Offaly 1-7 Wexford 0-7

Report by John Gavin

Only a month after winning the All-Ireland Minor Camogie 'B' title, the Offaly U18s rounded off a great year when they clinched the Leinster 'A' Shield on Sunday afternoon with victory over Wexford at the Dicksboro GAA Grounds in Kilkenny.

While it was a bright sunny afternoon for the match, there was a stiff breeze blowing diagonally down the pitch that the teams had to come to terms with.  Before the game started Offaly made one change to their starting line up and reshuffled their team with Cayla Fletcher coming in and starting in midfield and Katie O'Connell and Ciara Maher moving to their more accustomed positions of wing back and corner back respectively.

Before the throw-in, there was a poignant minute's silence held in memory of Kate Moran of Athenry Camogie Club, who tragically passed away as a result of an accident at a match last week.

The game was a tight affair with every ball battled hard for and scores proving difficult to come by.  The opening score came after seven minutes when Birr's Roisin Kinsella hit over a fine point from a narrow angle.  Wexford replied with 2 points from placed balls before Kinsella levelled the scores when she converted an Offaly free.  With 23 minutes showing on the clock, Faye Mulrooney hit what was to be the decisive score in the match when she came out of a ruck with the ball and slotted it pasy Kate Butler in the Wexford goal. 

 

Almost immediately she followed it up with a point before Wexford replied with a point of their own.  Chloe Fogarty then popped over a point for Offaly but the final scores of the half came from the Slaneysiders when Robyn O'Connor and Sarah Doyle struck points to leave Offaly leading 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval.

The Faithful will have felt quietly optimistic about the second half as they would have the advantage of the stiff breeze. But when play resumed scores proved even more difficult to come by.  A Roisin Kinsella pointed free was sandwiched between two Wexford points to leave the tricolours leading by the minimum, but that was to be Wexford's last score.  As both teams gave their all, Offaly had the final say with two points coming from Caoimhe Darcy and markswoman, Kinsella.

After the match Chairperson of Leinster Camogie, Linda Kenny acknowledged the achievements of the Offaly team this year, commenting that it is the result of excellent development work in the county.  She went on to award Player of the Match to Roisin Kinsella before presenting the Leinster 'A' Shield to captain Orlagh Phelan. 

Offaly team:  Leah Gallagher, Ciara Maher, Nicola Cleary, Hannah Feenane, Katie O'Connell, Orlagh Phelan, Grainne Kennedy, Labhaoise Glynn, Cayla Fletcher, Caoimhe Darcy, Roisin Kinsella, Chloe Fogarty, Sarah Freeman, Faye Mulrooney, Orla Kilmartin. Subs:  Molly Hogan for Chloe Fogarty, Fianait Dooley for Sarah Freeman, Caoimhe O'Donovan for Orla Kilmartin.

Unused subs:  Emily Conlon, Alannah Dooley, Denise Connors, Kacey Larkin, Aine Kennedy, Aoife O'Donovan, Aoife Liffey, Caoimhe Quinn, Sarah Fitzgerald, Stephanie Mahon

Offaly scorers:  R Kinsella 0-4 (2 frees, 1 45), F Mulrooney 1-1, C Fogarty 0-1, C Darcy 0-1.

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