On Sunday 8th October our intermediates took on Clara in the Marble City Travel Intermediate County Final in the MW Hire Training Centre, Dunmore. A fantastic crowd showed up to support the girls in what turned out to be a magnificent day for the club.
Clara opened the scoring with a converted free and another point from play two minutes later. Free taker Caoimhe Murphy put the girls on the scoreboard in the 5th minute after Clara were pulled for charging. Clara converted yet another free soon after but Aisling Dunphy sent in a wonder ball to Caoimhe Murphy who then put the ball between the posts. The next six minutes were tough with serious battles raging at midfield and on the half lines. In the 13th minute Clara scored another free but this was to be their last for seventeen minutes. St. Brigid’s took over and dominated the latter half of the first half and scored six points without reply to put them ahead by four points, scores coming from Caoimhe Murphy, Eimear Keoghan and Laura Hennessy. One minute before the whistle Clara were awarded another free and converted it to leave the score at 0-8 t 0-5 in St. Brigid’s favour at half time.
Two minutes into the second half Caoimhe converted yet another free and soon after Sarah Dunphy found the back of the Clara net which extended the St Brigid’s girls lead to seven points. The girls were quiet on the scoring front for the next fifteen minutes which gave Clara an opportunity to bring the gap between the sides back to four with three scored frees. Bronagh Neary made an excellent save in the 25th minute which could have totally changed the game. Two more points from Marie Doheny and Caoimhe left the score at 1-11 to 8 points with eight minutes left in normal time. Two more frees for Clara kept them in it. With two minutes to go Clara received a penalty and the sliotar ended up in the net. This left a single point between the teams but Marie Doheny and Caoimhe Murphy pushed on and scored two more points. Clara put their last score on the board in the 62nd minute leaving two points in the difference at the full time whistle. Final score 1-13 to 1-11.
Team and scorers: Bronagh Neary, Sarah Mockler, Nicola Butler, Tara Walsh, Ann Doheny, Amy O’Connor, Laoise Prendiville, Aisling Dunphy, Laura Hennessy (joint captain) (0-1) Eimear Keoghan (0-2) Laureena Murphy, Caoimhe Murphy (0-8, 5 frees) Kym Ryan, Sarah Dunphy (1-0) Marie Doheny (0-2).
Subs: Miriam Walton, Tara Hogan, Katie Brennan, Anna Robinson, Claire Quigley, Emma Boland, Therese Purcell, Christine Caldbeck, Celine O’Dwyer, Kayleigh Nolan, Niamh O’Connor, Therese Muldowney (joint captain), Siun Corcoran.
Thank you to all who came to support the girls and the teams sponsors Ballykeefe Distillery. Thank you to all the sponsors who helped the team out with the county final fundraising- Michael Lyng Motors Ltd, IMS Financial Services, Electro City, Foyle Windfarm/Ballycallan Hall Development, AIB High Street Kilkenny, Eamon and Colm Phelan, Dairy Direct Kilmanagh, Malone sisters, Pennefeather Restaurant, Brennans Bar Kilmanagh, Ryan’s Bar Kilmanagh, TFM Comerfords Garage, Graigue Ballycallan Hurling Club, John Hoyne Carpentry and Doheny Crash Repairs.
Thank you to the management team of James Logue, Deirdre Prendiville, Anne Marie Hoyne for the huge effort they have put in all year since the 29th January. We would not be a senior club next year without them.
