Fitzgerald makes Waterford history and ends CPC double dream

February 18, 2018

A general view of the Camogie crest.
©INPHO/Donall Farmer.

By Séamas McAleenan & Daragh Ó Conchúir

St Angela's Waterford 2-9

Cross & Passion Ballycastle 2-4

There will be a new name on the trophy for the O'Neills All-Ireland Post Primary Schools' Junior A Camogie Championship after St Mary's New Ross came through their Semi-Final with St Brigid's Loughrea on a scoreline of 2-9 to 1-5 and St Angela's Ursuline Convent became the first ever Waterford school to reach an A grade final by taking out last year's beaten finalists Cross & Passion Ballycastle at the Waterford IT grounds on Saturday

However, had the Ulster champions been more accurate from placed balls they might well have stayed in contention long enough to get over the line and kept the school's double hopes alive, with the Seniors having secured their place in the decider last weekend.

Having said that, the visitors' goalkeeper Becky Ellis was busy - and excellent - for a good part of a closel-fought encounter.

Elsewhere Enya McShane, Katie Laverty, Cassie McArthur and Nuala Devlin had excellent games for CPC while Aoife Fitzgerald's accuracy from frees kept her team just ahead.

Riana McBride opened Ballycastle's account with an early point and the visitors had a couple of goal chances before the Ursulines capitalised on their chances. Fitzgerald's point was quickly followed by a goal from Clodagh Curham and still only six minutes played.

Áine Magill hit back with a fine individual point and the teams were level at 1-2 each after Annie Lynn cut through the Waterford defence for a goal.

Play after that became a little fractured with only three more points scored before the break, the home side taking a single point lead into the second half.

However they opened up a match-winning gap by scoring 1-4 without reply during the third quarter, Alisha Flynn the goalscorer.

Laverty moved into defence for Ballycastle and sub Fionnuala Kelly added energy. Alicia Butler's goal eight minutes from the end gave them a lifeline.

However St Angela's pulled back sweepers and Fitzgerald cemented her team's position with a late free.

SCORERS FOR ST ANGELA'S: A Fitzgerald 0-7(4fs); C Curham, Aleisha Flynn 1-0 each; Abby Flynn 0-2

SCORERS FOR CROSS & PASSION: A Butler, A Lynn 1-0 each; R McBride 0-2(1f); A Magill, F Kelly 0-1 each

ST ANGELA'S: E Gallagher, H Leamy, L Hogan, S Cantwell, S Farrell, S Maher, J Tuohy, C Carroll, H Ryan, R Walsh, Abby Flynn, C Hoctor, Aleisha Flynn, A Fitzgerald, C Curham

CROSS & PASSION : B Ellis, C McArthur, M McGarry, E Kyle, F Toner, C Laverty, C Hegarty, K Laverty, E McShane, A Butler, A Lynn, N Devlin, A Magill, R McBrid, O Laverty. Subs: F Kelly for Hegarty, C O'Kane for A Butler

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IN THE Junior B Semi-Final, Castlecomer Community School scored two late points to secure a second bite of the cherry against Borrisokane Community College, with the replay to take place on Friday in Conahy.

The winner will take on either St Joseph's Lucan or Presentation Wexford, who play their Semi-Final at Lucan Sarsfields on Tuesday.

In the C Champions, St Cuan's Galway edged out Coláist Naomh Cormac Kilcormac by 1-12 to 2-7. They will face the winners of the clash between St Mary's Midleton and Our Lady's & Patrick's Knock, which occurs tomorrow.

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Coláiste Phobal Ros Cré 2-4

St Mary's Clady 1-6

ST MARY'S CLADY were denied victory in this O'Neills All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior D Semi-Final in St Cronan's Roscrea on Saturday by a 56th minute goal from Fiona Scully.

Emma Harkin had initially saved the first effort from Ciara Sammon but Scully followed in to scramble over the line. It was a cruel end for the visitors who had held the lead from the 35th minute when Bronagh O'Neill scored their only goal.

That goal put them 1-5 to 1-3 ahead, but Sammon closed the gap with a free only for the excellent Róisín Gallagher to hit back with a point. That was how the score stood until Scully's late opportunism put paid to St Mary's chances.

The early part of the game was well contested with Clady probably slightly the better team and Gallagher proving a handful for the home defence.

The Bellaghy ace hit four of their five points in the first half, and the other came from Roisin Loughlin. A goal from Ciara Sammon in the 21st minute meant that An Phobalscoil went in at the break 1-3 to 0-5 ahead.

O'Neill's goal early in the second half edged Clady ahead but they couldn't hold on and it's Roscrea who will meet Clarin College in the final after the Connacht champions' saw off Laois' Heywood CS by 0-9 to 1-3.

They will play Clarin College Athenry in the Final, after the westerners survived a furious second half assault by a gritty Heywood Community School. Clarin led by 0-7 to 0-0 at half time but Heywood threw everything at them after the restart.

They just gave themselves too much ground to make up however and Clarin had done enough to prevail.

SCORERS FOR COLÁISTE PHOBAL: C Sammon 1-3; F Scully 1-1

SCORERS FOR ST MARY'S: R Gallagher 0-5; B O'Neill 1-0; R O'Loughlin 0-1

COLÁISTE PHOBAL:E Doughan, A Maher, J Cleary, A Ryan, L Ryan, E Gleeson, K O'Meara, S Shanahan, K Hogan, R Conlon, O Phelan, C Flannery, A Scully, F Scully 1-1, C Sammon 1-3

ST MARY'S : E Harkin, S McAtamney, M Mooney, E Convery, M McIlvar, T McErlean, E Graham, Shannon O'Neill, M Mullan, A Cartmill, R Gallagher, A Marron, Sian O'Neill, R Loughlin, B O'Neill. Sub: C O'Kane for B O'Neill


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