Corn Eimhear semi-final
St Killian’s Garron Tower 3-10 St Louis Ballymena 1-7
THIS year’s Corn Eimhear Camogie final will be a repeat of last year’s decider with St Killian’s Garron Tower pulling away in the second half of Monday’s semi-final to join holders St Patrick’s Maghera who had won their semi-final against St Mary’s Magherafelt 2-10 to 0-10 just before the midterm break.
Eva McNeill was again the star player for the Tower side with 2-9 from her side’s total, Laoiseach McNaughton the only other St Killian’s player to make the score-board. But there was a number of excellent performances in defence – Laoise McCollam, Emer Ward and Ciara McLaughlin – as well as Tamara Black and Dervla McMullan.
St Louis took a while to get going, but fought hard to make up the early gap with Cliodhna McKeever and Anna Smyth dangerous, while Caitlin Graffin, Aoife Neeson and Roma Martin were others who battled well on a heavy Glenravel pitch.
McNeill had popped over four points, three of them from frees or 45s, before Cliodhna McKeever and Eimhear McCloskey from a free got St Louis up and running. However St Killian’s pushed on and two more from McNeill and one from Laoiseach McNaughton had them ahead by 0-7 to 0-3 going into the break.
There was still time however for a late goal poached by Anna Smyth when St Killian’s failed to get in a clearance.
Although McNeill dropped back to midfield for the second half, she again started the scoring by driving a 30m free to the roof of the net. Although McCloskey responded with two points for St Louis, the Cushendun artist bagged a further two points and then hit her second goal when a speculative shot from distance skidded off the surface and into the net.
The final quarter saw goal-line clearances at both ends as St Killian’s remained in control with Sorcha Carey threading a pass through for Laoiseach McNaughton to finish the scoring with an injury time goal.
Meanwhile in the delayed Sciath Bhríde semi-final in Rossa, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire dominated the first half to set up a comfortable victory over St Malachy’s Castlewellan. Gaelcholáiste now play St Joseph’s Donaghmore in the final
St Killian’s: E McAllister, A Campbell, L McCollam, N McCollam, E Ward, E McNaughton, C McLaughlin, T Black, D McMullan, M McKeegan, E McNeill 2-9, 1-5 frees, S Carey, O Quinn, L McNaughton 1-1, M O’Kane.
Subs: A Molloy and E Black for O Quinn and M O’Kane (both ht), G Twigg for M McKeegan (57)
St Louis: C McNamee, B Doherty, L McGilligan, R Dickson, L Storey, C Graffin, A Neeson, R Martin, G Maguire, M McBride, C McKeever 0-3, A Smyth 1-0, A Vallely, E McCloskey 0-4, 3 frees, A McGilligan.
Subs: E McAleer for A Vallely (44), N Morgan for M McBride (59)
Referee: Vincent Boyle
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