Ballincollig land Munster camogie title with strong second half against Moycarkey Borris
Ballincollig celebrating their victory over Moycarkey Borris in the AIB Munster Intermediate Camogie Championship Club final at Mallow. Picture: David Keane.
A strong second half from Ballincollig, the excellent goalkeeping of Ana Hartnett and 2-2 from Leah Hannigan saw them crowned AIB Intermediate Camogie club Champions at Mallow on Saturday.
Moycarkey will wonder how they let this one slip with the missed goal opportunities but all credit to Ballincollig, who dug it out in tough conditions.
A low-scoring opening half with both defences on top saw Moycarkey Borris up by a point, 0-3 to 0-2, at the break.
The Tipp side's keeper Molly O'Dwyer was in action from the throw-in as she denied Tara Goulding with an excellent save. Kate Ralph had the game’s opening score from play on three minutes and with Ailish Scanlon converting a Ballincollig free, the sides were level.
Heavy conditions made for a lot of rucks but both sides battled for every ball. Goulding and Emma O'Sullivan exchanged points as the sides remained deadlocked. We had to wait 17 minutes for the next score as both defences coping with a lot of pressure.
Kate Dowling and Lucy Callanan were impressing in the Moycarkey Borris defence, while Cara O’Sullivan and Aoife Cotter in the heart of the Ballincollig defence were mopping up everything.
Moycarkey Borris upped the pace and had three goal chances in the closing 10 minutes of the half. Alisha Kearny’s ground shot screamed past the upright before Ana Hartnett denied them twice with two excellent saves, the second a one-on-one with Sarah Corcoran.
Alisha Kearney did get a point to edge the Tipp champions in front as the half time whistle sounded.
Sub Blaithin Cunniffe had Ballincollig quickly back level inside two minutes of the restart and a Keeley Goulding free edged them in front. The lively Kate Ralph responded before Moycarkey Borris squandered another goal opportunity as Emma O'Sullivan kicked wide from close range.
Ballincollig upped the gears and in the blink of an eye went two goals clear. Leah Hannigan, Cork U16 captain this year, struck twice inside 30 seconds and it was suddenly advantage Ballincollig.
Moycarkey Borris were now under pressure but Sarah Corcoran get the final touch to bring them back to within a goal. Again it took an Ana Hartnett save to deny Moycarkey Borris an equaliser.
The brilliant Hannigan had two Ballincollig points in quick succession, Ciara Shelly replied with one but a Ballincollig free relieved the pressure as they help out to record a famous victory.
Ballincollig goalkeeper Ana Hartnett was picked as AIB Player of the Game after a superb display.
L Hannigan 2-2, K Goulding 0-2 f), A Scanlon (f), B Cunniffe, T Goulding 0-1 each.
S Corcoran 1-0, K Ralph 0-2, A Kearney, E O Sullivan (f), C Shelly 0-1 each.
A Hartnett; A Cotter, M Healy, C O'Sullivan; O Keating, L Weste, E Hickey; A Scanlon, S Healy; K Goulding, L Hannigan, O O'Leary; C McCarthy, L Dorgan, T Goulding.
Subs: B Cunniffe for O O’Leary (h-t), N O'Brien for S Healy (50), I Fleury for S McCarthy (52).
M O’Dwyer; A Callanan, C Shelly, A McGovern; J O’Keeffe, K Dowling, L Callanan; A Kearney, S Corcoran; E Ralph, E O’Sullivan, M Kinane; K Ralph, C Shelly, S Coughlan.
Dan McKenna (Limerick).
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