Dungarvan Emerge Winners In Ten Goal County Final

 

Dungarvan had to withstand a late and strong challenge by An Rinn to collect the County Intermediate Camogie Championship at the WIT Arena at Carriganore on Saturday afternoon last.

The Old Boro outfit looked to be comfortably in control for much of this game, but late changes which saw the An Rinn management team which saw corner back Fiona Morrissey and Centre Back Áine Nic Chrotaigh move further up the field added new fire into the side, and the management team will surely have asked themselves afterwards what if they had made the move earlier in the game.

For Dungarvan it was a day to remember and in particular it was a day to remember for inter county club player Orla Hickey who was outstanding at centre back. Time and time again she sent good ball into her forwards and at times the team added to their total on the scoreboard as a result.

Alongside her Niamh Curran and Aisling Baumann were also very impressive whole Taylor Murray, Clodagh Tutty, Sarah Lacey and Kaeisha Tobin to name but a few were constantly causing problems for the An Rinn players.

Both sides took a little time to settle in this game. The sides had to wait five minutes for the first score to arrive. Orla Hickey with the wind at her back launched a huge drive up field from well inside her own 65 metre line. When the sliotar dropped in front of the An Rinn goal Heather Hayes and Mary Kate Prendergast were on hand to push the ball towards the An Rinn goal with Mary Kate Prendergast seeming to get the final touch to push it over Kelly Moroney’s goal line.

Lia Nic Craith pulled a point back for An Rinn within a minute and three minutes later the side from the Déise Gaeltacht went into the lead when Máire de Roiste had a effort blocked but from the rebound Briannagh Nic Craith finished past Caoimhe Meehan.

Dungarvan however soon got back on top. A point from inter county player Sarah Lacey from a free levelled matters. And things quickly got better for Dungarvan as another rocket launcher of a shot from Orla Hickey resulted in another goal on twelve minutes this time Caoimhe O’Dwyer finishing to the net with a huge effort hit from near the sideline and about 45 metres from goal.

Briannagh Nic Craith pulled a point back for An Rinn but Dungarvan responded with two points from Sarah Lacey, the first following some great teamwork, the second from a ’45.

And while An Rinn would cancel one of these scores out with a point from Fiona Ní Bhriain, Dungarvan would turn around in a very good position, leading 4-3 to 1-3 when substitute Isobel Wade hit a fourth goal for her side.

Fiona Ni Bhriain hit the first score of the second half when she converted a free, but Dungarvan would respond with points from Kaiesha Tobin from a free and Heather Hayes before landing a fifth goal when Sarah Lacey won the restart after Heather Hayes score and sent the sliotar straight to the An Rinn net.

An Rinn hit their best patch after this. Fiona Ni Bhriain pointed on 45 minutes. Onealla followed up with a brace of scores and with five minutes of the hour to play An Rinn gave themselves hope going into the closing minutes. Fiona Morrissey had a 21 metre free smothered by a wall of Dungarvan players, but the sliotar was quickly worked back out to her and from 21 metres the second time around she rattled the back of the Dungarvan net.

Moments later An Rinn won a Dungarvan delivery out of their defence and the ball quickly made it’s way to Fiona Morrissey who again unleashed a power driver past the Dungarvan defence who now lead 5-5 to 3-7.

On the hour mark An Rinn played the ball out of defence into Katie Hannon who broke the ball which eventually made its way to Aoibhe Murphy who blasted past Caoimhe Meehan to leave just two (5-6 to 4-7) between the sides with Clodagh Tutty scoring for Dungarvan between the two An Rinn green flags.

Deep in added time Mary Kate Prendergast played in Kaeisha Tobin who in turn picked out Heather Hayes who blasted past Kelly Moroney to secure the title for the Old Boro outfit who now play in the senior grade next year.

Dungarvan: Caoimhe Meehan; Michaela Moran, Taylor Murray, Kayleigh Veale; Niamh Curran, Orla Hickey, Aisling Baumann; Mia Cronin, Caoimhe O’Dwyer; Mary Kate Prendergast, Clodagh Tutty, Sarah Lacey; Kaeisha Tobin, Heather Hayes, Rachel Harty.

Sub: Isabelle Wade for Rachel Harty.

Scorers: Sarah Lacey 1-3 (0-1f, 0-1 ’45), Mary Kate Prendergast, Heather Hayes 1-1 each, Orla Hickey, Caoimhe O’Dwyer, Isabelle Wade 1-0 each, Kaeisha Tobin (f), Clodagh Tutty 0-1 each.

An Rinn: Kelly Moroney; MacKenzie Doyle, Sarah Morrissey, Fiona Morrissey; Emer Scanlon, Áine Nic Chrotaigh, Meadhbh Ní Chuirrin; Aoife Landers, Onella Whelan; Siobhan Morrissey, Briannagh Nic Craith, Katie Hannon; Máire de Roiste, Lia Nic Craith, Fiona Ní Bhriain.

Subs: Aoibh Murphy for Máire de Roiste, Adhmhin Ní Riordan for Siobhan Morrissey, Lilly Anne McGill for MacKenzie Doyle.  

Scorers: Fiona Morrissey 2-0, Briannagh Nic Craith 1-1, Aoibh Murphy 1-0, Fiona Ni Bhriain 0-3 (3f), Onella Whelan 0-2, Lia Nic Craith 0-1.

Referee: Eoin Morrissey (Mount Sion)