Rovers blitz Cashel for U16 success
CAMOGIE: FBD Insurance County Under 16 'C' (15s) Championship Final
Shannon Rovers 3-12
Cashel King Cormacs 0-4
MATCH DIGEST
Player of the Match: Makenzie Simmons (Shannon Rovers)
SCORERS – Shannon Rovers: Makenzie Simmons 2-1; Clodagh Cahalan 0-4 (2 frees); Ally Mulvihill 1-1; Clodagh Davis 0-3; Aoibheann Haugh 0-2; Lucy Maher 0-1.
Cashel King Cormacs: Eadaoin Bonnar 0-3 frees; Tara Quinn 0-1.
Supporters of Shannon Rovers and Cashel King Cormacs travelled in large numbers to the County Camogie Grounds last Wednesday hoping for victory in the County Under 16 ‘C’ Camogie final after impressive wins in their respective semi-finals the week previous.
In the end, it was Shannon Rovers who were celebrating a comprehensive victory with two goals late in the opening half setting the tone for a powerful second half performance that Cashel had no response to.
Cashel started really well and looked the livelier of the two teams. Eadaoin Bonnar put them into an early lead in the first minute with a free. They continued to attack the Shannon Rovers goal in the opening eight minutes but this sustained pressure didn’t yield a score thanks to a brilliant save from Margaret Cleary and some missed chances from the Cashel attack.
Shannon Rovers soon settled with Clodagh Davis getting the first of her three points after eight minutes. This was followed up two minutes later by an Aoibheann Haugh point. The Cashel response was very good with two points in quick succession from another Bonnar free and a nice score from play from Tara Quinn.
0-3 to 0-2 in Cashel’s favour with over twenty minutes played and one would have predicted a close game that could go either way. Instead, Shannon Rovers managed to find another few gears and really upped the intensity led by Ava Young and Clodagh Cahalan in midfield to finish the half outscoring the opposition 2-2 to no score.
The two goals came in the space of three minutes from Ally Mulvihill and Makenzie Simmons was followed by two points from Clodagh Cahalan to give the North Tipp side a 2-4 to 0-3 lead at the break.
Cashel needed to start the second half well but instead it was Shannon Rovers and Makenzie Simmons who raised another green flag to put the result beyond doubt. By now the Rovers attack were playing with real confidence and flair and had three more points on the board before Eadaoin Bonnar got Cashel’s fourth and final point of the game.
Clodagh Davis was a constant thorn in the Cashel defence and finished with three points while Aoibheann Haugh and Ally Mulvihill were also to the fore. Credit to Cashel they never threw in the towel and worked hard throughout the hour. They will rue not having further scores on the board in the opening quarter when they enjoyed plenty of possession. While conceding 2-2 in the crucial ten minute spell before half time also proved extremely costly.
After a slow start, Shannon Rovers really came thundering into the contest and their close semi-final win over Borris-Ileigh really stood to them in the end. While the midfield and attack were very good huge credit must go to the defence who held Cashel to only one point from play with the half backline of Caitlin Murphy, Emma Costello and Aine Cahalan top class.
TEAMS - Shannon Rovers: Margaret Cleary; Aoibhin O’Gara, Anna Kennedy, Amy Carroll, Caitlin Murphy, Emma Costello, Aine Cahalan, Ava Young, Clodagh Cahalan, Ally Mulvihill, Lucy Maher, Clodagh Davis, Aoibheann Haugh, Makenzie Simmons, Katie Hogan
Cashel King Cormacs: Ellen Ryan, Rachel Fahy, Orla Ryan, Emma Brosnan, Molly Hall, Anna O’Brien, Emily Moloney, Emma Bonnar, Sarah Grogan, Ruth Meehan, Ava Gillespie, Eadaoin Bonnar (0-3f), Mia Doherty, Tara Quinn (0-1), Lucy Burke.
Referee: Michael Heffernan (Moycarkey/Borris).