Late Goal Wins First Senior A League Title For Newcastle West
Post date: Aug 8, 2014 2:22:15 PM
Newcastle West 2-8 (1-2) Granagh Ballingarry 2-6 (1-4)
Cunningham Foods Senior A League Final
Venue: Ballyagran
Saturday 26th July 7.30pm
Newcastle West upset most people's predictions to win their first ever Senior A title with a 2-8 to 2-6 win over Champions Granagh Ballingarry in a very exciting closely fought match in Ballagran on Saturday night.
It was an excellent game for the neutral with plenty of county players on display throwing up some intriguing head to heads not least of which was the clash of Newcastle West's centre-forward Rebecca Delee with Granagh Ballingarry's centre-back Sarah Carey. Newcastle West had the better start as the hit Granagh with 1-2 in the first 10 minutes. The goal coming from Kerry star Sarah Murphy. The experienced Granagh side recovered and 1-4 from Rebecca Noonan before half-time gave them a lead at the break.
A further two points in the first 10 minutes after the break gave Granagh a four point lead and they looked to be on their way to victory. But Newcastle fought back and, with the excellent Leanne Browne and Karen O'Leary stifling Granagh's attacking threat, an unanswered 0-6 from Sarah Murphy gave them a two-point lead going into the dying minutes. But there was a kick in Granagh Ballingarry yet and the ever-dangerous Aoife Sheehan broke through the Newcastle West defence to score a goal that looked to have sealed the win for the champions.
However there was to be further drama as Sarah Murphy pounced on a loose ball in front of the Granagh goal and hit the back of the net to put Newcastle West back in front. As the game went into injury time Granagh Ballingarry came again and again looking for the winner but the Newcastle West defence held firm and they recorded an historic first Senior A League title.
It was an excellent hard fought game and a credit to both teams and the quality of Camogie that is being played in Limerick at the moment.
Scorers: Newcastle West: Sarah Murphy 2-7, Ide Trant 0-1; Granagh Ballingarry: Rebecca Noonan 1-6, Aoife Sheehan 1-0
Newcastle West: 1. Claire O'Riordan, 2. Katy O'Connor, 3. Yvonne Lee, 4. Grace Lee, 5. Leanne Browne, 6. Meabh Mulcahy, 7. Emma Falahee(Capt), 8. Katy Hurley(ViceCapt), 17. Karen O'Leary, 10. Joanne Dowling, 11. Rebecca Delee, 12. Laura Walshe, 13. Rachel Carmody, 18. Sara Murphy, 15. Ide Trant
Subs: 16. Dyann Carroll, 19. Adrienne Cunningham, 20. Alicia Magner, 21. Emily Upton, 22. Kiara Carroll, 23. Roisin Browne, 24. Sinead Mulcahy, 25. Shauna Tobin, 27. Ailbhe O'Connor, 28. Elaine Cunningham, 29. Sarah Corbett, 30. Emma Herbert
Granagh Ballingarry: 1 Claire Enright, 2 Emer Hickey, 3 Lisa Kelly, 4 Deirdre Moynihan, 5 Emma O'Grady, 6 Sarah Carey, 7 Fiona Hickey, 8 Siobhan Enright, 9 Vera Sheehan, 10 Niamh Chawke, 11 Aoife Sheehan, 12 Rebecca
Noonan, 13 Mairead Fitzgerald, 14 Teresa Mulcaire, 15 Margaret Lynch
Subs: 16 Meadhbh Nash, 17 Suzanne Malone, 18 Ann Marie O'Keeffe, 19 Brenda O' Keeffe, 20 Laura O'Keeffe, 21 Niamh Vaughan, 22 Beth Nash, 23 Aisling Scully, 24 Catriona Casey, 25 Aine Sheehy
