Royal Jade Senior Camogie Championship 2012
Castleblayney 5-6
Clontibret 2-4
Castleblayney emphatically set out their championship intentions in the Royal Jade Senior camogie championship 2012 with a comprehensive win over reigning champions, Clontibret, in Drumhowan on Tuesday evening last.
Played in conditions more akin to the dead of winter, the game eclipsed the old cliché ‘a game of two halves’ with the first half belonging firmly to Clontibret while Castleblayney took control in the second half and went on a scoring spree that saw them register a massive 5-4 to bring their final total to 5-6. Indeed it was their superior fitness and the ability of a greater spread of players to pick off scores that ultimately defined the outcome.
The game got off to a busy start with Niamh Brennan opening Castleblayney’s account inside two minutes with a well-taken point from play. Marie Greenan responded in kind for Clontibret a minute later and this was followed by a point from play from Eleanor McQuaid in the fourth minute. Six minutes later, Aoife Boyle, one of the Boyle triplets making their championship debut for Clontibret, capitalised on a nice piece of teamwork involving Michelle Morgan and Tara McElvaney and lashed to the back of the net, opening a four point gap. That deficit was reduced to three, a minute later, when Elaine McKernan found herself unmarked inside the 30m line and she made no mistake with her shot. However this was to be Castleblayney’s last score of the period, while Clontibret went on to tag on two more points, both courtesy of Marie Greenan – a well-taken free in the 14th minute and a point from play a minute later. Nevertheless, while the scoreboard told one side of the story, it was apparent in the tit-for-tat exchanges that Castleblayney were far from out of the contest and certainly there was no exodus for the gate at half time!
Clontibret 1-4
Castleblayney 0-2
In the second half Castleblayney got off to a dream start with Eileen McElroy taking on one Clontibret defender after another in an excellent run and planting the ball firmly in the top corner of the Clontibret net. This score, coupled with McElroy’s increased influence on proceedings, gave Castleblayney a timely boost and within five minutes they struck again when Emma Forde drove low and hard giving Muireann Atkinson no chance. This crucial score gave Castleblayney the lead for the first time in the game and also boosted their confidence immeasurably. However Clontibret showed that they were not going to capitulate without a fight and once again it was the diminutive Aoife Boyle who provided a lifeline salvaging a goal from a Michelle Morgan pass in the 43rd minute. This however was to be Clontibret’s swan-song as Castleblayney were now on the crest of the wave and a purple patch in the next seven minutes yielded a bountiful harvest of 2-2 (Amber Lam 0-1, Niamh Brennan 1-0, Elaine McKernan 1-0, Eileen McElroy 0-1). Clontibret will rue a number of scoring chances that they dropped short into goalkeeper Roisin McKenna’s hand but with Amber Lam drilling to the back of the net from an excellently taken free in the 55th minute and Eileen McElroy thereafter adding two further points from play to Castleblayney’s haul, Clontibret’s wastefulness is academic. In the end Castleblayney ran out deserved winners and with Inniskeen waiting in the wings to meet both of Tuesday evening’s contestants, the final destination of Corn Gael Linn on August 26th is anybody’s guess.
Castleblayney: Roisin McKenna, Anita Kennedy, Kelsey Lam, Lisa O Connell, Emma Heavin, Kellie Fisher, Amber Lam (1-1), Reegan Lynch, Elaine McKernan (1-1), Niamh Brennan (1-1), Eileen McElroy(1-3), Kate Deasy, Donna McKenna, Emma McKenna, Emma Forde, Mary McElroy, Rachel Markey, Karen Markey and Orla McCarthy.
Clontibret: Muireann Atkinson, Ailbhe Boyle, Aisling Greenan, Orlaith Boyle, Karen Boyle, Joanne McSkeane, Aisling McElvaney, Michelle Morgan, Eleanor McQuaid (capt. 0-1), Marie Greenan(0-3), Catherine Tomany, Tara McElvaney, Amy Moen, Donna Moen, Aoife Boyle (2-0), Shauna McElvaney, Helen Moen, Demi Mone, Laura McGinn, Mairead Tomany, Shauna Finnegan, Karen Kieran.
Referee: Pat Walsh, Armagh.
Clontibret Camogie News.
Yet another week of ‘what might have beens’!! With our U-12 and U-14 panels due to play Aughagallen and Crossmaglen respectively, both matches were called off at very short notice due to bereavements. Our seniors tasted from the bitter cup of defeat when Castleblayney overcame them in the first round of the Royal Jade senior camogie championship in Drumhowan, on Tuesday evening. This was always going to be a tough assignment given the year we have had so far, but the loss of Shauna McElvaney immediately prior to the game (though Shauna did come on in the second half and played her part) and Ailbhe Boyle in the second half, due to injuries, made a difficult task even more difficult. Still, for parts of the game no excuses can be offered as poor decision-making and the questionable fitness levels of some players also contributed to our demise. So plenty of food for thought, girls, and room for improvement before meeting Inniskeen on August 19th.
But the good news is that after a much procrastinating the Louth U-14 League final between Clontibret (holders) and St. Kevin’s has at last got the green light and will be played on Tuesday evening, August 7th. Venue and time to be confirmed but it is expected to be a 7.30 throw-in.
This is a final which our younger players are eagerly anticipating and for which they have worked really hard. Unbeaten this year so far – except by St Kevin’s! – Clontibret know they will have to pull out all the stops if they are to retain the Nellie Quigley Memorial Cup. Defensively Niamh Kieran, Mary Duffy, Amy Gorman, Emma Deery, Sioneen Morgan, Melinda McCague and Claudia Power can be depended on to keep the hatches battened down. Tara McNally, Emily Madden and Little Miss Spitfire, 10 year old Jennifer Duffy, have shown versatility whether in defence, attack or even goals. Further outfield, Chloe McGuigan, Hannah McSkeane, Sorcha McDonald and Ríoghnach Duffy can be depended upon to bring the game to the opposition and pick off scores close in or from further afield. Niamh Hughes and Eimear McKenna will anchor the attack supported by younger players like Lisa McEneaney, Katie Leonard, Clíodhna Moran, Néasa Boyle and Catherine Mohan. This is a long-awaited date, and indeed a number of parents arranged holidays and trips away around the girls training over the past few weeks for which we are very grateful, so let’s hope it all comes together on Tuesday evening and Clontibret U-14 panel bring the first piece of camogie silver-ware for 2012 back to the county.
For the Kieran family, next week also holds additional excitement as Karen and Niamh head off to the Olympic Games in London on Wednesday morning. Have a wonderful time girls and get a few tips from the top athletes! Also, excitement is starting to mount in the Gorman household as Amy prepares for her trip to Croke Park to play in the INTO Mini-Seven’s game at half time during the All-Ireland hurling semi-final, on Sunday August 12th. More details next week.
By michael Thu 2nd Aug
