Dublin Senior B Championship Final

Four times during this titantic battle the sides were level and for long spells it looked like this game could end in a draw before a fine crowd at Pßirc UÝ Mhurch· (Ballyboden St Endas). But a great surge by the Tymon Park team between the 47th and 55th minutes of the game which yielded four points on the trot proved decisive in this Olhausen Senior B Championship Final.

Manager Ken Ryan and colleagues also made two vital substitutions which saw the introduction of Roisin Murray and Aoife Dunne and they each knocked over a point at a critical stage of the game.

For Naomh BrÝd, it was a great disappointment as the side lost the 2007 decider to Na Fianna also by a solitary point.

For long the game was a battle between free takers Aoife Kelly of Naomh Jude and Emma Sweeney. Both were superb and from play and frees accounted for 13 of the 19 scores in the game.

The Naomh Jude girl was the first off the mark with a pointed free after a minute. Judes were dominant in the opening 10 minutes with Fiona Guckian and Edel Murphy shading the midfield exchanges. Further points from the stick of Aoife Kelly stretched their lead much to the joy of their big following.

But the Blanchardstown fans found their voice in the 11th minute when the excellent Emma Sweeney pointed expertly. Aoife Kelly cancelled that her first score from play to restore their three points advantage.

But Naomh BrÝd rallied strongly particularly their half-back line of Danni Powell in the centre, Trish Bruen and Anne Kirwan. Captain Elaine Duncan was doing well at midfield and the hard-working Kathy Murphy lent assistance.

It was now their turn to dominate and by the 28th minute they had drawn level with two points from Emma Sweeney and a pointed free from 55m by full-back Paula Bruen.

As the game ticked into to added time, Aoife Burke made a great run down the wing to finish with a super point but Naomh BrÝd weren’t to be denief and following great work by Tara Carolan and Sherry Mannion they earned a free which Emma Sweeney duly converted to leave the sides together on 0 – 5 apiece at the break.

An Aisling Kelly point a minute after the restart gave Naomh BrÝd the lead for the only time as within four minutes Aoife Kelly had again found the range.

From the next 14 minutes both side fought with huge commitment and skill and scores were hard earned. Siobhan Young was particularly prominent at left back. Her performance earning her Laoch an Cluiche. A brace of frees from Aoife Kelly gave Judes and 0 – 8 to 0 – 7 lead with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.

However it looked odds-on that Emma Sweeney would bring her tally to 0 – 6 for the day when she split the Judes defence with a great run but her shot on goal was wonderfully blocked by Siobhan Reid. It was a turning point in the game because two minutes later super sub Roisin Murray (daughter of former hurling stalwart Eugene put Judes two points clear.

The side sensed victory and upped their performance. Another sub Aoife Dunne caught a great delivery from Eimear Maher to point and Aoife Kelly made it 0 – 8 for the No. 15.

But Naomh BrÝd weren’t finished. A Paula Bruen 45 a minute into added time was finished to the net by Tara Carolan to leave just a point between the sides.

The puck-out would be crucial and centre back Tara Corrigan of Judes made a superb catch. Her long range free drove the ball deep into Naomh BrÝd territory and although they managed to earn a long range free – time ran out before they could get the ball into a scoring position.

Referee Karl O’Brien did a superb job.

Naomh Jude

Marina Reynolds, Siobhan Reid, Tara Corrigan (captain, Sarah Breheny, Ruth Breheny, Elaine Sherry, Siobhan Young, Fiona Guckian (vice-captain, Edel Murphy, Catherine Halpenny, Claire Mangan, Eimear Maher, Aoife Burke (0 – 1), Helen Cosgrave, Aoife Kelly (0 – 8, 6f)

Subs: Paula Malcolmson, RoisÝn Murray (0 – 1) for Halpenny), Deirdre O’Connor, Aoife Dunne (0 – 1 for Sarah Breheny), Laura Burns, Blßthnaid Clancy

Naomh BrÝd

Collete Coady, Jo Bruen, Paula Bruen (0 – 1f), Fiona Clifford, Trish Bruen, Danni Powell, Anne Kirwan, Elaine Duncan (captain), Sherry Mannion, Kathy Murphy, Christine Norton, Tara Carolan (1 – 0), Emma Sweeney (0 – 5, 4f), Aisling Kelly (0 – 1), Mary Galvin

Subs: Niamh Adams, Emer O’Leary, Aisling Kirwan, Sinead Deevey, Grace Dunne, Catherine King, Aisling Dargin

Ref: Karl O’Brien

Dublin Camogie Board
 
13 October 2008
 
 
Many thanks to Ballyboden St Endas for the use of Pßirc UÝ Mhurch·.  Best of luck to Ballyboden St Endas in Sunday’s Leinster Senior Championship final against Rathnure in Rathnure at 3.00pm.
 
Close to 350 girls will compete in 15 Juvenile Championship finals this week-end.   This is a tremendous achievement for all concerned and the Board requests full support for the finals.  Details regarding the time schedule will be published on www.dublincamogie.ie.                 
 
Dublin Camogie Board extends its deepest sympathy to Galway camogie players Lizzie Flynn and Therese Maher on recent sad losses.
 

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