Ahane traveled to Crecora on Thursday evening to play Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum in the U16 B Cup Final. Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum were the quickest off the mark and got a point within the opening thirty seconds. However Ahane soon got going and in the fourth minute of the first half they got their first goal coming from centre forward Fiona Herbert. The goal added to Ahane's confidence and they won the next puck out which led to a series of passes that ended with Sarah Cosgrave slotting the ball into the back of the Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum net. Ahane's first point of the game came from Niamh Brennan in the fifth minute. Fiona then added to her previous goal by getting a beautiful point in the eight minute. Ahane played some fantastic interlinking play but Ballyagran/Newtown Shandrum put them under serious pressure and no ball was won easy. Ella Ryan got her name on the score sheet in the second half as she scored Ahane's third point of the half in the eight minute. Never giving up Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum scored a great point coming from the stick of their centre forward Nadine White. Ballyagran/ Newtownshandrum goalkeeper, Maeve Kennedy, made a super save that denied Sarah Cosgrave a sure goal and her defence cleared the ball. Ahane popped over three more points two from Sarah and one from Niamh. Niamh then added to her tally by scoring a stunning goal in the nineteenth minute. While Ahane's forwards worked hard and converted the ball going into them, Ahane's defence worked like trojans for the sixty plus minutes. Abby Murrihy, Aoife Whelan, Rachael Donnellan, Aine Conway, Lucy Cusack, Aine Herbert, and goalkeeper Ava Corrigan has super games making life very difficult for the Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum forwards.
Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum hit a purple patch in the closing minutes of the first half and they scored two goals and two points without reply. The teams went in at half time on a scoreline of Ahane 3-06 Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum 2-04.
The second half started and with it came the torrential rain that poured for the whole thirty plus minutes of the second half. Both teams are to be commended for their level of camogie they played in the shocking conditions, and it shows just how talented all these girls are. Ahane started the half with points coming from Éle Madigan and Niamh Brennan. Ciara Oliver got on the end of a passage of play, that started in the middle of the field, which saw her smash the ball into the back of the net. Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum responded wonderfully to the quick Ahane start and they got their third goal of the game in the ninth minute of the second half. The last score of the game would come from Fiona Herbert who got a point in the twelfth minute of the second half. Both teams battled hard for the remainder of the half but the gap was just too wide for Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum to close. The game ended on a scoreline of Ahane 4-09 Ballyagran/Newtownshandrum 3-04.
Huge well done to both teams on a great match in awful conditions! Congratulations to Ahane on a great team win! Massive thank you on behalf of the club to their fantastic management team of Anne Madigan, Vera Mulcahy, Kevin Donnellan, and Eugene Ryan who have coached the girls all year. Thanks to Mairéad Hussey and Mary Cusack for first aid throughout the year. Thanks to all who braved the weather to come support the girls this evening it was fantastic to see so many from the club out to support the girls!
Ahane: A. Corrigan; A. Conway, R. Donnellan, L. Cusack, A. Murrihy, Á. Herbert, A. Whelan; É. Madigan (Capt), E. Ryan; S. Cosgrave, F. Herbert, C. Keaveney, C. Oliver, N. Brennan, M. Hussey
Substitutions: S. Hogan (2nd 1/2 for L. Cusack), A. O'Hanlon (2nd 1/2 for C. Oliver), H. Coulter (2nd 1/2 for A. Conway), T. Madigan, S. Casey.
Ahane Abu!
