Meagher rescues replay for Kiladangan

CAMOGIE: County Junior ‘A’ League Final

Kiladangan 2-5

Holycross/Ballycahill 1-8

Report: Liam Hogan at The Ragg

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Game: Katie Ryan (Holycross/Ballycahill)

SCORERS - Kiladangan: Sinead Meagher 0-4 (2 frees, 1’45); Laoise Ryan, Emily Morrissey 1-0 each; Ava Seymour 0-1.

Holycross/Ballycahill: Lauren McCormack 0-4 (3 frees); Katie Ryan 1-1; Michelle Dwan, Jodie Maher, Caoimhe Doyle 0-1 each.

Kiladangan and Holycross/Ballycahill will have to do it all over again as they could not be separated in a hard fought and heart-stopping County Junior ‘A’ Camogie League final on Sunday.

In a game that saw the sides level four times, Holycross-Ballycahill appeared to have done enough when Kathy Ryan secured the lead point in the first minute of added time before Sinead Meagher converted a free in the 64th minute to send the game to a second date.

A repeat of last year’s final which Kiladangan won by a narrow margin, this game never quite reached the skill level and high scoring of the 2022 encounter which required extra time.

Kiladangan enjoyed early dominance but failed to take advantage of the vast amount of possession until Laoise Ryan scored a goal in the seventh minute after Sinead Meagher provided the assist.

Thirty seconds later, Holycross were on the board with a Michelle Dwan point and the score seemed to give them the chance to gain territory and some confidence, but it was the thirteenth minute before they doubled their tally through midfielder Jodie Maher.

By now, it had been established that both defences were well and truly on top with Eimear Hogan and Caoimhe Noonan doing well in the spine of the defence while Nicola McGrath enjoyed a lot of possession on the wing while once more the work of Eadaoin Hackett as a sweeper was immense.

Realising they had a problem, Holycross introduced Maebh Ryan as a substitute and moved her into the defence which allowed corner back Katie Ryan to operate at wing forward and she gave the Kiladangan defence plenty to think about as Laura McCormack on the inside line.

Meanwhile, Kiladangan midfielder Ava Seymour took her chance to move her side two in front after twenty minutes. However, Holycross were beginning to get a grip on the game and that was enhanced by scores from Lauren McCormack in the 26th minute and another two minutes later from the same player from a free to make the scores level at 1-1 to 0-4.

Continued pressure by Holycross almost secured a goal in injury time when Steph Dwan hit the side-netting from close range, and after three minutes of added time the half time whistle arrived with neither team adding to their tallies.

In the early stages of the second half, Holycross showed they had more in the tank as they increased their lead with a free by Lauren McCormack in the 32nd minute. Five minutes later, Steph Dwan was suddenly in the danger one and went low, but her shot was well saved by Aoife Gleeson in the Kiladangan goal.

At the other end, Kiladangan had Holycross netminder Sara Gleeson under pressure, but the ball slipped from her hand at the expense of a 45 which Sinead Meagher converted. With both sides continuing to dominate, Holycross-Ballycahill could thank Anan Gavin at centre back as she led a close-marking defence while Linda Fanning and Jodie Maher were very much on top at midfield while upfront, they could depend on substitute Sara Ryan to move Holycross in front on the three-quarter mark.

One minute later the game turned. Kiladangan won a free on the right wing. Sinead Meagher lobbed the ball in and when the Holycross defence failed to clear adequately it was left to Kiladangan full forward’s Emily Morrissey to pounce and find the net.

Suddenly, Kiladangan had found a new lease of life. Sinead Meagher had sprung to life in the middle third and she increased Kiladangan’s lead to three (2-3 to 0-6) and she added another score from a free four minutes later.

The game had upped a notch in intensity and Lauren McCormack narrowed the gap with a free in the 55th minute. Both sides had chances in the dying minutes, but the ultimate chance fell to Katie Ryan who scored a goal after there was a mix-up in the Kiladangan defence.

Holycross had their tails up and looked to be on the road to victory when Katie Ryan gave them the lead in the 61st minute. However, Kiladangan were not done yet and in one final attack they secured the equaliser from a free by Sinead Meagher before the final whistle surprisingly signalled a replay instead of the now customary extra time.

Both defences performed well and apart from the work rate of Eimear Hogan, Nicola McGrath and Caoimhe Noonan plus Eadaoin Hackett there was much to admire from the efforts of both Kiladangan corner backs Michelle McLoughlin and Olibhia Mulhall who gave great protection to the reliable Aoife Gleeson in goal. Laoise Ryan, Sinead Meagher and Emily Morrissey had their moments in attack.

Holycross/Ballycahill will feel they had a grip on this game but wasn’t for the efforts of Aisling Slattery and Kate Dwan, Anna Gavin at centre back, plus Linda Fanning and Jodie Maher at midfield. Katie Ryan and Lauren McCormack caused problems in an attack that worked harder to get scores.

TEAMS - Kiladangan: Aoife Gleeson; Michelle McLoughlin, Eimear Hogan, Olibhia Mulhall; Nicola McGrath, Caoimhe Noonan, Eimear Meagher; Ava Seymour, Emma Gavin; Laoise Ryan, Aoibheann Ryan, Eadaoin Hackett; Maria Minehan, Emily Morrissey, Sinead Meagher.

Subs: Jane Minehan for E Meagher (44); Emma Cahalan for Seymour (58).

Holycross/Ballycahill: Sara Gleeson; Katie Ryan, Aisling Slattery, Kate Dwan; Fiona Judge, Anna Gavin, Roisin Comerford; Linda Fanning, Jodie Maher; Julie Brennan, Grainne O’Dowd, Caoimhe Doyle; Lauren McCormack, Michelle Dwan, Steph Dwan.

Subs: Maebh Ryan for Brennan (23); Sarah Ryan for S Dwan (35); Elaine Brennan for Maher (48), Kate Carr for Doyle (48).

Referee: TP Sullivan (Nenagh Éire Óg).