Heartbreak for St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix as Dunboyne crowned Leinster Club Junior Camogie champions

St Lazarian's Abbeyleix suffered AIB Leinster Club Junior Camogie final heartbreak in SETU Carlow on Sunday afternoon as they were defeated by the narrowest of margins by Dunboyne from Meath.

It wasn't without some controversy, however, as Dunboyne's opening score from an Ellen Burke free looked for all the world like it was wide. Still, the umpires put the white flag up, much to the dismay of the St Lazarian's Abbeyleix supporters and management. The linesman, who was right behind the strike, bore the brunt of most of their frustrations, but the score stood somehow.

The Laois side had come into the final off the back of two big wins over St Laurence's of Kildare and Cullion from Westmeath, but weren't able to do enough to get ahead of their Meath opposition as they only led at one stage throughout the contest, and that was after the game's first point.

That opening point came after 20 seconds as St Lazarian's Abbeyleix won the throw-in before the ball was played to the full-forward to split the posts. Dunboyne took over for the next few minutes as they raised four white flags in as many minutes through four different scorers. Ellen Burke and Maeve Clince pointed frees while Laura Reilly and team captain Sinead Hackett fired over points from play.

Holly Brennan got St Lazarian's Abbeyleix a point closer when she opened her account from a free. A second free from Clince was matched by a superb score from Kaylah O'Mara, who was playing her second game in three days, having been on the victorious Ballyroan Minor Ladies team on Friday evening. Laoise Dunne was then unlucky not to raise a green flag when her shot for goal was saved by Bronagh Moran.

Dunboyne increased their advantage to four points with 19 minutes played as Amy O'Hara and Erin Mangan scored a point each. The half ended with Kaylee O'Keeffe and Brennan raising a white flag each from frees as St Lazarian's Abbeyleix went into the dressing rooms down by two points, 0-7 to 0-5.

The Meath champions came out after the restart and got the first two points courtesy of Hackett and Mangan to go in front by four for the second time in the final. Dunican added a second and third point to her name with scores coming in the same manner. Holly Brennan took a free on both occasions, and it was Dunican who got on the end of them. Two more points from Mangan for Dunboyne edged them four in front with 13 minutes of normal time to play.

Then came the score that brought life back into the game again. Brennan stood over a free from the 21-yard line and rifled it into the top corner to put a single point between the sides with seven minutes remaining. Reilly replied with a score down the other end, but it was all St Lazarian's Abbeyleix at this stage. Brennan managed a late point to put a single point between the sides, but it wasn't to be for St Lazarian's Abbeyleix as Dunboyne defended their goal to be crowned Leinster champions.

FINAL SCORE

St Peters Dunboyne 0-12

St Lazarian's Abbeyleix 1-8

SCORERS-St Peter’s Dunboyne: Erin Mangan 0-4 (0-1 free), Laura Reilly, Sinead Hackett, and Maeve Clince (frees) 0-2 each and Ellen Burke 0-1 (free). St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix: Holly Brennan 1-3 (1-2 frees), Katie Dunican 0-3, Kaylee O’Keeffe (free) and Kaylah O’Mara 0-1 each.

ST PETER’S DUNBOYNE: Sinead Clince; Niamh Boyce, Siobhan Synan, Dearbhla Curran; Clodagh Maher, Maeve Clince, Ellie McGovern; Ellen Burke, Anna Kane; Sinead Hackett, Laura Reilly, Niamh O’Connor; Erin Mangan, Amy O’Hara, Eve Cunningham. Subs: Tara Watters for Cunningham (41 mins).

ST LAZARIAN’S ABBEYLEIX: Grace Foxe; Emma Cass, Rachel Cass, Sasha O’Keefe; Kate Kenna, Kaylee O’Keefe, Clodagh Gee; Roisin Fitzgearld, Jill Gaughan; Laoise Dunne, Claire Daly, Kaylah O’Mara; Holly Brennan, Katie Dunican, Katie Doyle.
Subs: Carragh Concannon for Fitzgerald (46 mins) and Alison Kenna for Doyle (51 mins).

Referee: Shane Foley (Carlow)