CAMOGIE - The Harps to the power of three in All Ireland Final
The Harps' amazing domination of club camogie continues. The latest leg of their journey took them to Nenagh where for the third year in a row they overcame their challengers, this time in the form of Clare county champions Kilmaley.
The Harps 1-11
Aine Mahony 1-3 (0-3 frees), Aishling Phelan 0-4, Louie Mahony 0-3 (one free, one '45), Joanne Prior 0-1
Kilmaley 3-2
Claire McMahon 2-2 (1-2 frees), Maria Hehir 1-0
The Harps girls remain undefeated at county, provincial and national level and their enthusiasm shows no signs of wilting. They have made a name for Laois camogie and created a story that will be retold for years to come in the homes of Durrow and Cullohill. The ability of the Clare side to score goals was the threatening factor in the showdown as they otherwise built up a very low score.
The defending champions sent out their stall early, showing Kilmaley that the hunger and ability is still as strong as ever.
The Harps full forward Aisling Phelan got the ball rolling with a point in the opening minute after receiving the ball from an excellent side line cut from Denise Quigley 65 metres out. Phelan continued to be a thorn in the side of the Kilmaley defence and added two more points inside the opening six minutes.
Claire Walsh's superb defending fed Joanne Prior who was bundled over giving Louise Mahony a free which dropped short but fell back out to Prior who this time send the ball between the posts.
Claire McMahon, who scored all but one goal of her side's scores, claimed their first point after nine minutes. Aine Mahony responded at the far end before McMahon rattled the Laois net after 13 minutes. Louise Mahony added another from a placed ball and The Harps got rolling again.
Caitriona Phelan began a wonderful move passing to her mid-field partner Louise Mahony beginning what looked like a well rehearsed drill involving all the Mahony sisters and finishing with the youngest, Aine, turning and striking expertly low and hard into the bottom left hand corner.
Kilmaley gave the best possible response in the form of two goals from full forward Claire McMahon with two minutes remaining in the half. The first came from a 21-metre free smashed past the entire Harps defence much to the delight of the large and now very vocal Kilmaley supporters.
McMahon doubled on the clearance of the Harps 'keeper Maeve Brophy for their third goal thanks to a looping, dangerous ball from the young Clare county player Shonagh Enright. Louise Mahoney tried her own trick at the opposite end going for goal from a free but had to be content with levelling the score at half time from the resulting '45.
It was all to play for in the second half. The defending champions, however, showed that they're made of stern stuff and they held Kilmaley to just a single Clare McMahon point in the second half.
Aisling Phelan opened as she began in the first half claiming the first score and Louise Mahony fired over from play straight in front of the posts. As in last year's final Aine Mahony managed to secure her sides victory adding two points at the death.The final score came with three minutes remaining to put a security of three between the sides and The Harps held on to claim their historic third title.
THE HARPS: Maeve Brophy; Elaine Mahony, Aoife Donohue, Catriona Phelan; Denise Quigley, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Claire Walsh; Caitriona Phelan, Louise Mahony; Joanne Prior, Angela Hanlon, Laura Mahony; Elaine Mahony, Aisling Phelan, Aine Mahony. Subs: Laura Saunders for Laura Mahony (55 mins), Denise Cuddy for Prior (61 mins)
KILMALEY: Dympna Killeen; Lisa Kennedy, Denise Lynch, Orla Keane; Eimear Considine, Sarah Reidy, Sinead O'Halloran; Siobhan Maher, Aida Griffey; Helen McMahon, Emma O'Driscoll, Shonagh Enright; Maria Hehir, Claire McMahon, Katie Cahill. Subs: Lorna Higgins for Keane (41 mins), Aishling O'Halloran for Griffey (44 mins)The final score came with three minutes remaining to put a security of three between the sides and The Harps held on to claim their historic third title.
THE HARPS: Maeve Brophy; Elaine Mahony, Aoife Donohue, Catriona Phelan; Denise Quigley, Michelle Fitzpatrick, Claire Walsh; Caitriona Phelan, Louise Mahony; Joanne Prior, Angela Hanlon, Laura Mahony; Elaine Mahony, Aisling Phelan, Aine Mahony. Subs: Laura Saunders for Laura Mahony (55 mins), Denise Cuddy for Prior (61 mins)
KILMALEY: Dympna Killeen; Lisa Kennedy, Denise Lynch, Orla Keane; Eimear Considine, Sarah Reidy, Sinead O'Halloran; Siobhan Maher, Aida Griffey; Helen McMahon, Emma O'Driscoll, Shonagh Enright; Maria Hehir, Claire McMahon, Katie Cahill. Subs: Lorna Higgins for Keane (41 mins), Aishling O'Halloran for Griffey (44 mins)
In brief
Player of the Match - Aine Mahony
All-Star nominee Louise Mahony received the official award with a wonderful display by the captain leading her team to glory. Aisling Phelan, Elaine Mahony and Michelle Fitzpartick were all exceptional on Sunday but Aine Mahony was her side's top scorer and the most dangerous player on the field. Kilmaley looked terrified every time Mahony even smelled the ball with her superb goal scoring ability and accuracy with very strike the corner forward is a deserving recipient for this award.
What now?
It was an excellent team performance and an emotional time for all those involved with the club. They are a formidable outfit and have proven that they are well able to rub shoulders with the best. Three All Irelands in a row is no mean achievement and they have shown that they are not just a flash in the pan. It has all come together perfectly for the Durrow/Cullohill team and now they can really build for a bright future. Will the Harps be making their way up to senior ranks in the near future?
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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