St Joseph’s topple Our Lady’s to claim Senior ‘A’ Crown
By William O'Connor
IN almost perfect conditions for January, St Joseph’s College, Lucan won their second Senior ‘A’ Camogie Dublin-Post Primary Championship in Ringsend recently.
This was a real-cliff hanger of a game with the Terenure side battling back in the second half, but Joey’s held out for a dramatic 3-5 to 2-6 victory.
The first half of this contest was evenly contested with the teams going in all square with St Joseph’s starting brightly with a goal from Emily McIntyre.
However Our Lady’s replied with a Chloe Mullen point and this was quickly followed with another score from Orlaith Murphy after good work from Orla Sadlier and Samantha Fitzgerald.
Our Lady’s found a way through again after they broke down a stubborn Joey’s defence to hammer home their opening goal.
Free-taker Aoife McKearney kept the Lucan school in the contest with a couple of points including an inspirational score frok near the touchline.
Our Lady’s hit back with a fine 45m free from Isabelle Costelloe to level up matters but then Joey’s keeper Nicole Fitzgibbon pulled off a fine save when she ran out from her goal-line to block out Holly Finnegan’s goal-bound shot.
Joey’s then grabbed a second goal when Orla Sadlier chased down a ball into the square and kicked the sliothar to the back of the net.
Yet this was not the end of the scoring in the first half after Finnegan fired past Fitzgibbon in the far corner to leave it deadlocked at the break.
A free straight after the interval from Costelloe had Our Lady’s in the lead but Joey’s hit a purple patch after this with a couple of scores.
With the half back line of Laura Morgan, Jessica Condron and Player of the Match Meabh Dowler raising a gear, Joey’s tagged on the scores with McKearney among the scorers to edge Joey’s back in front.
Laura Quinn set up Fitzgerald for a long-range point but the third goal arrived when Laura O’Mahony fired home to put some distance between the teams with 10 minutes remaining.
Our Lady’s were not going to throw in the towel that easy and reduced the lead to a single score with Costello scoring a free and a 45m free.
The Terenure side added another point but Joey’s can thank Avril Quinn and Julie Kelly in defence along with captain Emma O’Flynn for keeping their side in front.
There was one final scare for Joey’s when Our Lady’s went for the winner but Jessica Condron made a crucial interception.
ST JOSEPH’S, LUCAN: N Fitzgibbon, A Quinn, E O’Flynn, J Kelly, M Dowlwer, J Condron, L Morgan, O Murphy, L O’Mahony, O Sadlier, S Fitzgerald, A McKearney, K Feeney, L Quinn, A Lawlor, E Ryan, E McIntyre, Y Kilduff, K Britton, J McClelland, A O’Kane.
