30/03/2014

Leinster U16 ‘B’ Camogie Semi Final

Dublin prove too strong for Lillies

Dublin 4-10, Kildare 2-07

Kildare U16 girls put up a very brave showing before giving way to Dublin in the Leinster U16 ‘B’ camogie semi-final at CroabhCiarán grounds, Clonshaugh. In a very entertaining game of good quality and pace, the home side’s marginal superiority in striking and teamwork proved to be difference as the visitors were equal in most other aspects of this contest.

Playing into the wind, Kildare were first to attack and sustained the effort until Dublin were forced to concede a free. Ciara Egan obliged with a good strike from out on the right. The Dublin girls were soon into their stride and with midfielders Aoife Stack and Caoimhe O’Gorman and half forwards linking well, they had hit five unanswered points by the seventeenth minute. On twenty minutes Bronagh Kearney got one back for Kildare but Dublin replied with three further scores before the interval courtesy of the industrious Stack (2) and a goal from full forward Aoife Rooney when she forced the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble. Although behind 0-02 to 1-07, Kildare had goalkeeper Sinead Heaver to thank for two excellent saves with Kelly Perkins, Eilis Kenny and Ann Ward also defending well.

Kildare started the second half as the first, with Lea Sutton sending over in the second minute. Dublin responded with a goal and a point from Samantha Fitzgerald, the goal a rather fortunate effort past the unsighted Heaver. Kildare enjoyed an equal amount of possession but found scoring a little more difficult than their Dublin counterparts. They did register the next three points through the impressive Sutton (2) and a Róisin O’Neill free. Midway through the half Julia Buckley announced her presence, scoring two goals in as many minutes to put some distance between the teams. The Kildare girls never gave up and finished strongly with goals from CiaraFriel and Sutton and a pointed free from Egan with Dublin scoring two points in the same period to finish deserving winners on a rather flattering scoreline, 4-10 to 2-07.

Afterwards team manager Eamonn O’Callaghan acknowledged that the better team won adding ‘the girls are learning all the time, we need them to fully understand the value of space and movement. I am pleased that we never gave up. We are looking forward to the All Ireland series in July’

Scores, Dublin : Julia Buckley 2-01, Samantha Fitzgerald 1-01, Aoife Rooney 1-00, Aoife Stack 0-03, Megan Delaney, Caoimhe O’Gorman 0-02 each, Hollie McGregor 0-01. Kildare : Lea Sutton 1-03, CiaraFriel 1-00, Ciara Egan 0-02, Bronagh Kearney, RóisinONeill 0-01 each

Dublin : Nicole Burnett, Sarah Lambert, Niamh Mahon, Maria Erin O’Hurley, RoisinO’Donoghue, Jessica Condron, Erin Butler McManus, Caoimhe O’Gorman, Aoife Stack, Allanah McEnroe, Julia Buckley, Megan Delaney, Samantha Fitzgerald, Aoife Rooney, Hollie McGregor.

Kildare : Sinead Heaver, Kelly Perkins, Áine Conway, Molly Ryan, Eilis Kenny, Laura Millet, Anne Ward, Lorna Bergin, Laoise Miller, Róisin O’Neill, Ciara Egan, Bronagh Kearney. Aoife Walsh, Ruth Clancy, Eve O’Callaghan. Subs used Lea Sutton, Aoife Lynch, CiaraFriel, Aoife Gallagher.Hannah Breslin, Eibhlish Fleming, CiaraNaughton, Caoimhe Spratt, Anna Lalor, Áine O’Neill, Anna Cully, Emer Broderick, Hannah Cusack