Ahane travelled to Banogue to start their league campaign against Granagh Ballingarry on Saturday evening. On a dull but warm evening both teams battled hard, and scores were few and far between for the first quarter.

Ahane saw some of their younger players get their first taste of senior camogie and the girls showed no fear, putting their bodies on the line to make blocks and hooks to ensure no score was got easily. The scoring opened with Aine Reynolds putting over a free, which would be the first of many stunning scores she got throughout the game. The next score didn’t come until the 10th minute when Granagh Ballingarry got a point. Ahane were quick to response with a well worked puc out from Audrey, that landed with Molly who found Aine who dutifully popped it over the bar. The first water break arrived, and the score was Ahane 0-02 Granagh Ballingarry 0-02.

The next two scores after the water break came from Aine again and they were two absolute beauties of points. Her second one was from a free out near the sideline near mid field. And just for good measure she tacked on another one a minute later to put three points between the teams. It was all Ahane for the next five minutes as points went over from Molly and Aine. Granagh Ballingarry got their first score after the water break in the 26th minute and got two more scores before the referee blew for half time. Scores stood as Ahane 0-07 Granagh Ballingarry 0-05.

Second half got underway and Aine continued her good form as she slotted the ball into the top corner leaving the Granagh Ballingarry keeper no chance to save it. Granagh Ballingarry never let us get too far ahead as they scored two points of their own in response to our goal. However, after a super save by the Granagh Ballingarry keeper Aine got on the cleared ball and batted it to the net to score her second goal of the game. Granagh responded to the goal with a monster score from Rebecca Noonan who got a point from out near the sideline. Granagh Ballingarry made a number of attempts to get through the Ahane defence but were met with a brick wall, with some super catches from Audrey in goal they were denied every time. Sarah Crotty made some fantastic blocks and made life very hard for the Granagh Ballingarry full forward. Score at the second water break was Ahane 2-08 Granagh Ballingarry 0-11. It was all Granagh after the second water break, they for frees and points from play from all over the field. Although Aine and Éle Madigan did get points for Ahane, Granagh Ballingarry continued to claw back the lead and at the 25-minute mark they levelled it and then went ahead, Aine got a last minute free to bring the gap to one, but Granagh won the ball from the puc out and got the score. Full time Ahane 2-11 Granagh Ballingarry 0-19.

A good game of Camogie with some great pieces of team play, and skills on show!

Team:

A. Mitchell; A. Herbert, S. Crotty, E. Ryan, A. Herbert, N. Flanagan, C. Macken; A. Quinn, É. Madigan (0-01); M. Hussey (0-01), A. Reynolds (2-09 (6 frees)), C. Macken, R. Donnellan, A. Nagle, L. Cusack.

Substitutions:

A. Whelan, C. Keaveney, C. Oliver, S. O’Curry, S. McGovern.