Junior B Camogie Championship Semi Final
16th September @ Ardclough
Éire Óg C.C. 4-03 Ardclough 1-01

A Tracey Johnson inspired Éire Óg Corra Choill put 2-01 past Ardclough deep in injury-time to set-up a final with Kill. After 24 minutes Éire Óg had 1-01 on the board and Ardclough never managed to close that gap.

Ardclough entered this game full of confidence, despite missing a number of players, but were boosted with home advantage.

The Ardclough defenders were busy from the start as Éire Óg C.C. attacked straight away. They made use of their fast runners in the middle of the field, making inroads into the Ardclough half with direct running.

Éire Óg C.C. were finding it hard to break into the heart of the defence regularly though, and Ardclough used their clearances to push up the field in search of chances of their own.

After nine minutes the Ardclough defence got a scare when Éire Óg’s Michelle Moloney shot wide from close range. But chances were few and far between for them as the Ardclough defence again stood firm.

After 21 minutes Éire Óg finally opened the scoring with a pointed free from Tracey Johnson. Éire Óg then got a vital score, the first goal of the game. Tracey Johnson again causing trouble for Ardclough as she fired her shot low to the net from 14 yards out.

Another Éire Óg goal chance went wide in the first minute of added time, before the last chance of the half fell again to Tracey Johnson who had her ground pull saved well by Ardclough keeper Diane Brogan.

 

Half-Time

Éire Óg C.C. 1-01 Ardclough 0-00

 

Ardclough restarted confidently and Katie O’Neill and Fidelma Byrne were setting up good attacking chances. And it was Byrne that got Ardclough’s first point after two minutes, shooting over under pressure into the clubhouse end.

The outstanding player on the field, Tracey Johnson, restored Éire Óg’s lead minutes later as she pointed another free. Ten minutes into the half Éire Óg had the ball in the net again when Michelle Johnson pounced to drive to the net after Ardclough struggled to clear their lines in defence.

Ardclough responded in kind, less than a minute later. Theresa Mac Kenna on hand to finish to the net from point blank range, after a combination of keeper and post had kept out the initial shot by Katie O’Neill.

Ardclough’s number of attacks were increasing, but they couldn’t add to their scoring tally – as Éire Óg went on to add a further 2-01 in the remainder of the half. There were numerous stoppages for injuries in the second half, and it was Éire Óg that majorly benefitted from the time added on.

Ardclough keeper Diane Brogan made two great saves in a minute, both times from Niamh Morrison to keep her side in with a chance in the 60th minute. But six minutes into injury time Éire Óg’s Tracey Johnson pointed another free before her team managed two more goals in the closing two minutes.

Niamh O’Rourke firstly guiding the ball to the net ,after a scramble in the goalmouth and then Tracey Johnson’s long range shot deceiving the keeper in the crowded square to give Éire Óg their fourth goal and a spot in the final against Kill.

 

Ardclough: (13-a-side)

Diane Brogan, Clare Curtis, Melissa Kirby, Chloe Abbott, Emer Graham, Róisín Ní Mhídheach, Una Delahunt, Liz Graham, Janet Delahunt, Rosanne Fogarty, Katie O’Neill, Fidelma Byrne 0-01, Pauline McGuire

Subs:
Theresa MacKenna 1-00 for P.McGuire (23mins)

 

Éire Óg C.C.: (13-a-side)

Liz Roche, Emma Fitzsimons, Emer Pierce Keogh, Gillian Johnson, Niamh Dunney, Caroline Murphy, Róisín Power, Amyleigh Dempsey, Tracey Johnson 2-03 (3f), Patricia Fitzsimons, Niamh Morrission, Michelle Moloney 1-00, Amy Fitzsimons, Áine McCormack, Eimear Delaney.

Subs:
Aisling Delaney for P. Fitzsimons (24m), Niamh O’Rourke 1-00 for M. Moloney (28m)