Ardrahan girls finally capture Minor A crown

Date Published: 05-Dec-2012

Ardrahan 2-7

Davitts 3-2

Eoghan Cormican at Duggan Park

ARDRAHAN, at the third time of asking, finally captured the County Minor ‘A’ camogie title when overcoming a spirited Davitts outfit at Duggan Park on Saturday.

Runners-up to Sarsfields in 2010 and falling to the same opposition at the semi-final stage last year, Gerry Hennelly’s troops finally reached the promised land in delivering a performance of composure, style and substance.

Megan Carr’s 59th minute goal was the crucial score of an entertaining decider as it put the winners five points clear and left Davitts with a puzzle they couldn’t solve.

It may be something of a sporting cliché, but to be fair to Ardrahan they worked their proverbial socks off over the hour, bringing immense physicality to the encounter. Indeed every time one of Davitts’ big name players gathered possession, she was quickly swallowed up by a swarm of unforgiving blue jerseys.

For their part, Davitts relied far too much on the exploits of one individual forward. All-Ireland minor medal winner in 2010 and 2012, Maria Breheny hit 2-1 of Davitts’ 3-2 and kept her side in the game when they were clearly struggling all over the field.

It says something of Breheny’s reputation in Galway camogie that she was marshalled all afternoon by Galway minors Sarah Keehan and Sara Skehill, but that policy was only moderately successful as the Davitts talliswoman managed to keep the game alive right up until the final-whistle.

Ardrahan started the game as favourites given they were responsible for putting an end to Sarsfields three-in-a-row bid, but it was Davitts who took charge from the throw-in, rattling their opponents net on four minutes. Breheny seized possession and shaking loose the shackles of Ardrahan full-back Sarah Keehan, she turned inside, shortened the grip and placed an inch perfect shot beyond opposition custodian Claire Higgins.

The goal appeared to stun Ardrahan into action and moments later, the South Galway club issued a decisive response. Cliodhna Walsh, showing a blistering turn of place, turned in from the corner unleashing a low drive across the square where corner forward Leanne O’Toole applied the deftest of touches to level matters.

Mind you, Ardrahan could have easily added a further three majors over the ensuing quarter of an hour, but for outstanding goalkeeping on the part of Tara Murphy. The pick of the bunch was Murphy’s superb reaction to an overhead Rachel Mahon pull that the Davitts custodian somehow managed to keep out.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.