Heartbreak for Scariff-Ogonnelloe

Johnstownbridge, Kildare 1-10 Scariff-Ogonnelloe 1-9

There was heartbreak for Scariff-Ogonnelloe in this afternoon’s All-Ireland junior club camogie championship final at St. Brendans Park in Birr where they suffered a one point loss to the reigning champions, Johnstownbridge from Kildare.

The value of experience was highlighted in this hard fought contest when the experience gained by the Kildare and Leinster champions over the past two years helped them to get over the line.

Overall, they were marginally the better side but when the Clare girls review this tie, they will reflect on opportunities which were missed and which might have made the difference on the day.

The teams swapped points three times in the opening quarter before Scariff-Ogonnelloe edged a point in front for the third time. Eight minutes from the half time whistle the holders and favourites struck a vital blow when Roisin O’Connell struck for their goal and this helped them to lead at the break on a scoreline of 1-6 to 0-6.

Inside the opening ten minutes of the second half they had pushed their lead out to five points but the margin was back to a goal at the three quarter stage and this was where it remained for the next ten minutes.

Johnstownbridge went four up with five minutes to go but the Clare side refused to concede and with a minute of normal time remaining Mairead Scanlan struck for their goal. They piled on the presure in the three minutes of injury time which followed but the holders defended in numbers. A Mairead Scanlan effort was just inches wide of the target just before the full time whistle.

Siobhan Hurley with 0-8, Aoife Trant, Louise Codd, Einear Hurley and, particularly, midfielder Clodagh Flanagan stood our for the winners.

To the fore for the Scariff-Ogonelloe outfit that must now turn their attention to the Clare intermediate championship final and a meeting with Clarecastle-Ballyea were Aisling Corbett, Marian O’Brien, Amy Barrett and Mairead Scanlan who accounted for all but a point of her side’s tally.

Scariff-Ogonnelloe; Aisling Corbett; Sarah Skelly, Marian O’Brien, Shannon McNamara; Leanne Horan, Amy Barrett, Alison Madden; Roisin O’Brien, Holy McGee; Danielle Sheedy, Mairead Scanlan (1-8), Aoife Power; Rachel Minogue, Rachel Moloney, Sarah O’Donnell (0-1).

Subs; Cathy Madden for Skelly; Aine O’Brien for Sheedy; Sheedy for A. O’Brien,

By Seamus Hayes