Junior Camogie Championship Final
St. Mary’s Rasharkin 3-5 St. Paul’s 1-7
Pics by Bert Trowlen
St Mary’s Rasharkin withstood a strong comeback by St. Paul’s in a sometimes fractious second half to lift the Junior Camogie championship title at a sun kissed Portglenone on Sunday.
Goals from the outstanding Jade Henry after 11 minutes and a Cora Henderson double late in the half propelled St. Mary’s to a fairly comfortable looking 3-2 to 0-3 lead and indeed that lead could have been greater had it not been for a couple of excellent saves from Orlaith McKnight in the St. Paul’s goals.
The Shaw’s Road side did much better after the break and led by full-forward, Fionnghuala Rocks they set about closing the gap but the Rasharkin defence stood firm.
It was Rasharkin who threatened first but Orlaith McKnight in the St. Paul’s goals made a smart save to deny them an early goal and the Belfast side were first on board with points from Rebecca McConville and Emer Rocks to go 0-2 to 0-0 ahead by the 7th minute.
St. Mary’s were slow to settle but when Jade Henry fired to the net after 11 minutes for their first score of the evening things changed dramatically and the Dreen side would go on to dominate the opening half.
Ciara O’Boyle pointed two frees to extend their advantage and a great long range effort from the impressive Jade Henry had them four ahead by the 18th minute.
Rasharkin looked like increasing their lead when they were awarded a penalty in the 25th minute but once again Orlaith McKnight in the opposition nets proved equal to the challenge.
The second goal wasn’t long in coming however as Cora Henderson fired past McKnight in the 27th minute and when the same player repeated the fete, a minute later Rasharkin looked in complete control.
Fionnghuala Rocks replied with a point for the Shaw’s Road side as the game edged into first half stoppage time but it was Rasharkin who were in the driving seat as the half time whistle sounded as they led by eight points.
Fionnghuala Rocks had been the player who carried the greatest threat for St. Paul’s and she started the second half as she had finished the first with a point from a free in the 9th minute.
Maeve Devlin followed with another before Eimear O’Neill replied with Rasharkin’s first point of the second half as play became scrappy and disjointed.
The Dreen side were still controlling matters but the game suddenly sprang to life when the impressive Fionnghuala Rocks soloed through for a great goal in the 19th minute to bring the St Paul’s supporters to their feet.
The same player followed from a ‘45’ to close the gap to three with eight minutes remaining and then Saoirse McMullan in the Rasharkin nets pulled off a smart save as St. Paul’s went looking for an equaliser.
The excellent Rocks converted her second ‘45’ of the half to leave just two between the sides with four minutes of normal time remaining but that was as close as the Belfast girls would get and a great point from Jade Henry and another by the same player from a long range free made victory secure for the South West side.
The proverbial game of two halves with Rasharkin doing enough in the opening half to win in the end and St. Paul’s giving it everything in the second but coming up short in the end.
Jade Henry was the outstanding performer in a strong Rasharkin side while Fionnghuala Rocks was excellent for the losers.
St. Mary’s Rasharkin: 1 Saoirse McMullan, 2 Niamh McFerran, 3 Noeleen O’Kane, 4 Eimhear Hardy, 5 Bronagh McFerran, 6 Shariffa O’Kane, 7 Cadhla McLarnon, 8 Kerrie Darragh, 9 Niamh Mooney, 10 Ciara O’Boyle, 11 Eimear Quigg, 12 Jade Henry, 13 Cathleen Casey, 14 Cora Henderson, 15 Eimear O’Neill. Subs: 16 Sinead Hasson, : 17 Ciara O’Neill, 18 Roisin Hardy, 19 Christina Smith, 20 Maire Higgins, 21 Cara Mooney, 22 Elena Stockman, 23 Kyra Stockman, 25 Jenny McNeill, 26 Aine McTeague, 27 Eimear O’Boyle
St. Paul’s: 1 Orlaith McKnight, 2 Gemma McGroarty, 3 Deirdre Vallely, 4 Aoibheenn Hand, 5 Enya Daye, 6 Katierose Bell, 7 Caoimhe Bell, 8 Cliodhna Phillips, 9 Emer Rocks, 10 Kerry McConville, 11 Niamh Ritchie, 12 Cara Duncan, 13 Rebecca McConville, 14 Fionnghuala Rocks, 15 Aisling Hyndman: Subs: 19 Maeve Devlin, 16 Brona Reilly, 17 Meabh Martin, 18 Demilee McShane, 20 Saorlaith Brenna, 21 Aislin Barr, 22 Aoife Curry, 23 Aisling Reilly, 24 Aoife Murray, 25 Olivia Loughran, 26 Megan Millar27 Dairine Phillips, 28 Amy Murray, 29 Nakita Murphy, 30 Aoife O’Sullivan
Referee: Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)
