A strong Barrow Rangers team reach first Intermediate County Final

BARROW RANGERS  3-15    ST. CLAIRE’S  1-06

By Peter Breen

Barrow Rangers (Paulstown/Goresbridge) reached their first Intermediate Camogie County Final with a comprehensive victory over St. Claire’s (Slieverue/ Kilmacow) on Sunday morning in Thomastown. There was an explosive start to this game with two goals inside the opening two minutes. Having missed a goal chance right from the throw in Rangers made no mistake with their second chance when after some good inter play Shauna Treacy crashed the ball to the net. From the puck out St. Claire’s worked the ball into full forward Caroline Kennedy who made no mistake from close range to level the game. In what would turn out to be a lively opening quarter Rangers found the net again on the ninth minute this time off the stick of Collette Dormer. Within a minute their lead was pushed out to four points when centre back Miriam Bambrick soloed up the pitch and slotted the ball over the bar. The wind which was blowing diagonally down the pitch did tender to favour St. Claire’s but they were failing to take advantage of it as the Rangers defence were giving very little away. A Róisín Breen free put five points between the sides but just before the water break St. Claire’s were thrown a lifeline when an incredible side line cut by Aine Phelan split the posts for a two pointer. Barrow Rangers 2-02 St. Claire’s 1-02. Rangers made the better start to the second quarter, Dormer pointed and this was followed by two from Breen. A converted 45 by Afton Grace broke the sequence and with three minutes of the half remaining Grace would get her side’s only point from play to cut the margin to four points. That was as good as it would get for the Southern ladies. Breen landed another free and in added time Katie O’Byrne pointed to get her name on the score sheet. Halftime Barrow Rangers 2-07 St. Claire’s 1-04. With the wind at their backs Rangers really turned the screw in the opening quarter outscoring their opponents five points to nil. Credit to the Rangers defence who really worked hard to snuff out any chances that St. Claire’s created. Bambrick opened the scoring for the second half. Breen chipped in with three one from a free. While O’Byrne got her second of the match. At the break the scoreboard read Barrow Rangers 2-12 St. Claire’s 1-04. For the final quarter the Southern girls needed to really up the tempo and Rangers needed to avoid giving away any cheap scores. While St. Claire’s gave it their best shot the Rangers defence were rock solid, at the other end Breen knocked over two frees before a pointed free from Grace got her sides first score of the second half. Breen from play and Grace from a free exchanged scores. The final score of the game fell to Rangers substitute Katie Hanlon who in added time soloed through on goal and netted from close range.

Barrow Rangers: Kayla Foley Joyce, Patrice Mullins, Aideen O’ Connor, Mary Wall, Anna Purcell, Miriam Bambrick, Aimee Morrissey, Ellen Purcell, Orla Bambury, Shauna Treacy, Collette Dormer, Johanne Barcoe, Rebecca Holden, Róisín Breen, Katie O’Byrne.

Subs: Aoife Drennan for Holden, Rachel Collier for Barcoe, Chloe Brennan for Wall, Katie Hanlon for O’ Byrne.

St. Claire’s: Cliona Murphy, Rose Sheridan, Aisling Flynn, Abbie Murphy, Kate Sheridan, Laura Mulcair, Eva Doherty, Mairead Kennedy, Orla Phelan, Aine Phelan, Hannah Irish, Afton Grace, Alannah Dolan, Caroline Kennedy, Una Kinsella.

Barrow Rangers Scorers: Róisín Breen 0-10(5 frees) Collette Dormer 1-01, Shauna  Treacy 1-00, Miriam Bambrick 0-02, Katie O’ Byrne 0-02, Katie Hanlon 1-00.

St,. Claire’s Scorers: Afton Grace 0-04( 2 frees 1 45) Caroline Kennedy 1-00, Aine Phelan 0-02( side line)

Referee: Liz Dempsey.