The Blues junior A Camogie team made history this evening when winning their first-ever championship game at the grade in Templemore (2-3 to 1-3).
County Junior A Camogie Championship
Nenagh Éire Óg 2-3 Templemore 1-3
Our junior A Camogie team reached another small, but important milestone tonight when they played their very first championship match at this grade.
Long-time followers of the Camogie section will remember many defeats and setbacks along the way to tonight’s encounter, but the team themselves did not disappoint with a determined display that resulted in a one-goal victory.
The game was dominated by both sets of backs as scoring chances were at a premium as space became very hard to come by.
The opening score of the game came after eight minutes when Rachel Spillane was fouled after some great work and Holly O’Brien pointed the resulting free.
Nenagh, with their tails up, won the resulting puck-out and Michelle Collins delivered a great ball into corner-forward Danielle Harrington who rounded her marker and headed goal-wards before unleashing a bullet to the roof of the net.
Templemore responded with a point of their own in the fourteenth minute, but Alanna Morris caught the resultant puck-out over the head of her marker and played a great ball into Holly O’Brien who pointed.
Again Templemore replied with a pointed free through their full-forward, but Nenagh were hurling better and when Michelle Collins found full-forward Sarah O’Connor it looked as if Éire Óg were going to get a second goal, but the Templemore net minder pulled off a remarkable save to keep her side in contention.
Both sides scored one more point each before the half-time whistle – Nenagh’s came after a Holly O’Brien free following a foul on Zoey Grattan to leave it 1-3 to 0-3 in favour of the Blues.
The second half was a classic example of brilliant defence as both sets of backs were superb resulting in just two second half scores – a goal each for both teams.
The game itself threatened to overheat at certain stages and saw two Nenagh players receive their marching orders for second bookable offences. Rachel Maher received her red card after the referee consulted with the umpires in the 45th minute while Alanna Morris followed suit in the 58th minute.
Despite being down these two key players the Nenagh girls upped their game and refused to allow Templemore to score that all-important goal that they craved.
In the 52nd minute Michelle Collins, under pressure from four opponents, somehow made space for herself and sent an inch-perfect pass to the unmarked Aislinn O’Brien who soloed from forty yards out before selling the goalkeeper a fantastic dummy, rounding her soccer style and hitting the ball into an empty net.
Templemore immediately responded with a great goal of their own, but try as they might they could not break down the Éire Óg defence and the Blues held out for a 2-3 to 1-3 win.
Nenagh Éire Óg: Ali Darcy, Amy Heffernan, Rachel Maher, Kara Ryan Mulqueen, Saoirse Gleeson, Ciara McGrath, Alanna Morris, Zoey Grattan, Rachel Spillane, Aislinn O’Brien, Holly O’Brien, Michelle Collins, Elaine Slattery, Sarah O’Connor, Elaine Slattery. Subs: Aileen Duggan for O’Connor (half-time), Mary Dillon for Slattery (41 minutes). Also on the panel were Sarah Quigley and Cliona Curren.
CLUB LOTTO
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