Camogie Junior A Championship – Kilruane 2-21 Newport 0-8

Kilruane 2-21 Newport 0-8

The Junior A team recorded their second successive championship win on Sunday evening in Cloughjordan. Although the scoreline would seem to indicate a dominant Kilruane team this was not always the case, and it was nip and tuck for most of the first half. Newport started well and exerted pressure on the Kilruane defence, however flanked by Lisa Cahill and Emma Cleary on the wings, they stood their ground well. Newport opened the scoring, after a poor first touch in the Kilruane forward line lost Kilruane’s possession. Claire Kennedy soon levelled things after good work from Maria Hogan. Orla Williams added her first of the day to put Kilruane in front. Good defending at the other end from full back Mary Walsh forced a 45, which Newport duly converted to restore parity once more. Corner forward Shauna Heffernan raised her first white flag. Orla Williams added another, before Roisin Cahill showed great composure in putting over her first. Newport kept chipping away and adding their points, and although Kiruane had the most possession it took a while for them to really get on top. Maria Hogan and Orla Williams raised two more white flags, before Roisin Cahill was again on hand to snap possession in the air and goal for the MacDonaghs, which finally put some distance between the teams. Fiona Ryan was next to get on the scoreboard with a point, before Shauna Heffernan raised Kilruane’s final 2 white flags of the half. The inside forward line led by the experienced Orla Williams in the centre, and her 2 rookies Shauna Heffernan and Roisin Cahill in the corners, were causing all sorts of problems for the Newport defence and had contritubed 1-7 between them by the end of the first half, where the scoreline read 1-10 to 0-7, a 6 point lead for Kilruane.

Kilruane started the scoring in the second half with 2 Marie Ryan points (one from a free) and a point from Fiona Ryan. As Kilruane pulled away management used the opportunity to have a look at their bench. Emer Starr was first called into action, and no better way to make an impression than on Newport’s centre back and key player, and impress she did with 2 points of her own, and a hand in other scores also. Marcey Keogh also got a run at full forward and added Kilruane’s 2nd goal, while Trisha Hogan was introduced at wing back and could not be faulted. Newport added just one point in the second half to leave the final score at 2-21 to 0-8.

Team: Sarah Coonan, Katie Kennedy, Mary Walsh, Georgianna Finn, Lisa Cahill, Joyce Tooher, Emma Cleary, Shauna Tooher, Claire Kennedy, Maria Hogan, Fiona Ryan, Marie Ryan, Shauna Heffernan, Orla Williams, Roisin Cahill: Subs introduced: Emer Starr, Trisha Hogan, Marcey Keogh.