Back-to-back Championships for St John’s
Camogs
St John’s 4-06 v 2-05 An Riocht Sun
2nd Sept
St John’s followed on from last year’s
success in the Division Four championship
with another title in the Division Three championship.
They were made to battle all they way in Clonduff
by a young, hungry and able An Riocht side
who were also in their second successive final,
but were left with the bitter pill of successive
defeats.
St John’s were first out of the blocks
as Caroline Ward brought an early save from
Shauna Walsh in the An Riocht goals. It was
long before the same player opened the scoring
with a point and, after the Johnnies had fired
a trio of wides, Martina Cunningham pointed
as well. An Riocht retaliated with a goal
from Emma Jayne Magee but there lead was short
lived as Martina Cunningham’s second
point was an immediate reply and restored
parity. Indeed those few seconds were the
only time that An Riocht were ahead on the
scoreboard.
St John’s then got their first goal.
Sileen McDonald worked hard to win possession
in the centre of the field and then made progress
down the right flank. She transferred the
sliotar to Orlaith McMullan whose shot flashed
across the face of the goals. Caroline Ward,
not one to give up on a lost cause, reacted
quickest to recover possession before the
ball could go out of play and hand-passed
to the net from a tight angle on the left.
These sides traded points to leave the interval
score at 1-4 to 1-1, but both sides probed
and parried, with neither side prepared to
make anything easy for the opposition.
An Riocht started the second period in determined
mood and almost worked a goal from possession
won at the throw in. It was St John’s
who were to get the first score again, with
Caroline Ward pouncing to fire a goal as the
An Riocht defence struggled to clear Grainne
McCann’s free. Lisa Hughes pulled a
point back but this was cancelled out by one
from substitute Emma O’Reilly.
An Riocht were soon to be rewarded for the
attacking endeavour as the next score was
a goal for them after a scramble in the St
John’s goalmouth. That reduced the margin
to two points. Anne Cunningham, Shéalean
Savage, Kelly-Anne McCullough and Laura Smyth
were severely tested at his stage but they
stood firm forcing An Riocht to shoot a series
of wides. Caroline Ward pointed for St John’s
to make the margin three again but it could
easily have been reduced again when Laura
Brennan’s “30” came back
of the upright and the chance was snuffled
out.
With ten minutes remaining St John’s
relieved the pressure when Orlaith McMullan
bust through on goals after good creative
work out the field by Siobhan McGeown and
Sileen McDonald. Shauna Walsh was able to
parry the shot but couldn’t keep it
out so the green flag was raised. An Riocht
responded with points from Lisa Hughes and
free from Laura Brennan. The sides traded
wides before Orlaith McMullan found herself
one-on-one with the goalkeeper again. Again
she raised the green flag again and the game
was up.
An Riocht played well, and pushed St John’s
all the way – the bitter pill of a second
successive defeat at this stage was a poor
reward. They are a young team, with a number
of county minors on board, and their day will
surely come. But the day belonged to St John’s,
a young side as well, as they celebrated their
second successive championship victory. The
achievement is all the greater considering
that they have stepped up a grade since last
year’s success. Well done girls!
St John’s: Sinead Lennon; Anne Cunningham,
Shéalean Savage, Kelly-Anne McCullough,
Laura Smyth; Siobhan McGeown, Grainne McCann
(0-1), Sileen McDonald; Caroline Ward (2-2),
Anita Murphy, Martina Cunningham (0-2), Orlaith
McMullan (2-0). Subs Emma O’Reilly (0-1)
(for Anita Murphy), Aisling Savage, Julie
Brown, Sinead McMullan, Stella Smyth, Aishling
McMullan, Fionnaula McArdle, Sinead Walsh,
Bronagh Morgan.
An Riocht: Shauna Walsh; Aisling Clarke,
Clara Killen, Danielle Morgan, Ciara Cunningham;
Laura Brennan (0-2), Emma Jayne Magee (1-0),
Michelle Horner; Lisa Hughes (0-2), Marie
Trainor, Louise Rodgers, Niamh Mulhern (0-1).
Subs Kelly McVeigh, Aine O’Reilly, Maria
Fitzpatrick, Laura Donnelly, Christina Trainor,
Veronica Baldwin, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Sophie
Colgan, Colleen Fearon.
Reiteoir: Eileen Hamill.
