Lorrha bury losing finals run

CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance County Junior ‘B’ Championship Final

Lorrha 1-12

Moycarkey/Borris 2-8

Report and Photos by Rose Mannion at the Camogie Grounds

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Clodagh McIntyre (Lorrha)

SCORERS - Lorrha: Celine Cleary 0-7 (3 frees, 2’45s); Edel Cunningham 1-0; Clodagh McIntyre 0-2; Muire Kennedy, Hazel Reddin, Elaine Hogan 0-1 each.

Moycarkey/Borris: Marianne Murphy 0-4 (2 frees), Saoirse O’Meara (0-1 free), Catriona Walsh (1-0 pen) 1-1 each; Clodagh Fallon, Caoimhe O’Meara 0-1 each.

It was a case of fifth time lucky for the Lorrha Junior ‘B’ camogie team who defeated Moycarkey/Borris in the county final on Sunday.

After losing finals in each of the past four years, Lorrha finally edged over the line with a strong third quarter performance the difference, although they were hanging on for a finish.

It was Edel Cunningham’s goal in the 49th minute which put Lorrha into a 1-10 to 1-5 lead which was the crucial score as it gave them the confidence to press on.

Lorrha were well deserving of this win as they were the better team overall with more players capable of scoring and looking as if they could have gone on and on, so high were their fitness levels. There were some fine displays of blocking and hooking with both keepers bringing off some great saves throughout the game which made the standard of camogie at this level look very good.

Lorrha opened the scoring through a Celine Cleary free, her first of seven over the hour. Moycarkey replied within the minute and looked promising, leading 0-3 to 0-2 at the first water break.

A Saoirse O’Meara goal going into the second quarter, followed by points from Clodagh Fallon and Marianne Murphy, put the Mid girls three points up and Lorrha were under pressure as their opponents missed two great opportunities to add further goals.

Lorrha tagged on a further three points, Celine Cleary striking two from a ‘45’ and a free, and Muire Kennedy from play, which saw them reduce the deficit at half time 1-5 to 0-5

Lorrha tore into the attack on the resumption and struck four unanswered points from Tipp star Clodagh McIntyre and Celine Cleary to edge in front. Marianne Murphy made a run at the Lorrha goals, but Katie Kennedy, Ciara Bergin and Michelle Hogan flatly denied her effort, and at the second water break it was the girls in blue and white who were in the lead by the narrowest of margins.

Winning a throw-in, Hazel Reddin drove over a lovely point within seconds of resumption and before it was marked up, Edel Cunningham slapped home the very crucial only Lorrha goal which was followed up by an Elaine Hogan point for a 1-11 to 1-5 lead and Lorrha were on their way.

However, it was far from over where Moycarkey/Borris were concerned with Saoirse O’Meara converting a free and soon after Catriona Walsh converted a penalty to bring her side right back into the game.

Both sides were fighting hard, Lorrha looking for victory and Moycarkey hoping for a draw, and Catherine O’Meara’s move to the forwards worked very well setting up Celine Cleary who split the uprights to put three between the sides going into injury time.

Moycarkey/Borris were digging deep in the second minute of injury time, points from Catriona Walsh and Queeva O’Meara left one point between the sides, and how relieved Lorrha were at the sound of the final whistle as the celebrations began as they won their first junior ‘B’ title since 2006.

TEAMS - Lorrha: Katie Kennedy; Ciara Bergin, Michelle Hogan, Emily Needham; Siobhan Leahy, Siobhan Reddin, Aoife Brady; Catherine O’Meara, Clodagh McIntyre (Capt); Edel Cunningham, Celine Cleary, Hazel Reddin; Marie Clare Fogarty, Elaine Hogan, Muire Kennedy.

Sub: Niamh Bergin for Fogarty (40).

Moycarkey/Borris: Michelle Flanagan; Sarah Sheridan, Bernie Bergin, Karen Mullins, Rebecca Hogan, Maria Kinane, Grainne Stapleton, Enya Maher, Queeva O’Meara, Joan O’Keeffe, Saoirse O’Meara, Catriona Walsh, Amy Callanan, Marianne Murphy, Clodagh Fallon.

Subs: Molly O’Dwyer for Stapleton (50); Kate Sheridan for Fallon (51).

Referee: Mike Ryan (Nenagh Eire Og).