Liatroim secure NWP Recycling Intermediate title

Liatroim Fonetenoys secured NWP Recycling Ulster Intermediate Club Championship at Owenbeg yesterday as they came from behind with two late goals to defeat a distraught Eglish side who saw another Ulster Final slip from their grasp. Eglish were playing the better Camogie in the first half but only found themselves one point ahead at the half. When Julie Lagan scored a second half goal Eglish must have thought their five point lead would have banished the ghosts of losing the 2012 final to Ballycran at the death.

It was late heartbreak for Eglish as a goal from Liatroim full forward Grainne Kelly inspired a comeback for Liatroim. Liatroim Manager Declan Burns was quick to acknowledge that his side may have stole victory over Eglish who had played the better Camogie for much of the game. ‘It was a very tough game- we have to pay respects to Eglish for making it a right battle. It will be tough for Eglish after losing late on last year as I suppose we kind of robbed there with a couple of late goals but our team showed great desire to fight for the win. It was a difficult game in touch conditions, a bit of a war of attrition out there with two very committed teams. Eglish were sharper than us in the first half and I suppose we done well to go in at the break only one point down. Eglish were a lot hungrier than us in the first half and showed more passion. At half time we had speak to the girls and up the ante which they did. We went 5 points down and got a couple of fortuitous goals. We didn’t let Eglish clear the ball and put in a lot of blocks and that led to a bit of panic and the ball broke kindly for us to finish’.

Those two Liatroim goals meant that in the last seven minutes Eglish were going all out to get a late winner which they fought so hard for. Liatroim captain Lisa McAliskey was quick to praise her defence for keep Eglish at bay in those tense moments. ‘We went 5 points down but the girls had a never say die attitude and kept battling away. We got the two goals and luck maybe went in our way. We felt every bit of the pressure from Eglish at the end of the game. Our defence was immense and the midfield supported us well. We held out well and everything that came our way we managed to clear’.

Liatroim will go on now to an All-Ireland Intermediate Semi-Final against Munster opposition once the celebrations are over and Lisa  is looking forward to that prospect after capping of Liatroim’s 125 year celebrations in style. ‘There’ll be plenty of celebrations this week and then after that we’ll knuckle down and get back to training and there’s no reason why we can’t give this All-Ireland a good rattle. Our goal at the start of the year was to win the Down Championship and take everything else as it comes. We’ll look forward to an All-Ireland campaign when it comes’.

Liatroim Fontenoys 2-05 Eglish 1-05