Corn Uan Uladh Ulster Colleges’ Senior A Camogie semi-final

St Patrick’s Maghera 4-12 Cross & Passion College 1-8

RECORD 15-times champions St Patrick’s, Maghera put a poor league campaign firmly behind them to upset the form to book and power their way through to the final of Corn Uan Uladh at Quinn Park, Ballymena yesterday.

Cross & Passion, Ballycastle had been the form team for the league and they gave as good as they got until the dismissal of midfielder Niamh O’Neill on a second yellow card after 38 minutes.

Maghera led 1-7 to 1-6 at that point, but with the extra player they outscored Ballycastle 3-5 to 0-1.

Cross & Passion were going well during the opening quarter and led 1-3 to 0-2 following a 13th minute goal from Caitrin Dobbin.

Maghera reacted really well to the setback and points from Adriennne Gorman and Therese Mellon followed by a Gorman goal put them ahead for the first time.

Indeed they were 1-6 to 1-3 ahead going into first half injury time, but two late Caitrin Dobbin points brought the gap back to the minimum at the break.

Although Maghera dominated possession at the start of the second half, they didn’t manage to add to their score until after the red card incident.

Within a minute however Aoife Shaw broke through for a brilliantly taken goal and just two minutes later corner-forward Therese Mellon grabbed another.

Cross & Passion only managed one score – a pointed free from Caitrin Dobbin free on 48 minutes – during the entire second half and Maghera responded immediately with their fourth goal from Aoife Shaw to seal a final place against the winners of tomorrow’s (Wednesday’s) second semi-final between St Mary’s Magherafelt and St Killian’s, Garron Tower.

St Patrick’s : Aoife Shaw 2-3, Adrienne Gorman 1-3, Therese Mellon 1-2, Bronagh Walsh 0-2, Bronagh Ni Chaiside 0-2.

Cross & Passion : Caitrin Dobbin 1-7 ; Christine Laverty 0-1.

St Patrick’s : Erin Burns, Eimear Corrigan, Caitlin Ni Cheallaigh, Eilis McGrath, Aoife Shaw, Erin McGilligan, Orla McNeill, Bronagh Ni Chaiside, Brooke Scullion, Claire McGroggan, Sinead Mellon, Bronagh Walsh, Therese Mellon, Adrienne Gorman, Deirbhle McNicholl.

Cross & Passion : Eimear Boyle, Christina Donnelly, Tara O’Neill, Claire McKillop, Oonagh Black, Niamh McVeigh, Katie McKillop, Clodagh Donnelly, Niamh O’Neill, Aine Donnelly, Christine Laverty, Caitrin Dobbin, Méabh McCormick, Caoimhe Wright, Alex McMullan.

By Séamas McAleenan