Classic Encounter Sees Gailltír Crowned U16 ‘A’ Champions with Victory over Portlaw

 

Gailltír 2-13 Portlaw 4-03

Walsh Park was the venue last Saturday for the meeting of Gailltír and Portlaw in the U16 ‘A’ camogie final.  The crowd in attendance and the viewers at home were treated to entertaining ‘A’ final where both teams left everything on the pitch in search of glory.  In a game that had us all captivated with the level of skill on show, Gailltír proved to be more clinical than Portlaw to continue their dominance at this age grade.

From the throw in Gailltír flew out of the blocks with midfielder Orlaith Walsh gaining possession and driving at the heart of the Portlaw defence but could not find the target.  Ciara Sherlock quickly followed up with a shot of her own but it tailed wide.  Portlaw had their first sight at target through Ava Fitzpatrick but dropped straight into the goalkeeper’s hand. In a tightly contest opening to the game it took eight minutes to get the opening score and that came from the stick of Gailltír’s Emma Fitzgerald who struck from a tight angle off her left side.  That was quickly followed by a point from Mollie Comerford who ran at the Portlaw defence to drive over the bar.  Portlaw’s first score came in the 12^th minute from midfielder Ruth O Regan who slotted over off her right straight in front of goal. On the next Gailltír attack Sarah Hartery was bundled to the ground with referee Liz Dempsey declaring a penalty and up stepped Alannah O Sullivan who slotted over the bar to make it 0-03 to 0-01.  Just before the water break a free from Alannah O Sullivan dropped into the area only for Portlaw to clear straight back to the unmarked O Sullivan who drove over the bar for her first point from play leaving it 0-04 to 0-01 going into the second quarter.

On the restart from the water break Orlaith Walsh received the ball in the middle of the field with one thing on her mind and put the after burners on and ran at the Portlaw defence hitting a fine shot but Portlaw keeper Zoe Mackey was equal to it.  Portlaw reduced the gap to two points when Aoibhe Shankey slotted over the bar.  Soon after that the ever threatening Emma Fitzgerald popped up to strike her second point of the game.  Moments later at the other end of the field the dangerous Ava Fitzpatrick gained possession and taking a shot from distance it found its way to the back of the net.  That goal left the side’s level with eight minutes left in the first half.  A frenetic end to the half was in store with both sides attacking each defensive line with savage intensity.  Gailltír were to get the last two scores before half time with Alannah O Sullivan pointing a free from 45 yards out while Emma Fitzgerald rounded off the scoring for this half with her third of the day leaving the score 0-07 to 1-02.

The second half started brightly for the Barony club with Holly O Sullivan running at the Portlaw defence laying off to the open Alannah O Sullivan who struck off her right to increase the Gailltír lead.  With very little between the two sides, a pivotal moment in the game came when Ciara Sherlock struck for a shot from distance which caught the Portlaw goalkeeper off guard.  Alannah O Sullivan minutes later got on the ball once more cut in field to strike off her left and over the bar.  Portlaw would not relent however with Ava Fitzpatrick gaining possession and getting her shot off at goal to raise her second green flag of the day.  With just over five minutes gone in the second half this left the Gailltír leading 1-09 to 2-02.  The second half really had viewers at home and the crowd in attendance on the edge of their seats.  Gailltír’s Ciara Sherlock gained possession and made no mistake in rifling a shot to increase the lead to seven points, 2-09 to 2-02.  The remaining minutes before the water break was end to end with both teams creating chance but neither could add to their tally.  Both Orlaith Walsh and Ciara Sherlock had chances but couldn’t convert while Portlaw captain Ellen Boylan had the chance to reduce the gap from a 45 but it tailed to the right and wide.  The midfield battle was fierce with the ever industrious Maeve Sheridan winning ruck after ruck while for the Portlaw side Niamh Laffan at centre back was becoming more prominent in the game.

The last quarter of the game was do or die for both sides and not one player from either side shirked the challenge, but Portlaw started to gain momentum while Gailltír to their credit after playing a Minor football the previous night continued to work hard with tiredness now beginning to show however.  Ellen Boylan and Ava Fitzpatrick were beginning to have a greater impact on the game for Portlaw with the latter adding her first point of the day.  Portlaw attacked once more with a melee ensuing around the Gailltír goalmouth.  Aoibhe Shankey drove at the goal from close range to hand pass to the net leaving the score 2-09 to 3-03 going into the last six minutes of the game with a goal separating the sides.  End to end stuff ensued with both sides defending with every ounce of energy they had left.  Aoife Hartley’s earlier introduction settled the ship in the Gailltír defence with her calm under pressure play as Portlaw piled on the pressure.  The game was coming to its conclusion with injury time fast approaching when Emma Fitzgerald struck off her right hand side to put the Gailltír lead back to four points with the corner forward notching four points for herself.  Moments later the hard working Holly O Sullivan was rewarded with her performance by raising a white flag of her own.  With the clock ticking down Alannah O Sullivan pointed a free deep into injury time to leave the score 2-12 to 3-03 and a personal tally for the sharp shooter of six points.  This was not to be the last score however with Portlaw pushing forward they won a free just outside the 20 yard line.  Up stepped Ava Fitzpatrick who struck bullet of a shot to the roof of the net leaving the score now 2-12 to 4-03, three points separating the sides once more.  A nail biting finish for both sides, would Portlaw get another attack or could Gailltír see this game out? Up stepped Mollie Comerford who got on the end of a ball from Laoise Forrest, and ran at the Portlaw back line to see her shot deflected off the Portlaw goalkeeper and over the bar.  That score was to be the final act of the game after an enthralling, entertaining game that had us all on the edge of our seats.  The final score was Gailltír 2-13 Portlaw 4-03.  A game both teams can be immensely proud to be involved in,  it was to be Gailltír’s day who retain the U16 ‘A’ title for 2020 with joint captains Maeve Sheridan and Aoife Hartley hoisting the trophy aloft from the stand in Walsh Park.

Gailltír: Anna Cullinane Sarah Power, Faye Murphy, Aoife Ryan, Laoise Forrest, Aoife Hartley, Aoife Murphy, Maeve Sheridan, Holly O Sullivan (0-01), Mollie Comerford (0-02), Alannah O Sullivan (0-06) (0-03F), Orlaith Walsh, Ciara Sherlock (2-00), Vicky O Sullivan, Emma Fitzgerald (0-04), Ciara Berry, Sarah Hartery, Abbey Byrne, Avril McSweeney, Cara Cantwell.

Portlaw: Zoe Mackey, Alyssa Flannery, Ciara McCabe, Molly Davey, Ciara Harris, Niamh Laffan, Kayleigh McGrath, Ellen Boylan, Ruth O Regan (0-01), Alessia Conte, Aoibhe Shankey (1-01), Sarah O Regan, Isabelle Gaffney, Ava Fitzpatrick (3-01), Abbie Burrows, Kate Fraher, Anna Foley, Becky Russell, Emma White, Emma Walsh, Alanna Dee, Rachel Harney, Louise Sheridan, Abigail O Regan.

Referee: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)

Report from Waterford Camogie County Board.