Nenagh Éire Óg suffered a heart-breaking defeat at the hands of Newport in a dramatic Munster Junior A Camogie League Plate Final played at Newport on Sunday evening, July 21st.
Munster Junior A Camogie League Plate Final
Nenagh Éire Óg 4-13 Newport 7-8
Although the Éire Óg girls typically compete at the junior B grade the Blues reached this final on merit and were absolutely terrific in the decider.
Newport started well and led 2-3 to no-score inside the opening eight minutes before a Ciara McGrath point got a determined Éire Óg off the mark in the 14th minute. The Blues’ never-say-die spirit really came to the fore thereafter with points from Aileen Duggan and Rachel Maher reducing the deficit significantly by the 18th minute.
Newport responded with a point, but in the 24th minute Danielle Harrington struck for a goal to leave four between them (1-3 to 2-4).
A Newport free opened a five-point gap, but Éire Óg were growing in confidence with points from Michelle Collins and Holly O’Brien reducing the deficit to just a goal in the 28th minute. Newport hit 1-1 late in the first half and retired at the break nursing a 3-6 to 1-5 lead.
Although an Aisling O’Brien point got Éire Óg off to a positive start in the second half a fourth Newport goal in the 32nd minute left the Blues with a mountain to climb (1-6 to 4-6). The Éire Óg players were an absolute credit to themselves and everyone associated with the club thereafter. Not once did the heads drop and Éire Óg relentlessly worked their way back into this thrilling final.
An Aileen Duggan free settled Éire Óg before Rachel Maher converted a long-range free in the 34th minute to leave seven between them (1-8 to 4-6). In the 36th minute Lisa Maher plundered a goal while four minutes later Rachel Maher went for goal from a 21-yard free. Maher’s effort was blocked, but Danielle Harrington scored from the rebound and suddenly the margin was down to just one in the 40th minute (3-8 to 4-6).
A Rachel Maher free following a foul on Aisling O’Brien levelled matters in the 43rd minute. Éire Óg had now notched 2-3 without reply and the Blues took the lead five minutes later when Rachel Maher converted a ’50 (3-10 to 4-6).
Cruelly, Newport struck for a fifth goal in the 51st minute and then converted a free to edge back into a 5-7 to 3-10 lead. Éire Óg didn’t panic, however, with a Michelle Collins point and a third Danielle Harrington goal in the 56th minute propelling the Blues back into the lead (4-11 to 5-7).
With two minutes of normal time remaining a sixth Newport goal wrestled the initiative away from Éire Óg once more while an eighth Newport point left three between them (4-11 to 6-8).
A heroic Éire Óg side charged forward in waves with points from Rachel Maher and Zoe Grattan reducing the deficit to a single point as this dramatic affair moved into injury time.
In the 61st minute Newport struck for a seventh goal. This time, sadly, Éire Óg failed to recover. That said every supporter of the Blues left Newport on Sunday evening immensely proud of the Éire Óg players’ efforts.
The club would also like to thank manager Denise Morris, coach Paul Henry and selector Shane Connolly for all their terrific work with this group of players.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Alison Darcy, Mary Dillon, Alice Darcy, Amy Heffernan, Rachel Maher (0-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘50), Alanna Morris, Claire Collins, Zoe Grattan (0-1), Michelle Collins (0-2), Lisa Maher (1-0), Aileen Duggan (0-2, 0-1 frees), Holly O’Brien (0-1), Ciara McGrath (0-1), Brenda O’Sullivan, Aisling O’Brien (0-1). Subs: Danielle Harrington (3-0) for Brendan O’Sullivan.
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