An incredible year for Down Minors as they march on to the All-Ireland Final

Down Minor Camogs go in search of All Ireland Glory this Saturday when they take on Roscommon in the All Ireland Minor B Final.

All Ireland Minor B Championship Semi-Final

Down 3-07 Laois 1-06

After having a very successful campaign beating Antrim and Derry to win their section and qualify for the All Ireland Semi Final they travelled to St David’s CBS Artane Dublin on Saturday to play a much fancied Laois team in the All Ireland Semi Final.

Down started of very strongly but found scores hard to come by and a strong Laois defence kept the down forwards under pressure. Down opened the scoring line with a 45 from Neisha McCullough and minutes later the same player scored a fortuitous goal from a long range effort. This really gave Down a lift and after some great team work Nicola McCabe blasted the ball into the Laois net. Laois came back with a couple of frees from Aisling O’Dea. But Down were playing some tremendous camogie with their half backline keeping Laois on the back foot with some great clearances. A goal and a point from Eimear Rushe pushed Down further ahead but Laois came back with 3 more points from Aisling O’Dea to keep Laois in contention coming up to half time. Half time score  Down 3gl 4pts to Laois 5pts.

Laois got the second half of to a blistering start when they scored a goal straight from the throw in.

This was a wake up call for Down who responded magnificently with some tremendous defending to keep Laois at bay. Both defences were on top and scores were at a minimum but a further 2 points from Neisha McCullough and 1 from Eimear Rushe kept Down in front. However, Laois came back with 2 more points but still trailed behind by 7 pts.  This was a great performance from the whole Down team  and they now go  through as worthy winners to meet Roscommon in the All Ireland Final.

Full-time score:  Down 3-07  Laois  1-06

Team and scorers :  Lauren Clarke (An Roicht)   Maebh O’Hare (Ballyholland)

Caoimhe Byrne  (Ballyholland)   Katie McGilligan (Clonduff) Catriona Caldwell (Castlewellan)

Amanda Woods (Kilcoo)  Sophie Clarke (Liatroim)  Ann Marie Smyth (Ballygalget)

Neisha McCullough (capt) (Ballycran)  1-05

Frances Toner (Portaferry)  Ellis Ennis (Ballycran)  Kate McAleenan (Liatroim)

Eimear Rushe  (Ballyholland) 1-02  Nicola  McCabe (Castlewellan) 1-00  Erin Hagan (Ballygalget)

Subs: Orla Crozier (Bredagh)  Maeve Devlin (Bredagh) Blanaid Savage  (Ballygalget)

Ciara Finnegan (Portaferry)  Katie Canniford  (Balella)  Courtney O’Rourke (Liatroim)  Andrea McKillop (Bredagh) Amy Barr (Castlewellan)