Mairead O’Toole tried to stop her getting any closer to goal, Orlagh Laverty took the subsequent free and raised her first white flag. A great team score for Loughgiel followed in the 10th minute as Megan McGarry took a free out of defence and played it into corner forward Ciara Connolly, she got bottled up quite quickly by Michelle McCone, but Connolly played the ball back out to Ciara Boyle who spotted the run of Mary McKillen and a simple pass ensured McKillen would get her name on the scoresheet. Orlagh Laverty picked off another in the 12th minute after a quick free from Katie McKillop. Ballymacnab were trying to create opportunities for their forwards and they almost got another sniff at goal as Danielle McKee tried to drop one into the square but Finvola McVeigh was on hand to block and keeper Eimear Boyle made sure it got out of the danger zone. Ballymacnab tightened their defence and stopped Loughgiel’s running, making it very difficult for scores but a poor clearance by keeper Toner she hit straight to Loughgiel substitute Ciara Dobbin who pointed with ease. Ellie McKee made sure Ballymacnab added a score before the second water break leaving the score 1-8 to 0-5 at the end of the third quarter.
It was do or die for Ballymacnab in the last quarter and they went for broke scoring 2-1 to Loughgiel’s 0-1 in the final 15 minutes. Their first major came from a long range free out on the sideline near the 45 as Ellie McKee’s shot just dipped at the right time and under neath the cross bar to leave just three points in it with 10 minutes’s remaining. The game was in the mix by the 23rd minute when Eimear Smyth hit a rasper of a shot from a tight angle and although Loughgiel’s Eimear Boyle got a touch to it, there was too much power and it ended up in the back of the net leaving the game all square. In the 29th minute Smyth again looked like she might have won the game for the ‘nab as she scored a free from inside the D. But Loughgiel showed great grit and determination to not give up and for the first time they were chasing the game, they threw everything at Ballymacnab’s defence and were awarded a free for the efforts, Laverty made no mistake by scoring her third point of the day to leave the final score Loughgiel 1-9 Ballymacnab 2-6 and bring the game to extra time
Both team’s exchanged points in the first five minutes to keep the game nip and tuck, but Loughgiel hit two unanswered points before the break to put a little daylight between the teams. The first was a well worked score, a free out of defence from Finvola McVeight straight up the line to Katie McKillop who fired in quickly to Charley McCarry on the edge of the square again solid defending by the full back line forced McCarry to play the ball back out the field but Úna McNaughton was on hand to score a fine point from outside the 21. The second point came from the ever-dangerous Katie McKillop again a free out of defence by Megan McGarry found McKillop and she finished with a nice point from distance, leaving half time in extra time Loughgiel 1-12 Ballymacnab 2-7. Ballymacnab were hit a huge blow in the second half as Laura Smyth had to be stretchered off after an awkward fall, after a five-minute recess the game commenced again, but credit to both sides their backlines stood tall and allowed the forwards little or no space at any time forcing several turnovers. Ballymacnab’s Michelle McArdle made a superb run at the death towards goal to try and get the three pointer for the win but brilliant defending kept her just wide enough that her shot went to the wrong side of the post.
In terrible conditions at times both teams showed great character throughout the 80 minutes with both teams coming out on top. But in the end Loughgiel created more opportunities and got the scores when they were needed leaving the final score Loughgiel 1-12 Ballymacnab 2-7, they now face Eoghan Roe (Derry) in the Ulster Final next weekend. Possibly the Sunday as Cross and Passion play in the College’s All Ireland semi-final on the Saturday, but the time, date and venue will be confirmed during the week.
Loughgiel Scorers 1-12:
Katie McKillop 0-4 (0-1f), Orlagh Laverty 0-4 (0-2f), Ciara Connolly 1-0, Louise McKillop 0-1, Mary McKillen 0-1, Ciara Dobbin 0-1 and Úna McNaughton 0-1
Ballymacnab Scorers 2-07:
Eimear Smyth 1-4 (0-1f), Ellie McKee 1-1 (1-0f), Aoibhín O’Hare 0-1 and Laura Smyth 0-1
Loughgiel Team:
Eimear Boyle, Maeve Henry, Chloe Higgins, Finvola McVeigh, Ciara Boyle ©, Megan McGarry, Eimear McGarry, Therese McKinley, Úna McNaughton, Louise McKillop, Mary McKillen, Katie McKillop, Ciara Connolly, Orlagh Laverty and Caoimhe McMullan. Subs Used: Ciara Dobbin for C McMullan (HT) Anna McKillop for L McKillop (2nd water break), Charley McCarry for T McKinley (55) Louise McKillop for C Connolly (12 ET)
Ballymacnab Team:
Catherine Toner, Mairead O’Toole, Tierna Maguire, Michelle McCone, Laura Smyth, Michelle McArdle, Cara Crilly, Méabh McAleavey, Danielle McKee, Alanna McKee, Áine Maguire, Aoife Crilly, Ellie McKee, Eimear Smyth and Aoibhín O’Hare. Subs Used: Ellen Lennon, Éabha Lennon and Áine Smyth
