Under 16A camogie final: Geraldines 2-15 Ruairí Óg 3-7
Report by Seamus McAleenan – Pics by Sean Trowlen
What an excellent finale to the under 16 season in Fr Maginn Park Glenravel on Friday evening with Ruairí Óg Cushendall pushing favourites Geraldines to the brink before the Portglenone girls retained their title!
The Geraldines dominated the first 20 minutes but couldn’t shake off the challengers with Eleyna McQuillan sending over three frees to keep her side in touch and Ellen McAllister pulling off at least two top class saves at the other end.
But the Portglenone side was the more dominant with Clíodhna McKeever firing over inside the opening 25 seconds. Caoimhe Doherty added a second point from a free and Eva McCann a third from the left wing – all inside the first four minutes.
Cushendall’s defence steadied up after that to allow the team to get a foothold in the game and McQuillan’s frees helped. McCann took a pass on the run to make it four and McKeever from a free and Niamh McAleese made it 0-6 to 0-2.
But back came Ruairí Óg with two frees from McQuillan to one from McKeever before the Cushendall side hit the jackpot in the 24th minute. Laoiseach McNaughton had the advantage from a tug back but nevertheless struck the sliotar high into the net. Straight from the poc-out, Portglenone were on the back foot and Lauren McKay hit a great angled shot from the right high into the net. Suddenly Cushendall were 2-4 to 0-7 ahead.
Clíodhna McKeever quickly pulled back a point from a free, but there were still two between the teams at the break.
McKeever grabbed the initiative on the re-start with a brilliant catch and then a left-handed shot to the Cushendall net. Caoimhe Doherty added two points, one from a free, with McQuillan responding from a free.
But Geraldine’s kept pushing on with points each from McCann and McKeever, the latter tipped over by Ellen McAllister. At 1-12 to 1-5, the game looked over until Lauren McKay put the game back in the melting pot with a goal for the ‘Dall.
A free from McQuillan and then a point from Caoimhe O’Donnell and the gap was down to two entering the final ten minutes.
Caoimhe Doherty landed a free for Portglenone and then the break couldn’t have fallen better for Clíodhna McKeever to get a clear run on goal and the Geraldines top-scorer made no mistake. However within a couple of minutes Cushendall were back in the game with a goal from Laoiseach McNaughton.
However over the final three minutes plus injury time, the Geraldines defence held strong and the sliotar stuck up front for Caoimhe Doherty, with her fifth score, and McKeever, bringing her personal tally to 2-6, claiming the last two points.
Geraldine’s: Mollie McGinty, Emma Rose Diamond, Emily Scullion, Éira McTague, Niamh Martin, Caitlin Graffin, Annie Convery, Caoimhe Doherty 0-5, 4fs, Rose McVeigh, Eva McCann, Gemma McAuley, Clíodhna McKeever 2-6, 0-3fs, Eva McCann 0-3, Niamh McAleese 0-1, Aoife Kelly
Subs: Maria O’Boyle for E Diamond, Niamh Smith for R McVeigh, Niamh Mulholland for E McTague
Ruairí Óg: Ellen McAllister, Molly Delargy, Lucia Traynor, Ava Gettins, Elena Madden, Aoife Molloy, Emily Elliott, Emma Lynn, Eleyna McQuillan 0-6fs, Caoimhe O’Donnell 0-1, Anna Birt, Nichola Molloy, Cathryn McCormick, Laoiseach McNaughton 2-0, Lauren McKay 1-0
Subs: Gabriela McNeill for C McCormick, Nuala McNeill for M Delargy.
Referee: Tony Breen
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