Replay required as Moyle Rovers and Gortnahoe Glengoole play out exciting county final draw

FBD Insurance Junior B Camogie Championship Final

Moyle Rovers 1-11

Gortnahoe Glengoole 1-11

A fantastic free-flowing and highly entertaining Junior B final was enjoyed by the large crowd that attended on Sunday evening. 

With the lead and momentum changing hands throughout the hour at the final whistle both teams were deadlocked at  11 points each. And so a replay this Sunday at 12 noon in the county camogie grounds in now on the cards.  Moyle Rovers got off to a dream start and raced into an early lead with five unanswered points in the opening 10 minutes. 

Their movement and support play was excellent and had Gortnahoe on the back foot with Laura Grace, Hazel Brennan, Ava Wall, and Ava Collins all picking off scores. 

Moyle Rovers were at this stage on top all over with Grainne O’Donnell clearing anything that came her way at full back and Ava Collins and Ellie Franklin winning all the breaks in the middle of the field. 

Credit to Gortnahoe Glengoole they never panicked and led by Sophie Pembroke and Grace Campion they worked themselves into the contest. Points from Aoife Ryan, Kate Laffan, Grace Campion and frees from Sophie Pembroke soon had them back on level pegging.  

Rovers finished the half strong and led at the break 0-8 to 0-6. Gortnahoe Glengoole started the second half the brightest with Grace Campion exceptional.

 Kate Laffan also began to exert her presence more and more into the game and scored some lovely points to put her team into the lead 0-9 to 0-8 with 35 minutes gone on the clock. 

The momentum was now firmly with Gortnahoe and with Leah Bird, Ciara Hogan and Grace Campion on top they got plenty of ball into Kate Laffan and Triona Ryan who were proving to be a handful for the Moyle Rovers defence. 

On the 39th minute Kate Laffan pounced onto a clearance and finished to the back pf the net to the delight of her supporters to make it 1-9 to 0-10. 

Gorthanoe Glengoole would have hoped to have kicked on from here but Moyle Rovers weren’t going to allow that to happen. Eabha Dolan and Hazel Brennan put in a massive shift in the second half and with Ava Collins accurate on frees they kept in touching distance of Gortnahoe throughout the second half. With only a minute left of normal time Moyle Rovers trailed 1-11 to 0-11 when a Ava Collins free from distance went all the way into the back of the net to make it a draw game. 

By now the atmosphere was electric as both sides fought tooth and nail for a winner but it wasn’t to come as the referee blew the full time whistle on a fantastic final and both sides must do it all over again this Sunday at 12 in the County Camogie Grounds.

Moyle Rovers: Makayla O’Donnell; Tara McGrath, Grainne O’Donnell, Meabh O’Regan; Aoife Campion, Sarah Luttrell, Eabha Dolan; Ava Collins (1-4, 1-2f) Ellie Franklin; Roisin McGrath (0-1), Hazel Brennan (0-2), Laura Grace (0-2); Triona Ryan, Ava Wall (0-1) Aoibhe Browne (0-1).

Gortnahoe Glengoole:  Aoife Lanigan; Eimear Nolan, Annie Slattery, Rachel Slattery; Niamh Lanigan, Sophie Pembroke, Eimear Lanigan; Leah Bird, Ciara Hogan; Eimear Power, Grace Campion (0-1), Aoife Ryan (0-1); Katie Dooley, Kate Laffan (1-3), Sarah Coady.

Subs used: Kaylyn Burke.

Referee: Pat Murray (Moneygall)