Doherty Woodhshavings Intermediate Camogie Championship
Semi-Final
Geraldine’s, Portglenone 2-16 Tir na nOg 2-8
Saturday 24 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Creggan
Geraldine’s Portglenone progressed to the intermediate decider on Saturday afternoon but despite the eight point difference in the score line, this semi-final wasn’t decided until the closing stages.
Despite having an element of control for the majority of the contest, the Portglenone ladies were having to weather a second half storm from Tir na nOg who had pegged the Geraldine’s back to just three points on a number of occasions in the second half, despite Portglenone holding a seven point lead at the interval.
There was only daylight put between the sides when substitute Jane Carey scored the Geraldine’s second major with her first touch after coming on as a substitute. On the field barely five minutes, Carey was in the right place at the right time to book her sides place in the 2022 final.
Overall, the Portglenone side were worthy winners. Their ability to retain possession under pressure and better use of the sliotar throughout the hour was the difference between the sides.
Tir na nOg will look at the opening quarter when analysing this contest and realise this is where the game got away from them. Despite Aine Devlin opening the scoring with a free in the third minute, Portglenone went through the gears and dominated the next ten minutes. They kept Tir na nOg scoreless while surging into a seven point lead before Emma Louise McAreavey added to their score. Portglenone’s opening goal came in the fourth minute, Eimear McKee on hand to sweep home the sliotar after Ciara Devine saved Roisin Kelly’s initial shot.
Portglenone raised white flags from Shannen Darragh (two), Aine Mulholland and a brace from Roisin Kelly to leave the score 1-5 to 0-2 after just ten minutes.
Orlaith Prenter scored Tir na nOg’s third point of the game, splitting the uprights despite the close attentions of the Portglenone defence but a trio of Geraldine’s points from Roisin Kelly, Eimear McKee and Anna Kelly kept Portglenone in control.
Prenter’s second score was the highlight of Tir na nOg’s first half, collecting the sliotar form Cameron McGaughey, Prenter showed all her skill and speed before dissecting the posts. The White Hill side were thrown a life line when they managed to score their first goal of the semi in the 26th minute. Prenter’s effort for a point was prevented from going over the bar by Portglenone ‘keeper Patricia McCarry. Niamh Martin was first to the rebound and swept home.
It was Tir na nOg’s last score of the half however as Portglenone underlined their first half superiority with three unanswered scores. Anna Kelly pointing either side of Roisin Kelly’s white flag to leave the half time score 1-11 to 1-4 in favour of the Geraldine’s.
The final flourish of the first half gave the Portglenone side a healthy half time advantage and despite having the elements at the back in the second half, it was going to take something special for Tir na nOg to get back into the game. A fine score from Aine Devlin got them firing again before their second major came under fortuitous circumstances. Standing over a free from just inside her own half, Bronagh Devlin played a one-two with Siofra O’Dolan. Sending the sliotar high, looking to split the posts, the sliotar dipped wickedly and managed to drop into the back of the net. The life line Tir na nOg needed but they couldn’t capitalise on this piece of good fortune. A serious of missed frees hurt their challenge while Aoibhinn McCloskey was finding her range in attack for the Geraldine’s. Splitting the posts in quick succession to reignite the Portglenone challenge.
Tir na nOg were playing with more freedom in the second half and began to make better use of the sliotar but the Geraline’s defence were giving little away.
Cameron McGaughey was hugely influential in the second half and deserved her point in the 48th minute while Bronagh Devlin’s ’45 in the 51st minute left just three between the sides and Tir na nOg sensing the opportunity to reel in the Portglenone advantage.
It never materialised however. McCloskey’s third point of the half preceded the game defining goal. Roisin Kelly with the initial break through the heart of the Tir na nOg defence but her effort was heroically blocked by Caitlin McGaughey. Jane Carey was first to the loose ball and made no mistake, firing in to the empty net and sealing her sides place in the final.
Tir na nOg continued to push for scores and landed a number of dangerous balls into the heart of the Portglenone defence but they couldn’t breach the Geraldine’s goal line. Scores from Roisin Kelly and Anna Kelly (free) came either side of Aine Devlin’s third point of the game and left the Geraldine’s ahead by eight at the final whistle.
TEAMS
Geraldine’s: Patricia McCarry; Derbhla Dobbin, Ailisha Convery, Maria Mooney; Maria McLarnon, Kiara Duffin, Cristin O’Kane; Aine Mulholland, Laura McAleese; Aoibhinn McCloskey, Anna Kelly, Shannen Darragh; Roisin Kelly, Orlagh Convery, Eimear McKee
Subs:Eimear Doherty for S Darragh (44); Jane Carey for O Convery (50); Orlagh Convery for P McCarry (55)
Scorers: A Kelly 0-4 (2fs); S Darragh 0-2 (1f 1’45); E McKee 1-2; R Kelly 0-4; A McCloskey 0-3; J Carey 1-00; A Mulholland 0-1
Tir na nOg: Ciara Devine; Katie Bonnes, Caitlin McGaughey, Caitlin Martin; Susan Shannon, Bronagh Devlin, Siofra O’Dolan; Emma Louise McAreavey, Cameron McGaughey; Aine Devlin, Emily Falloon, Niamh Martin; Rachel Bonnes, Hannah Crilly, Orlaith Prenter
Scorers: B Devline 1-1 (1 ’45); A Devlin 0-3 (2fs); N Martin 1-00; O Prenter 0-2; EL McAreavey 0-1; C McGaughey 0-1
Referee: Declan McGarry (Loughgiel)
