Hard-earned wins for Kilkishen and Crusheen

Kilkishen 3-5
Éire Óg 1-5

A good start ensured Kilkishen came away with the points in the second round of the Junior Camogie Championship. Hosts Kilkishen had a dream start with a goal after five minutes.

Three rapid points meant they were six points up before the Éire Óg girls came to life with a point from Shaunagh O’Brien. Claire McMahon followed this with a pointed free. Kilkishen goalie Pauline McNamara could do nothing about McMahon’s second free, which was lobbed in over her head to the net, leaving the narrowest of margins between the sides at the half-time whistle.
Shauna Keane scored the equaliser for Éire Óg at the re-start but Kilkishen pushed ahead again with a Ciara Ryan point. Claire McMahon brought the sides level for the second time with a pointed free followed by a Shaunagh O’Brien point, which put the visitors into the lead for the first time. Despite a great battle at midfield and some excellent defending from the Ennis girls, it was the home side that had the better of the last 10 minutes, scoring 2-1, to give them a two-goal victory.
Kilkishen: Pauline McNamara; Melissa O’Connell, Martina McNamara, Michelle Fawl; Sarah Loughnane, Antoinette Keane (0-1, Áine Cooney (1-1), Ciara Ryan (0-3), Breda Cooney, Anne Marie Beatty (1-0), Deirdre Minogue (1-0), Claudia Loughnane, Paula Loughnane, Nicola McMahon.
Subs: Nicola McMahon for Antionette Keane, Paula Loughnane for Deirdre Minogue, Deirdre Minogue for Ann Marie Beatty, Claudia Loughnane for Breda Cooney.
Éire Óg: Katie Malone, Ruth McInerney, Sinéad Darcy, Sally Wall, Claire McMahon (1-2, 2f), Aoife Sheehan, Louise Kirwan, Alana O’Brien, Orla McMahon, Orlaith Flynn, Shauna Keane (0-1), Noelle Kirwan, Shaunagh O’Brien (0-2).
Subs: Áine Courtney for Orlaith Flynn, Sophie Hanna for Sally Wall.
Referee: Andrew Monaghan

Crusheen 3-5
Feakle 3-3
In a repeat of this year’s league final, Feakle and Crusheen faced up to each other in this tie. As this was both club’s first game of the championship, they were eager for a winning start. Feakle, even though they were playing with the aid of a strong breeze, were forced to defend strongly for the first 10 minutes.
They registered their first score with a goal from Vera Loughnane at the 10-minute mark. This had a settling effect and they pushed on with two more points from the stick of Loughnane. They should have had more scores on the scoreboard but some missed scoring opportunities saw them go in a point down at half-time.
With all to play for in the second half, Feakle came out with renewed determination. However, disaster was to strike for Feakle when Loughnane exited the game prematurely on a straight red card five minutes into the half. Feakle, now down to 12 players, pushed on and quickly added a goal from Celine Moloney to push themselves in front by two points. Lauren Guilfoyle’s point in the 40th minute further extended Feakle’s lead.
The game was going in favour of Feakle as Crusheen struggled to contend with the East Clare side’s dogged determination to make up for the loss in the league final. However, a pointed free by Crusheen’s AnneMarie McMahon breathed new life into her side and when Elaine O’Mahoney struck for goal in the 52nd minute, Crusheen were back in front by the minimum. McMahon’s free in the 54th minute drifted in over the heads of all and Jacinta O’Grady was on hand to send a rebound shot to the the net.
McMahon converted another free in the 59th minute and it looked to be all over, however Feakle had one last attack. Sharon Naughton won the Crusheen puck-out and sent the ball down the wing to Catriona Naughton, who laid off a pass to Lauren Guilfoyle, who sent her shot past Caroline Brigdale. Time ran out for Feakle however, and it was Crusheen who claimed the points on a 3-5 to 3-3 final score.
Feakle: Murine Donellan; Siobhán Nelson, Ciara Minogue, Sile McKee, Sharon Naughton, Sarah McGuinness, Mary Kate Moloney, Clodagh McDonnell, Marie Hayes, Catriona Naughton, Celine Moloney (1-0), Vera Loughnane (1-3), Lauren Guilfoyle (1-0).
Subs: Áine Hogan for M Hayes, Clodagh Gray for Clodagh McDonnell, Martina Canny, Áine Hayes, Colette Purcell, Sonia Hanrahan.
Red card: Vera Loughnane, Feakle
Crusheen: Caroline Brigdale, Teresa Roseingrave, Noelle McGuane, Ann Fitzgibbons, Michelle O’Donnell, Claire O’Grady, Tina Meaney, Anne-Marie McMahon (0-3f), Elaine O’Mahonney (1-0), Jacinta O’Grady (1-0), Mary Roseingrave (1-1), Marian Meaney, Aoife Loughnane (0-1).
Subs: Marie O’Grady (0-1) for Aoife Loughnane, Carol O’Donnell for Marian Meaney.
Referee: Aidan Ryan