Newmarket retain minor A title

Newmarket-on-Fergus 4-6   Ballyea 0-8

A strong opening-half performance saw Newmarket retain the Minor A Championship last week in Shannon camogie field.

Ballyea, minor B winners in 2011 having already met the reigning champions in the round-robin stages, knew they faced a tough battle. Two Newmarket goals from Niki Kasier in the opening five minutes got Newmarket off to a great start, before Suzy O’Shea got Ballyea on the scoreboard with a well-taken point.

O’Shea was on target again five minutes later. However, the Blues’ dominance, inspired by a sterling performance from captain Laura McMahon, ensured they went in at the break with a 3-3 to 0-6 advantage.

Ballyea were steadier in the second half and their backs put in a solid performance, curbing the runs of AnneMarie Hayes and Kaiser and, in the process, holding the Blues scoreless for 23 minutes. It was a similar story at the other end though, as Newmarket defended strongly as Ballyea sought to raise a green flag.

Newmarket’s Hayes did break through for their fourth goal in the 56th minute and they added three more points to retain their title.

Newmarket-on-Fergus: Aislinn Keogh; Róisín White, Laura McMahon, Kate O’Halloran; Sinéad McInerney, Clodagh Lawlor, Bríd Enright; Rachel Mulcaire (0-1), Katie Hayes; Kate O’Neill, Niki Kaiser (2-4, 2f, 1 45), Saoirse Gleeson (0-1); Ciara Mulcaire, AnnMarie Hayes (2-0), Laura Commane.
Subs: Fiona O’Neill for L Commane and Clodagh Costelloe for Ciara Mulcaire.
Ballyea: Áine O’Shea; Sally Carrig, Edel Hehir, Catherine Dolan; Niamh Donnellan, Suzy O’Shea (0-6, 5f), Mairéad Longe; Ria Flanagan, Jane Flanagan; Niamh Daly, Louise Griffin, Emma O’Connell (0-2); Lauren Tuohy, Rebecca Culligan, Vivien Kearney.
Subs: Carol Browne for Edel Hehir, Leah Erwin for Niamh Daly (inj), Samara O’Callaghan for Viv Kearney, Ciara Phillips for Rebecca Culligan and Zoe Casey for Niamh Donnellan.

Éire Óg 3-13   Corofin 1-4

A storming second-half performance by the Townies saw them come from behind on Sunday afternoon in Clarecastle to win the minor B final at the expense of Corofin, a result that ensures their promotion to the minor A grade for 2013.

Corofin were the stronger in the opening quarter and threw all they had at Éire Óg. Having succumbed to the Townies in the round-robin stages, a strong start was required. Corofin opened the scoring with a point inside the opening 30 seconds from Lauren O’Donoghue. Éire Óg captain Shaunagh O’Brien levelled matters before O’Donoghue and Aoibheann Malone had Corofin ahead by one.

O’Brien’s hand-passed goal after a great delivery crossfield from Gráinne Nolan saw the Townies take the lead before Alice Casey struck for Corofin’s goal. Corofin’s Amy O’Brien was denied a green flag by Éire Óg goalie Katie Malone five minutes later. Orla Devitt pulled a point back for Éire Óg in the 13th minute. A Nolan free was dropped into the square and in the ensuing scramble ended up over the line for a 45 for Éire Óg. Claire McMahon sent her shot short to the waiting Devitt, who popped over with accuracy to further reduce the deficit to a solitary point.

Both sets of defences dominated the second quarter, with some excellent defending as both teams fought hard to push ahead, with supporters treated to an excellent display of skill and teamwork from both sides, leaving Corofin ahead by the minimum of margins at the break. Éire Óg levelled matters from the restart and it was the Townies who pushed ahead strongly in a free-flowing game.

With a three-point advantage, Devitt struck for goal in the 38th minute to further extend Éire Óg’s lead. Corofin fought back but were denied by Éire Óg’s goalie Malone. Devitt’s second goal in the 55th minute put this encounter out of the reach of Corofin and with further points from Nolan and Karen Roche, it was Éire Óg captain Shaunagh O’Brien who collected the Eilish Hurley-Marion Keane Cup from Clare Camogie chairperson Orla Considine.

 

Corofin: Niamh Lyons; Sinéad Collins, Claire McDonnell (capt), Róisín Malone; Eadoin Fitzgerald, Aoife Forde, Kelly Kierse; Rebecca Crowe, Eva O’Dea; Lauren O’Donoghue (0-2), Alice Casey (1-0), Aoibheann Malone (0-2, 1f); Eimear Neilan, Amy O’Brien, Shannon Kierse.
Subs: Alice Mahoney for Eimear Neilan, Emily Mulqueen for Eadoine Fitzgerald and Rebecca Collins for Róisín Malone.
Éire Óg: Katie Malone; Deirbhile Ryan, Rae Wall, Laura Brown; Sophie Hanna, Aoife Sheehan, Claire McMahon; Gráinne Nolan (0-7, 2 45), Alana O’Brien; Karen Roche (0-2), Aoife O’Neill, Laura Brown; Orla Devitt (2-3), Lisa Greene, Shaunagh O’Brien (capt 1-1).
Sub: Caroline Walsh for Aoife Sheehan.
Referee: Martin Leahy, Ruan.