Drom & Inch hit formidable early form in rout of Éire Óg

FBD Insurance Senior Camogie Championship Group 2 - Round 1

Drom & Inch  4-16

Eire Og Annacarty 0-08

Drom & Inch got the defence of their senior championship off to a winning start with a comprehensive win over Eire Og Annacarty. From the off Drom-Inch looked the sharper, stronger, and more determined of the two sides and built up a 1-8 to 0-3 lead by half-time against the wind. 

Credit to Annacarty they upped the intensity and work rate and enjoyed a good spell of play at the start of the second half. But they continued to have to work so hard for each score while Drom would break through at different stages of the 60 minutes to score four top-class goals. 

Eimear McGrath was on fire for the home side in the opening half scoring 1-7 of Drom & Inch’s 1-8. The only other score coming from Miriam Campion. Eimear opened Drom’s account with two points from play and a free before Lucy Heffernan responded with a point for the visitors. 

Drom though were on top in most areas of the field with championship debutant and county U16 captain Ciara Cahill particularly impressive with some great touches and passes. Mary Bourke also impressed on the opposite wing while Mairead Eviston was colossal in defence denying Annacarty time and again.  

In the 14th minute, a long delivery by the aforementioned Eviston was collected by Eimear McGrath and despite the attention of three Annacarty defenders she managed to get past and fire the ball home. Danielle Ryan got her first of four points from play two minutes later to make it 1-4 to 0-2. 

Three more points for Eimear McGrath (1 free) helped the current county champions to a 1-8 to 0-3 lead. Annacarty would have no doubt been disappointed with their first-half performance and from the restart they seemed to find another gear and really take the game to Drom. 

Minor All-Ireland winner Danielle Ryan was key to this with two more points from play while Gemma Fox also grew more and more into the game. Despite enjoying more possession they struggled though to create scoring chances and Coaimhe Bourke was rarely troubled on her first game back after her cruciate injury last year. 

The final quarter belonged to Drom as they hit Annacarty for three goals in the space of 10 minutes. Ciara Cahill struck a well-taken goal in the 46th minute while a minute later another powerful run by Mary Bourke resulted in a goal. 

A huge free-from distance from McGrath was followed by a Mary Bourke point from play before Bourke again looked through for a goal. Her shot was brilliantly saved by Aoife Butler in the Annacarty goal. 

However, Siobhan McGrath who had just come off the bench was on hand to knock in the rebound from close range to add to Annacarty’s woes. The lively Ciara Cahill added a point before Eimear McGrath concluded the scoring with a late point.

Drom & Inch: Caoimhe Bourke; Maria Connolly, Christina Brennan, Eimear Cahill; Aine Greed, Anne Eviston, Mairead Eviston; Caroline Shanahan, Niamh Treacy; Ciara Cahill (1-1), Maureen Ryan, Mary Burke (1-1); Eimear McGrath (1-11, 0-7f) Aoife McGrath (0-1), Miriam Campion (0-1).

Subs used: Niamh Long (0-1) for Miriam Campion (inj); Siobhan McGrath (1-0) for Ciara Cahill; Tara Hoare for Maria Connolly; Katie O’Dwyer for Mary Burke; Ciara Cahill for Niamh Treacy (inj).

Eire Og Annacarty: Aoife Butler; Shauna Heffernan, Caoimhe Brady, Orlagh Walsh; Orla O’Brien, Gemma Fox, Sarah Burke; Ciannait Walsh, Lucy Heffernan (0-1); Eibhlis McDonald, Danielle Ryan (0-4), Cora Heffernan; Jean Kelly,  Roseanna O’Donnell, Eva O’Dwyer (0-2, 0-1f). 

Subs used: Rachel O’Dwyer for Lucy Heffernan; Leah Heffernan (0-1) for Cora Heffernan.

Referee: Tommy Ryan (Kiladangan)