Drumraney take title in dramatic win
Drumraney 3-2, Clonkill 1-7
Drumraney held on by a single point against Clonkill to take the Westmeath Junior B camogie title on the all-weather pitch on a bitterly cold night in St Loman’s GAA last Saturday.
With several of the Clonkill side having featured in the minor final less than 24-hours previously, there was a lot being asked of the green and gold across the pitch. Drumraney have been on the up at underage level and their goalscoring exploits in this one got them over the line in a game which was full of intriguing battles and some fine individual performances from both sides.
The opening half produced seven scores in total. Preceding any of those was an early injury to Clonkill’s Leah Dunne in the opening minute which saw her off with a dislocated finger following a late hook. Two fine points from the primary threat of Orlaith Murray (one from a 45 and another free) got Pat O’Toole’s side off to a fine start and they looked good.
A fine score on 12 minutes from Niamh Palmer opened the Drumraney account but their efforts at goal were not getting past Anna Coloe. Eva Fitzpatrick and Vanessa O’Brien were both doing well in attack but still found Shauna Conneely in imperious form – ‘thou shalt not pass’ her motto it seemed.
Dunne returned from the original injury but ended up off again as she received a near-identical issue in the same spot minutes later, forcing her off for good.
Moments prior to that, Mairéad Martin set up Palmer who saw her effort evade Coloe and hit the net to leave it 1-1 to 0-2. A fine save from Ellie Temple stopped a goal before Amy Kenny pointed the rebound. The Loughegar side ended the half with two points from Murray and Nicole Keogh to lead by a point at the interval : 0-5 to 1-1.
The half was barely two minutes old when the green flag was raised again, Fitzpatrick striking off the ground after the ball squirmed from a ruck into her path.
Minutes later, the third arrived. Palmer’s strike was heading towards goal but the last touch off Clodagh Kiely sent Coloe the wrong way and Drumraney now led 3-1 to 0-5.
Clonkill were struggling in the final third and but for the efforts of Ali Brennan they would have barely registered a score. Thankfully for them they did through Murray and Keogh.
The insurance point from Drumraney substitute Sinéad Seery was crucial with five to go as deep in stoppage time Keogh bundled to the net. It was not enough as despite a last-ditch effort, Drumraney managed to hold out.
Scorers - Drumraney: V O’Brien 1-1, E Fitzpatrick, C Kiely 1-0 each, S Seery 0-1. Clonkill: O Murray 0-4 (1 free, 1 45’), N Keogh 1-2, A Kenny 0-1
Drumraney: Ellie Temple; Carol Seery, Shannon Seery, Amy Hughes; Cara Fitzpatrick, Rebecca O’Kane, Carol Price; Mairéad Martin, Niamh Palmer; Eva Fitzpatrick, Vanessa O’Brien, Emma Maxwell; Clodagh Kiely, Rachel Butler, Leah Moran. Subs used: Sinéad Seery for Maxwell (37), Faye Hanley for Kiely (46).
Clonkill: Anna Coloe; Ciara Conneely, Shauna Conneely, Gemma Nooney; Ciara Dolan, Chloe Gavigan, Andrea Brady; Lorraine Kelly, Ali Brennan; Chloe Kenny, Amy Kenny, Leah Dunne; Orlaith Murray, Katie Nea, Becky Kelly. Subs used: Nicole Keogh for Dunne (injured, 4), Leah Dunne for Brady (19), Annie Corcoran McDonald for Dunne (injured, 29).
Referee: Paul O’Malley (Raharney).
In a nutshell
Player of the match: Eva Fitzpatrick was a star for Drumraney and is chosen for the accolade. Niamh Palmer (Drumraney), Ali Brennan, and Shauna Conneely (both Clonkill) were excellent also.
Score of the match: Nicole Keogh’s point in stoppage time of the first half from the far touchline off her left was sublime.