WITH just 60 seconds left in the FMC Appliances Ulster Schools’ Camogie Sevens Cup final on Monday in Portglenone, St Patrick’s Maghera’s three-in-a-row hopes hung by a thread. They trailed St Killian’s Garron Tower by 2-4 to 1-4. But they conjured up a goal and a point to make the cut once more.
Emma Quinn opted to go for goal from a 35m free and somehow the ground shot made it into the net off a defender. The Maghera defence returned the poc out and Quinn grabbed glory by flashing an angled shot between the posts.
The score-taking of Quinn as well as Eva McNeill for St Killian’s was outstanding. McNeill scored 2-3 while Quinn’s late salvo brought her final tally to 2-4. They were well supported by Laoise McCollam, Emer Ward, Tamara Black and Cliodhna Thompson for the Tower and Grace McCartney, Eimear Conway and Róisín McAtamney for the winners.
St Mary’s Magherafelt, St Louis Ballymena and Cross & Passion Ballycastle also competed for the Cup and all gave a good account of themselves, CPC unlucky not to reach the decider after a 4-3 to 1-3 win over St Killian’s in a group game. However they were beaten by St Louis Ballymena in the next game and missed out on a play-off for a spot in the final.
The final of the FMC Appliances Shield competition also went the distance with a very late goal from Áine Young snatching victory (3-5 to 4-1) for St Pius X Magherafelt at the expense of Our Lady & St Patrick’s Knock.
The teams had drawn during the group stages and when Caoimhe Dorrian and Emer Kelly each bagged two goals in the final, it seemed that the Shield was going to East Belfast for the first time.
St Conor’s Clady, Assumption Ballynahinch and St Patrick’s Keady also competed in the group stages.
Both St Pius X and St Patrick’s Maghera will now go forward to take part in the All-Ireland series in the Meath Centre of Excellence in Dunganny on Wednesday 16th October.
Panels and scorers in the Cup final :
St Patrick’s: A McWilliams, E Quinn(2-4), R McAtamney, E Conway capt., G McCartney (0-1), B Donaghy, GM Bradley, G Diamond, E Diamond, O McKenna, I Martin, R McNally
St Killian’s: L McNaughton, L McCollam, E Ward, E McNaughton, E McNeill (2-3), T Black, S Carey, M McKeegan, K McLaughlin, N McCollam, A Campbell, C Thompson (0-1)
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