Convent shatter Maghera’s 5-in-a-row drive

 

December 7, 2013

Corn Uan Uladh – Ulster Senior camogie final:

St Mary’s Magherafelt 2-9 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-6

A surprise result given the form of the respective teams coming into this Senior camogie final, but hardly a shock with the ease that St Mary’s Magherafelt has dominated the Junior competition over the past three seasons.

The Convent’s intention was clear from the start with Eimhear McGuigan shooting a point inside 20 seconds.

The Ballinascreen girl was then withdrawn to a sweeper role in front of her full-back.  With Maghera opting to push a marker up on her, the likes of Kirsty McLeod and Jackie Donnelly found that little bit more space and St Mary’s led by 0-3 to 0-1 after a hectic opening 10 minutes.

Brónagh Ní Chaiside sent a long ball into the Magherafelt area after 13 minutes.  It wasn’t properly dealt with and Adrienne Gorman forced it over the line.

However the Magherafelt response was immediate with Áine McAllister bringing her side level with two quick points, one from a 55 metre free.

She added another before a long clearance out of defence found Jackie Donnelly at top of the right.  She rounded her marker and fired to the net from an acute angle to give St Mary’s a deserved interval advantage of 1-6 to 1-2.

Only the excellent Áine McAllister registered a score during the third quarter, but her team wrapped up the win with a 1-2 blast between the 45 ^th  and 47 ^th  minutes.

Carla Scullion cut through for a point on the left wing, followed quickly by a goal from Nicole Clerkin and Ciara McAuley finished a good move involving Aine McAllister on the right wing with a super point.

Ahead by 2-9 to 1-2, St Mary’s had their tails up but, despite some promising moves, they couldn’t add to that total.

Instead Maghera got the breaks and slowly closed in on them with 4 points in a row and then a goal, it seemed, direct from a 60 metre free from Mairead McNicholl.

That came just as the game entered injury-time.  There was still time for another attack, but Rebecca Bradley broke it up and Maghera’s hopes for an unprecedented 5-in-a-row were shattered.

In truth however, they were beaten by a hungrier team that worked hard from the start, made and took their breaks to leave the champions with too much work to do in those anxious final 10 minutes.

Eimhear McGuigan at the back swept up a lot of ball that came through.  However every single Magherafelt player worked hard on and off the ball, with captain Aine McAllister my selection as Player of the Final.

Maghera also worked hard, particularly at half-back and midfield, but they lacked penetration and can have no complaints about the result.

St Mary’s – Una McKeown, Megan Kearns, Meagan Diamond, Aine Mulholland, Faoiltiana Burke, Rebecca Bradley, Roisin Cassidy, Aine McAllister 0-4, 0-2 frees, Una McCoy, Ciara McAuley 0-1, Kirsty McLeod, Ciara Scullion 0-2, Eimear McGuigan 0-1, Nicole Clerkin 1-0, Jackie Donnelly 1-1.

Subs – Oliva Brown, Niamh Conway, Karen McWilliams, Niamh McKee, Susan McElwee, Shauna McCusker, Maria Donnelly, Martha Coogan, Noeleen McCullagh, Niamh Kelly, Annie Crozier, Bridin McAllister, Clare Mulholland.

St Patrick’s : Erin Burns, Claire Burns, Caitlin Ní Cheallaigh, Eimhear McNicholl, Aoife Shaw, Charlotte Burke capt., Aoife Quinn, Brona Ní Chaiside, Orlagh O’Kane, Dervla O’Kane, Mairead McNicholl 1-3 frees, Orlaith Ní Mhaoláin 0-2, Ellen Kelly, Adrienne Gorman 1-0, Niamh Quinn 0-1.

Subs : Gemma Bradley for E McNuicholl (24), Therese Mellon for E Kelly (49).

Referee : Cathair Cunning (Dunloy).