Newport/Ballinahinch - County Intermediate League champions 2024. Back row: Elizabeth Allen, Amy Quigley, Aoibheann Floyd, Chloe Quigley, Caroline Mullaney, Aisling Mulryan, Emma Coleman, Ailín Kennedy, Muirne Ryan, Amy Healy, Aoife O’Gorman, Abbey Finn, Eibhlinn Bourke, Lauren Gaffney, Shauna Curtin, Thea Curtin, Aoife Mellerick, Hazel Eivers. Front row: Aoife Baker, Eimer O’Brien, Abbie Lenihan, Áine Finn, Aoibheann Collins, Clodagh Grimes, Caoimhe Troy, Laura Parsons, Sinéad O’Riordan, Isabel Eivers, Robin Coffey, Emma Healy, Grace O’Toole, Ruth Allen, Emma Ringrose. PHOTOS: MARTY RYAN/SPORTSFOCUS

Camogie League success for Newport/Ballinahinch

Newport/Ballinahinch were crowned 2024 County Intermediate Camogie League champions after a hard earned five-point win over Toomevara on Sunday.

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CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance Tipperary Intermediate League Final

Newport/Ballinahinch 2-13

Toomevara 3-5

Played in beautiful conditions at a sunny County Camogie Grounds, the fine crowd were treated with an exciting game that produced five goals and plenty of action as both sets of players showed real determination to pick up some early season silverware on offer.

In the end, it was Newport/Ballinahinch who had that bit more fire-power up front and after the game captain Aisling Mulryan received the trophy from County Chairperson and fellow Newport/Ballinahinch club member Denis Lenihan. It was a family affair for the Lenihan’s with daughter Abbie playing at wing forward while Abbie’s mother Martine was part of a delighted management team.

Grace O’Toole, who was a constant thorn in the Toomevara defence, opened the scoring after a minute with a point. Toomevara responded with a free from Orla Hogan before Laoise Cummins fired home the first goal after five minutes. Orla Hogan added a second free to make it 1-2 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Newport, however, began to settle more and more into the game and struck three points in a row from O’Toole (2) and Abbie Lenihan to reduce the deficit to a single point.

Disaster struck for Newport/Ballinahinch, however, when Laoise Cummins again blasted a shot past Amy Healy for Toome’s second goal. Isobel Eivers settled Newport again with a point before a long range free in the 26th minutes from Grace O’Toole travelled all the way into the Toomevara goal to make it 1-5 to 2-1.

There was still time for more drama and another goal when minutes later Shauna Quirke raised a green flag for Toomevara’s third goal in a high octane opening half. Abbie Lenihan had her second point off the half to leave the score 1-6 to 3-2 in Toomevara’s favour at the break.

The game was won in the second half with Newport/Ballinahinch tightened up in defence, cutting out any more goal chances for Toomevara and limiting them to just three second half points. The Mulcair ladies seemed to find another gear as their forwards really clicked to hit 1-7.

Laoise Cummins was also a huge loss for Toomevara when she had to go off injured and they really missed her scoring threat up front. While at the opposite end a powerful solo run by Grace O’Toole resulted in a wonderful goal on the 39th which was the catalyst to Newport/Ballinahinch’s win.

With Abbie Lenihan and Sinead O’Riordan accurate from play they got great momentum behind them and powered their way to victory. In defence Emma Coleman was super throughout with Caroline Mullaney and Thea Curtain very steady.

Player of the Match: Grace O'Toole (Newport/Ballinahinch).

Newport/Ballinahinch: Amy Healy; Chloe Quigley, Caroline Mullaney, Robyn Coffey; Aisling Mulryan, Thea Curtin, Emma Coleman; Clodagh Grimes, Laura Parsons; Abbie Lenihan (0-3), Grace O’Toole (2-5, 1-3f), Aine Finn; Isobel Eivers (0-1), Shauna Curtin, Sinead O’Riordan (0-1).

Toomevara: Rachael Shanahan; Aisling O’Farrell, Maura Gleeson, Caoimhe Cantwell, Chloe Whyte, Margaret Quigley (0-1f), Jenna Hackett, Niamh McCormack, Laura Bergin, Mary Flaherty, Laoise Cummins (2-0), Shauna Quirke (1-0), Aisling McCormack, Orla Hogan (0-3f), Eileen Gleeson.

Referee: Kevin Jordan

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