Ardrahan goal barrage turns camogie decider on its head

Ardrahan 3-7

Sarsfields 0-11

WRITING them off has become laced with danger as Ardrahan shocked the county again last Sunday when they were crowned senior camogie champions at Duggan Park on Sunday.

Five years after entering the 2013 decider as rank outsiders, the blue and white brigade defied the predictions again with three late goals cementing a famous victory.

Rebecca Hennelly, Caoimhe Cahill and Ava Lynskey turned the final the way of Fintan McNamara’s charges as they won their second Catherine Donnellan Cup and booked a meeting with All-Ireland champions Slaughtneil in January.

In a battle dominated by work rate, attrition and making the hard yards, Sarsfields looked in control entering the final quarter holding an 0-8 to 0-5 advantage and with the wind at their backs.

But this contest would turn on a goal with 10 minutes remaining, a stroke of fortune coming Ardrahan’s way as Hennelly’s long free deceived everybody and three opposing defenders couldn’t stop the ball from trickling over the line.

While lucky with the goal, it was no less than the south Galway side deserved as the applied the pressure straight after the restart. Sarsfields had led 0-6 to 0-4 after a stop-start opening 30 minutes, laying down a marker against the wind in the first five minutes.

Like the 2017 decider, the New Inn/Bullaun team chased early scores to put their opponents on the back foot as two Siobhan McGrath frees and Maria Cooney gave them a 0-3 to 0-0 advantage.

Hennelly opened Ardrahan’s account on nine minutes as they tried to keep the three-in-a-row chasing champions within sight, but another McGrath placed ball made it 0-4 to 0-1 in Sarsfields’ favour.

Two more Hennelly frees brought Ardrahan back to within one but Niamh McGrath restored a two-point cushion. Hennelly concluded Ardrahan’s first half tally but Siobhan McGrath subsequently split the posts before the change of ends.

With the elements in their favour, Sarsfields were hot favourites after the restart but Ardrahan were in no mood to surrender although  two early efforts were off target.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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