AIB Leinster Intermediate Club Semi-Final
Barrow Rangers 3-4
St Rynaghs 1-12
By Martin Quilty
It’s a case of what might have been for Barrow Rangers when they played reigning All-Ireland champions St Rynagh’s in Banagher on Saturday last in the Leinster club semi-final.
On a glorious day in Offaly it took both teams a little time to settle. It took five minutes for the first score of the game, it was a Kate Kenny free. Rangers responded a couple of minutes later with a with a Roisin Breen. By the first water break it was even stevens at 0-2 each, Helen Dolan (SR) and Katie O’Byrne (BR) with points from play. Barrow Rangers were playing very well after the water break. A pivotal moment came right after the water break when a ball came into Colette Dormer and the Rynagh’s net was rattled and Rangers went a goal ahead.Rangers had a confidence of not caring that the opposition were the All-Ireland champions and they played with spirit and a freedom that was lacking against Camross. St Rynagh’s were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute of the first half but the resulting penalty was blazed over the bar. By the 26th minute the Kilkenny champions had a slender one point lead 1-3 to 0-5. Colette Dormer who was instrumental in the first half then got in for her second goal when she gained possession just outside the 20m line, she was been fouled by full back Elaine Sullivan but somehow Dormer used her strength to get a rocket of a shot away and it landed to the back of the net passed a helpless Ellen Gilligam, Rangers were now in command. The only fault the management would have of the first half is they didn’t do enough damage with the amount of possession that they had and they didn’t convert the possession into scores.
At the interval it was Rangers who were ahead 2-3 to 0-6. St Rynagh’s were certainly rattled, they had wiped the floor with Celbridge in their quarter final but the Rangers girls were putting up a stronger test, Stephen Dormer would have been satisfied going in at half time with a lead because his side had played some lovely camogie.
The backs were outstanding keeping Kate Kenny to mostly frees while the interlink play between the half back line to midfield to the forwards was excellent. Johanne Barcoe was pressing hard on players; Roisin Breen was like a QB making plays and setting up scores as well as taking her frees well.
The second half couldn’t have started any worse for Barrow Rangers, Siobhan Flannery who had been non-existent in the first half rounded her marker before firing a low shot past Kayla Joyce Foley to the back of the net. All of a sudden that slender lead was wiped out in an instant. In fact, Rynagh’s went on a scoring spree scoring 1-3 without reply which brought them to the water break leading 1-9 to 2-3. Rangers couldn’t get on any meaningful possession in that third quarter, they panicked on the ball, they got overturned very easily and Ryangh’s showed their cuteness by winning a couple of frees. Rangers needed an unbelievable fourth quarter if they were to have any chance of wining this game. They switched Miriam Bambrick up to the forwards after the water break just like they did against Camross but that was like robbing peter to play paul cause the ball was not travelling into the forward line where she was. There was a huge lull in scores after the water break, both teams struggled and fatigue was setting in. Ryangh’s extended the lead with a Kate Kenny point to leave four between the teams.
It was now 22 minutes and Rangers hadn’t scored, not something that you’d have expected that looking at them in the first half. Rangers were awarded a 20m free on twenty-five minutes after Collette was fouled as she tried to go through on goal. Roisin Breen stepped up and like TJ Reid done the week before she fired a bullet past a crowded goal to leave the bare minimum between the teams. It was strange that for all the work St Rynagh’s had done in the second half they couldn’t put Rangers away they did extend the lead back to two as the 60 minutes approached on the clock. Roisin Breen got another free to reduce the lead again to a single point which was going to make for a very nervy few minutes as we went into injury time. St Rynagh’s got the last score of the game with a Kate Kenny free with 64 minutes on the clock and shortly after the referee blew the full-time whistle.
The experience will stand to the Rangers players as they now begin the task of playing in the senior championship in Kilkenny in the coming months.
Teams and Scorers
St Rynaghs:- Kate Kenny 0-8 (0-7f); Siobhan Flannery 1-0; Linda Sullivan, Helen Dolan 0-2 each;
Barrow Rangers:- Collette Dormer 2-0; Roisin Breen 1-3 (1-3f); Katie O’Byrne 0-1
St Rynagh’s: Ellen Gilligan, Sinead Moran, Elaine Sullivan, Meabh Doorly, Emma Corcoran, Grainne Dolan, Katie O’Connell, Helen Dolan, Roisin Egan, Linda Sullivan, Sinead Hanamy, Amy Sullivan, Louise Mannion, Kate Kenny, Siobhan Flannery
Barrow Rangers: Kayla Joyce Foley, Patrice Mullins, Aideen O’Connor, Mary Wall, Anna Purcell, Miriam Bambrick, Aimee Morrissey, Ellen Purcell, Orla Bambury, Shauna Treacy, Collette Dormer, Johanne Barcoe, Rachel Collier, Roisin Breen, Katie O’Byrne
Referee: John Dermody (Westmeath)
By kristinagunn Mon 7th Feb
