Double injury blow hurts Kiladangan in League final

CAMOGIE: County Junior ‘A’ League Final

Brian Borus 2-13

Kiladangan 2-8

Report: Liam Hogan at the County Camogie Grounds

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Aisling Ryan (Brian Borus)

SCORERS - Brian Boru: Rebecca Burke 0-5 frees; Aisling Ryan 1-2; Alannah English 1-0; Holly Fox, Mary Barrett (1 free) 0-2 each; Caoimhe Ryan, Shona Lang 0-1 each.

Kiladangan: Sinead Meagher 1-5 frees; Caoimhe Noonan 0-3; Niamh Kelly 1-0.

A better all round Brian Borus team claimed victory over a game Kiladangan side in an exciting County Junior ‘A’ Camogie League final played a sun-drenched The Ragg on Friday evening.

The winners outscored the North Tipp side 1-6 to 0-1 in the final 33 minutes - including fourteen of additional time - as two late scores put daylight between the teams in those closing minutes.

The final five point margin was the biggest between the sides in what was up to then a tight affair with scores level seven times in the opening forty minutes.

The teams were level three times in the opening dozen minutes after Aisling Ryan equalised to make it Brian Borus 0-6 Kiladangan 1-3. Ryan was Brian Boru’s best forward as the right wing forward had scored two of her team’s first half points with Rebecca Burke converting two from frees while Mary Barrett (free) and Caoimhe Ryan scored a point each forward line as five of the starting six scored.

At the other end, Kiladangan’s opening 1-2 had come from frees by Sinead Meagher, her goal from a forty-five metre free in the tenth minute had Kiladangan 1-2 to 0-4 in front. Meagher was Kiladangan’s best forward with Caoimhe Noonan providing good back-up.

But they were up against a well organised defence where Emily McGrath, Ava Caplice and Shauna Maher led the way while Mary Barrett caught the eye at midfield. With continued pressure they almost scored a goal in the eighteenth minute when Kiladangan goalkeeper Karen Seymour and Meadbh Ryan took turns in producing great saves when denying Aisling Ryan from close range.

Having survived the scare, Kiladangan, led by Eadaoin Hackett, Meadbh Ryan in defence plus a hard working midfield duo of Emma Gavin and Theresa Collins, helped keep the supply for their attack where three unanswered points came between the 27th & 29th minutes Caoimhe Noonan scoring her second and Sinead Meagher adding two more frees.

However, Brian Borus managed a response when broken play, close to the Kiladangan goal, saw Aisling Ryan weave past the cover to goal bringing the sides level for the fifth time. Seconds later, Rebecca Burke gave them the lead with her third free to see Brian Borus lead 1-7 to 1-6 at the break.

Caoimhe Noonan’s point seconds into the second half had Kiladangan back level. The North side continued their good momentum and in the 38th minute they regained the lead through Niamh Kelly who blasted home from close range.

However, the idea of a Kiladangan takeover were quickly dashed as the South side hit three unanswered points through Mary Barrett from long range followed by a Burke free before full forward Shona Lang levelled matters, 2-7 to 1-10, with seventeen minutes remaining.

Brian Borus came again, and Aishling Ryan was involved in another move and her intention for a point fell kindly for corner forward Alannah English to lob the ball over the head of the advancing Karen Seymour. There was more as substitute Holly Fox showed a clean pair of heels when racing down the wing to increase the lead to four with 44 minutes gone.

Three minutes later, the game was held up for over nine minutes as two Kiladangan players Aoibheann Ryan and Nicola McGrath collided and had to be replaced. Their absence was sorely felt. From there, play became stop-start but Sinead Meagher revived Kiladangan’s hopes with a free their first score in twenty one minutes.

However, Brian Borus greater balance was telling and a Burke (free) plus a second Holly Fox score helped stretch the lead to five as the game was in the fifth minute of added time.

Injury time stretched another nine minutes with play very much stop start due to substitutions and treatment to players down with cramp because of exhaustion caused by a very warm sun. The game continued but neither side were able to add a score before full time arrived. Boru’s were deserving winners.

TEAMS - Brian Borus: Rachel Doyle (7); Emily McGrath (7), Ava Caplice (Capt 7), Rosaleen O’Gorman (7); Erin Brennan (7), Shauna Maher (7), Caitlin O’Gorman (7); Helen Burke (6), Mary Barrett (8); Aisling Ryan (8), Caoimhe Ryan (6), Roisin Maher (6); Alannah English (6), Shona Lang (6), Rebecca Burke (6).

Subs: Holly Fox (7) for R Maher (39); Shelly Ryan (NR) for A Ryan (60+8); Leah Caplice (NR) for English (60+9).

Kiladangan: Karen Seymour (7); Olivia Mulhall (6), Eadaoin Hackett (7), Nicola McGrath (7); Aoibheann Ryan (7), Meadbh Ryan (7), Eimear Meagher (6); Emma Gavin (7), Theresa Collins (7); Jane Minehan (6), Caoimhe Noonan (7), Sadhbh Fogarty (6); Maria Minehan (6), Niamh Kelly (6), Sinead Meagher (8).

Subs: Cara Mulcahy (6) for E Meagher (47); Aoife Sharkey (6) for A Ryan (56 inj); Caoimhe Hayes (6) for McGrath (56 inj); Margaret Hayes (NR) for J Minehan (60+8).

Referee: Kieran Slattery (Knockavilla-D Kickhams).