Ballybacon/Grange make camogie history with their first-ever Tipperary title

COUNTY TIPPERARY JUNIOR C CAMOGIE FINAL

Ballybacon/Grange 2-7 Slieve Felim 0-6

History was made on Saturday when Ballybacon Grange were crowned FBD Insurance County Junior C champions. This was the first year of the new Junior C grade to cater for young clubs such as Slieve Felim and Ballybacon/Grange, who have just begun to field adult teams.
In the case of the winners, the club was established just 12 years ago, with many of the team on Saturday having started their playing careers as Under 6s or Under 8s. There were great scenes of celebration at the final whistle, as Cathy Ryan accepted the cup on behalf of the team – a first-ever adult championship title to add to the league title won earlier in the year.
The seven-point winning margin probably flattered Ballybacon in the end as there was very little between the sides throughout the hour.
The south Tipp side were better at converting their scoring chances and their two goals proved crucial in the end. The game was more about the defence, though, than the forwards, with both backlines producing excellent displays, ensuring a low scoring game ensued.
Ballybacon/Grange’s half backline in particular was superb, especially Emma Guthrie on the wing, who came out with possession and cleared her lines time and time again. As a result it was almost half time before Slieve Felim registered their first score, a pointed 45 from Hazel Ryan.
Ballybacon/Grange were without their influential joint captain and midfielder Alice Ryan through injury and elected to start inside forward Isabelle Cuddihy in the middle of the field. This move worked, with Isabelle’s pace and energy proving fruitful. She pointed a free and scored a point from play in the opening half to put Ballybacon into the lead. Play was up and down the field, with every ball being hard won, as both sets of players showed tremendous heart and determination to win the first-ever Junior C title.

HISTORY MAKERS: The Ballybacon/Grange team and mentors celebrate with the cup after the club won its first-ever adult camogie title when defeating Slieve Felim in the final at The Ragg on Saturday.

Sinead O’Carroll, Katie O’Connor and Cathy Ryan drove at the Slieve Felim rearguard in search of further scores but the Slieve Felim defence stood tall, with Sarah Brennan and Caoimhe McCormack excellent. After 22 minutes Ballybacon’s efforts were rewarded when Clodagh Bourke, who had a great battle throughout the hour with Caoimhe McCormack, gathered clean possession, turned and with the sweetest of strikes buried the ball into the net. This meant that at half time Ballybacon deservedly led 1-2 to 0-1.
Right from the restart there was a greater tempo and flow to the game, with scores coming more frequently than the opening half as nerves dispersed and the game opened up. Huge workrate from the Slieve Felim forwards, in particular Avril Kinnerk and Muireann Treacy, resulted in Hazel Ryan again splitting the posts from both play and frees. These were cancelled out by frees from Isabelle Cuddihy along with second half points from Katie O’Connor and Clodagh Bourke (2).
Slieve Felim’s chances of reining in Ballybacon’s lead suffered a serious blow when they were reduced to 14 players after Sarah Brennan was red-carded. Credit to the players, though, they responded well and worked really hard, with Annie Phelan and Laura Ryan to the fore.

Action from Saturday’s historic day and the County Junior C final between Ballybacon/Grange and Slieve Felim. Midfielder Sinead O’Carroll, Ballybacon/Grange gets away from Joanne Shanahan, Slieve Felim, to set up an attack. Pic: Marty Ryan, Sportsfocus

In the 47th minute they suffered another crucial blow when a shot from distance from Sinead O’Carroll dipped under the crossbar to put Ballybacon into a commanding lead. Hazel Ryan finished with five second half points to bring her and Slieve Felim’s point tally to six. With time running out they went in search of a badly-needed green flag but with the full backline of Ellie McNamara, Eabha Lambert and Keela O’Sullivan and goalie Megan Lonergan on top, the goal they needed never arrived.
For Ballybacon it was a wonderful team performance. All 15 starters and the subs introduced gave it their all to clinch victory and they can take great satisfaction from the performance and result.
Ballybacon/Grange: Megan Lonergan, Ellie McNamara, Eabha Lambert, Keela O’Sullivan, Emma Guthrie, Helen Fitzpatrick, Rebekah Coughlan, Sinead O’Carroll (1-0), Isabelle Cuddihy (0-4, 3 frees), Orla Keating, Katie O’Connor (0-1), Cathy Ryan, Ellen Meagher, Clodagh Bourke (1-2), Niamh Boyle.
Slieve Felim Raparees: Sinead Corcoran, Bridget Ryan, Caoimhe McCormack, Lisa Carey, Aibhlin Kennedy, Sarah Brennan, Roisin Hickey, Annie Phelan, Aoife Shanahan, Greta Ryan, Avril Kinnerk, Laura Ryan, Joanne Shanahan, Hazel Ryan (0-6, 3 fress, 1 45m), Muireann Treacy.
Referee: Eddie Kennedy.