Meath 1-10
Galway 2-3
MEATH WILL GET a taste of top tier camogie next year after outlasting Galway to be crowned National League Division 2 champions at St Brendan’s Park, Birr.
It was a much sterner examination than many had predicted, given that Meath had prevailed by 18 points when the sides last met on 20 March, but Galway’s defeat of Kildare in their semi-final signalled the progress made by the westerners’ second string.
This performance and result provided further testimony to their likely competitiveness in the intermediate championship but it was Meath that had the most tangible reward when the silverware was handed out after the final whistle.
It represents a tremendous achievement in particular by manager John Davis, who was in charge as Meath rose from Division 4 to Division 2, and after taking a brief sabbatical, returned last year to lay the groundwork once more for taking the next step this term.
Jane Dolan has travelled a similar journey and not for the first time, she was Meath’s leading scorer with five points, although Lorraine Coen is entitled to be pleased to have held the Blackhall Gaels maestro to just a point from play.
Dolan did have an impact in general play though and was well supported by Megan Thynne, while the half-back line of Áine Keogh, Cheyenne O’Brien and Louise Donoghue proved effective defensively and as a kickstart to many Meath attacks.
The Royals appeared nervous early on and Rachel Monaghan opened the scoring for Galway with a pointed free.
Aoife Minogue levelled but the Tribeswomen had Lorraine Farrell operating effectively as a third midfielder and the Davitts player was involved in the move that ended with a resounding finish by Rachel Monaghan for a goal, after Amy Caulfield’s diagonal pass.
It says much for Meath that they began to settle despite this setback and scored the next four points, including three from Dolan, to move ahead entering injury time.
Remarkably, we had two goals before the interval. The first came for Meath, as Aoife Maguire’s shot for a point from 45 yards out flew all the way to the net, but Galway responded from the puckout via substitute Marie Farrell to trail by just one at the break, 1-5 to 2-1.
Galway struggled to create sufficient chances throughout, as evidenced by registering just five scores.
Captain Moira Connaughton, Louise Brennan and Caitriona Cormican tried hard but they managed just two points in the second half, courtesy of substitutes Emer O’Donovan and Cliodhna Walsh.
Meath had just that bit more firepower though, as Dolan slotted a couple of frees, before Thynne and Sinead Hackett confirmed the verdict.
Meath scorers: J Dolan 0-5(4fs); A Maguire 1-1; M Thynne 0-2; S Hackett, A Minogue 0-1 each.
Galway scorers: R Monaghan 1-1 (0-1f); M Farrell 1-0, E Donovan, C Walsh 0-1 each.
MEATH: E Mangan, A Thompson, C Coffey, G Coleman, A Keogh, C O’Brien, L Donoghue, K Troy, S Hackett, K Hackett, A Maguire, A Minogue, F O’Brien, J Dolan, M Thynne. Subs: A Gaffney for Minogue (35), F O’Neill for Thompson (59).
GALWAY: T Murphy, C Donoghue, L Coen, L Ward, L Brennan, A Lynskey, M Connaughton, C Cormican, N O’Brien, N Murphy, T Ruttledge, L O’Neill, R Monaghan, A Caulfield, L Farrell. Subs: M Farrell for Caulfield inj (28), C Walsh for Ruttledge inj (30), E O’Donovan for Murphy (ht), L Lally for O’Brien (44).
Referee: A Larkin (Cork).
Armagh 3-11
Roscommon 2-9
Two goals in the space of a couple of minutes at the end of the third quarter proved decisive as Armagh confirmed their superiority over Roscommon to claim the National League Division 3 title.
The victors had four points in hand when the sides met in the group stages and a competitive renewal was expected.
Just as in the semi-final defeat of Dublin though, when they scored 1-13 between them, it was the tag team of Ciara Donnelly and Colette McSorley that made the key contributions.
Donnelly, who is joint captain with Grainne Kelly, registered 1-6 on this occasion and was named player of the match, as she was involved heavily in general play as well as a scorer.
Meanwhile, McSorley provided 1-3 and with a strong supporting cast, Armagh were deserving winners.
The early exchanges were fierce and though Donnelly had Armagh ahead early, Roscommon got their noses in front via Niamh Coyle’s goal and a point from the excellent Kelley Hopkins.
The Rossies ran hard at Armagh but found goalkeeper Ciarrai Devlin in determined form when they did get through the defensive unit.
Bernie Murray began to exert her influence around the middle and points followed from Donnelly and the eye-catching Rachel Merry, as the team managed by Jim McCormack and Paddy McArdle edged ahead once more.
Armagh struck a telling blow just before the interval, at a time when they led by just the minimum. Donnelly’s free hit the post but McSorley was alert to gather possession and rattle the Roscommon net, leaving it 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.
Hopkins raised a couple of white flags after the resumption but Donnelly buried Roscommon with two major plays, first by setting up Siobhán McArdle for a goal, and then, soon after, finishing clinically after a strong run.
There was no way back for Roscommon after that. Annette McGeeney did reduce the deficit with a goal but it was too little, too late.
Armagh scorers: C Donnelly 1-6; C McSorley 1-3; S McArdle 1-0; R Merry 0-2.
Roscommon scorers: K Hopkins 0-6; N Coyle 1-1; A McGeeney 1-0; S Spillane, R Brennan 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: C Devilin, H McGeown, N Conway, C McKinley, S Woods, G Kelly, E Hays, B Murray, A McAlinden, N Markey, S Molloy, C Donnelly, S McArdle, C McSorley, R Merry. Subs: L Donnelly for Molloy, L McGoldrick for Markey.
ROSCOMMON: C Connaughton, A Fallon, S Coyle, P Lennon, S Spillane, E Daly, J Beattie, C Dowling, N Watson, N Coyle, R Brennan, K Hopkins, A McGeeney, S O’Brien, C Curley. Subs: A Rogerson for O’Brien, C Morris for N Coyle
Referee: A Doheny (Laois).
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