Lea Meillouin goals key as Cork minor camogie side beat Limerick to get back on track
Cork's Lea Meillouin battles with Limerick's Tara Hynes at Castle Road. Picture: Picture: David Keane.
A goal in either half from Lea Meillouin and a penalty save late on by Aoife Collins ensured Cork took the spoils in a tough, hard-fought Electric Ireland Minor Camogie championship group game in Castle Road.
After Limerick had enjoyed an early period of dominance, Cork got the boost they needed with Meillouin’s first goal on 22 minutes. They finished the half in control to go up by one, 1-5 to 0-6.
The second half was a tight affair.
Cork keeper Collins denied Limerick an equaliser with a minute left to ensure Cork held out to take their first valuable points of what is a tight group.
Limerick were quick out of the blocks and had opened up a four-point lead inside the opening ten minutes.
They worked the ball in fast to an inside line where the impressive Aoibhinn O’Connor and Rachel O'Grady put their early stamp on the game. Underfoot conditions were soft but good, as the Castle Road pitch held up well, and it made for a fast-flowing game.
Hazel Horgan, Aoibhinn O'Connor, Amber O’Sullivan and Caitlin Nyhan had Limerick points before Lexi Manley converted a Cork free on 13 minutes.
With both sides playing a sweeper, defences were on top. Aoibhinn O'Connor extended the Limerick lead before Cork settled into the game.
A Manley free narrowed the gap and when Leah Hannigan sent a pinpoint pass to Meillouin, she made no mistake, finishing to the net.
Cork upped the pace and took control from here.
Three Manley points without reply had them three in front before Mia Smith had one back for Limerick on the stroke of half-time.
Manley converted a free to put three between the sides again, before Anna Rose Benson ended a 26-minute Limerick drought with a point. Boosted by this score, they pressed up on the Cork defence.
Caitlin Ryan and Hazel Horgan had the sides on level terms again, but again Cork replied with an excellent Cliona Harte point.
As the battle to gain a firm grip continued, the Cork defence was mopping up a lot of Limerick pressure.
With Limerick pushing up it left a lot of space around the middle of the pitch. Cork began to capitalise on this as they drove long ball to their inside line.
It was from a long delivery that Meillouin won possession on the end line and rounding her marker, finished superbly to the corner of the net to put four points between the sides.
Aishling Foley narrowed the gap with a point before Cork conceded a penalty with a minute remaining. Up stepped goalkeeper Emma Doherty, but her effort was stopped on the line by Collins.
As the clock ticked on, Foley and Meillouin swapped points as Cork hung on for a much-needed victory.
L Meillouin 2-1, L Manley 0-6 (0-4 f), C Harte 0-1.
H Horgan, A O Connor, C Ryan (f), A O'Sullivan, 0-2 each, AR Benson, A Foley, M Smith, 0-1 each.
A Collins (Sarsfields); S Donohue (Blarney), A Ashman (Killeagh), T O'Neill (Fr O'Neill's); M Lombard (Ballinhassig, c), C O'Donnell (Sliabh Rua), C Ryan; (Newtownshandrum); C Murphy (Éire Óg), C Hayes (St Catherine's), C Harte (Barryroe), L Manley (Aghabullogue), O Troy (Newtownshandrum); L Meillouin (Inniscarra), E Healy (Éire Óg), L Hannigan (Ballincollig).
S Dwyer (Douglas) for C Hayes 45), A Halpin (Sliabh Rua) for M Lombard (55).
E Doherty; T Hynes (c ), O Barrett, E Herbert; S O’Riordan, A Morrissey, C Long; A R Benson, C Ryan; I O’Brien, A O’Sullivan, M Smith; R O’Grady, H Horgan, A O’Connor.
A Buckley for E Herbert (36), A Foley for R O'Grady (49).
Gavin Donegan (Dublin).
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