Intermediate Camogie League Final
Barrow Rangers 0-18 Emeralds 1-13
Barrow Rangers and Emeralds served up a cracking contest in the camogie intermediate league final on Friday 1st August in Paulstown. This was a match which the winners led from start to finish and while they had longer periods of dominance, plucky Emeralds hung in this match to the end and could easily have won this match in the closing minutes if a few breaks had gone their way. For Barrow Rangers, this completed an impressive league campaign in the intermediate grade after dropping down from senior last year and they certainly will be strong contenders for what will be a very competitive intermediate championship which starts in two weeks time. For Emeralds, this also completed an impressive league campaign after winning the junior grade last year and they will also feel they can be a match for anyone in the upcoming championship.
Barrow Rangers had the wind elements in their favour in the opening period and were largely on top for most of the first half with the very accurate Roisin Breen very much to the fore. They had opened up a 0-3 to 0-0 lead by the 10th minute courtesy of three scores from Roisin (2 frees, one from play) before Louise Hickey opened the account for the Urlingford girls. Barrow Rangers continued to dominate for the following ten minutes which saw their lead stretch to 0-7 to 0-1 with further scores from Roisin Breen (3) and Shauna Treacy. Emeralds were under pressure in this half but stern defending by Siobhan O’Hara, Niamh Leahy and the excellent Davina Tobin saw them hang in without conceding a goal before the break. The home side did maintain a six point advantage in the closing minutes of the first half as scores from Colette Dormer, Roisin Breen and Shauna Treacy cancelled out Emeralds scores from Aoibhe Burke (2) and Ann Dalton (F). Indeed but for a fine double save on stroke of half time by Siobhan O’Hara, the margin could have been wider. Half time: Barrow Rangers 0-10 Emeralds 0-4.
The opening ten minutes of the second half saw Barrow Rangers continue to impress and further scores from the accurate Roisin Breen (4) and Shauna Treacy saw them increase their lead to 0-15 to 0-7 by the 40th minute. Emeralds were struggling to get scoring opportunities at this time but they received a lifeline in the 47th minute when they were awarded a penalty after a goalmouth scramble and Ann Dalton who was much more to the fore in this half, rifled this penalty home to reduce the deficit to 0-15 to 1-8. Emeralds pushed hard from here to the finish line as excitement levels grew on the sideline in a well attended fixture with every ball being fiercely contested. The result was very much in the balance at this time and indeed two points from Ann Dalton (one from play in the 53rd and another from a 58th minute free) could easily have ended up in the net as they were rockets which just cleared the crossbar. Barrow Rangers did survive this late onslaught to emerge as two point winners when Eamon Larkin sounded the final whistle – and the result was the perfect send off for manager Seamus O’Brien who was to get married a day later. Overall, a most enjoyable contest with both sides had a good mixture of ex-county players such as Colette Dormer, Davina Tobin and Ann Dalton driving them on and the effort & skill level of this contest was impressive throughout.
Teams: Barrow Rangers: Niamh Doyle, Patrice Mullins, Chloe Brenan, Mary Wall, Rhianna Scott, Ellen Purcell, Anna Purcell, Ellie Fenton, Shauna Treacy (0-3), Roisin Breen (0-13, 0-8F), Colette Dormer (0-2), Jessica Smith, Rebecca Holden, Caoimhe Kelly, Therese Bambrick. Subs: Nicole Kirk, Sarah Hunston, Arwen Donnellan, Ellen Brennan, Kate Byrne, Sarah Maher, Aoife Ryan, Ella O’Reilly, Katie Kinsella, Jenny Kelly, Kellie Murphy, Lauren Havelin, Sarah Gordon, Ella Maher, Lily Maher, Katie Sweeney, Eva Barcoe, Ella Ryan, Emma Havelin, Nicola Davitt, Miriam Bambrick (inj), Aimee Morrissey (inj), Ava Medlar (inj), Emma Kavanagh (inj), Paige Foley.
Emeralds: Siobhan O’Hara, Jessie Newman, Niamh Leahy, Saoirse Bourke, Eimear Leahy, Davina Tobin, Niamh Cleere, Mary Cussen (0-1), Lily Cleere, Rachel Phelan, Emma Kenny (0-1), Anne Dalton (1-6, 1-4 frees), Ella Minogue, Louise Hickey (0-3), Aoibhe Bourke (0-2). Subs: Clodagh O’Shea, Clodagh Cleere, Emma Hickey, Aine Carey, Tara Gleeson, Alanna Russell, Roisin Ahern, Lucy Kavanagh, Aoife Kavanagh, Emily Kavanagh, Ruth Ryan, Ruth Moriarty, Aisling Hickey, Aobha Minogue, Roisin Walsh, Niamh Campion, Aoibheann Ryall, Mollie Kavanagh, Rebecca Barnaville, Ciara Queally, Jayda Lawlor.
Referee: Eamon Larkin
By PRO Thu 7th Aug
