Gaeltec Under 14 A League Final
John Lockes 2-6 James Stephens 2-4
This County League Final on Wednesday last in well-presented John Locke Park was as exciting and enthralling a camogie contest that you could wish to attend. The quality of the hurling was quite entertaining. The excitement was pure gold relative to the age group. A game of two halves where the City girls looked all over winners from the earliest exchanges. They were hugely impressive from the bell, and the John Lockes support was more than apprehensive of what the eventual result might look like on the scoreboard at the finish given the dominance of the John Murphy/Eoin Larkin superbly prepared Village charges.
Their defence from goalie Katie Marie Murphy through defenders Emma Lennon, Hannah Purcell, Holly Kelly, Ellie Larkin, Ali Mc Cormack and Mary Kate Parsons were unrelenting as they quenched the slightest threat on their goal with a strong, determined game-plan. Their midfielders, Molly Dunne and Ria Quinn dominated the midfield exchanges, even though pitted against Megan Bryan and Marianna Nolan, no mean hurlers on the night. While Emma Larkin, Abbie Minogue Lee, Caoimhe Quinn and Katie Jane Murphy poured forward at every opportunity towards a very solid Callan defence.
The Village opened their account with a Molly Dunne goal after 13 minutes, when her free from 30 yards out deceived Emma Schweppe in the Callan goal. Two minutes later Ria Quinn hammered over a great point to add to the Callan girls problems. Abbie Minogue Lee, Emma Larkin at centre forward and Brooke Quirke were running the straight lines, as they peppered the John Lockes goal area. A Callan attack in the 21st minute led to a blistering shot by Rachel Kennedy brilliantly saved by Katie Marie Murphy in the Village goal at the expense of a ’45. But still the James Stephens attack were causing a plethora of problems for the Callan defence who were living on the edge in their determination to keep the rampant Village forwards pushed back. Aoibheann Power, Victoria Hogan Aoife Henriques and Heather Shillingford were having a testing time trying to keep the marauding Village full forward line of Caoimhe Quinn, Katie Jane Murphy and Grace Manuel in check. They lived dangerously betimes, but they could do nothing about the second Village goal from Caoimhe Quinn just before the break. Callan’s player-of-the-match, Rachel Kennedy shot Callan’s only score of the half in the 29th minute to leave the half time score James Stephens 2-2 John Lockes 0-1.
What a transformation in the affairs on the field we witnessed in the second half. From thinking that the John Lockes girls were candidates for another 30 minutes of a James Stephens storm, the complete opposite was the scenario. Hurling into the town goal on the turn-round, the Lockes really went about their business with a fierce commitment and a devil-may-care determination. Central to the Callan second-half approach was the contribution of about four forwards, namely Rachel Kennedy who scored all of John Lockes score, Laney Corcoran who ran herself into the ground from line to line, Sarah and Aisling Cody. Kennedy hammered over a ’45 two minutes into the new half. Eight minutes later, Laney Corcoran ran the length of the field through the heart of the Village defence to set up Kennedy with a goal chance. The brilliant centre forward made the net bulge with a rasper. James Stephens were not for bending. Emma Lennon was very determined on the Village defensive line as were Ellie Larkin, Ali Mc Donald, Mary Kate Parsons, and Molly Dunne. Four unanswered points (2f,’45) by the brilliant Kennedy had the Callan girls trailing by a single point as the game entered added time. Hearts on both sides were thumping. Nails were being devoured to the quicks, and the Callan girls were rampant in search of a leveller. An attack saw the ball come back off the Village post with a brace of minutes remaining on the clock. With the referee consulting his watch, a run by the tireless Laney Corcoran brought her inside the Village large square. Her shot was brilliantly stopped by Katie Maria Murphy. It rebounded to Rachel Kennedy who lifted the net with a brilliant goal. Game set and match to the gallant Callan girls, but the result could have been different as the Village girls lost nothing in their commitment to the jerseys on their talented shoulders. A superb game by two superbly prepared teams. to their credit never.
Teams & Scorers:
John Lockes: Emma Schweppes, Aoibheann Power, Victoria Hogan, Aoife Henriques, Heather Shillingford, Ruth Peppard, Laney Corcoran, Megan Bryan, Marianna Nolan, Aisling Coady, Rachel Kennedy (2-6), Sophie O’Dwyer, Kate Mc Cormack, Naomi Kennedy, Sarah Coady.
James Stephens: Katie Marie Murphy, Emma Lennon, Hannah Purcell, Holly Kelly, Ellie Larkin, Ali Mc Donald, Mary Katie Parsons, Molly Dunne (1-2), Ria Quinn (0-1), Abbie Minogue Lee, Emma Larkin, Brooke Quirke, Caoimhe Quinn (1-0), Kate Jane Murphy, Grace Manuel (0-1)
By PRO Sat 19th Jul
