Fixtures & Results 2012 - JCC

Armoy crowded Champions at Fr Leonard Park

Glen Rovers Armoy Junior Camogs bridged an eight year gap and returned the Antrim Junior Camogie crown back to the Glenshesk Road after defeating St.Mary’s Rasharkin in a gallant performance at Cloughmills Saturday past. Rasharkin, on the other hand, have now suffered their second Junior final defeat in consecutive years having lost to St Pauls last season at Creggan. Glen Rovers set up this championship performance having beaten Portglenone in the quarter final, they then went on to dispose of Loughgiel’s thirds in the semi final at Cloughmills. Rasharkin booked their final berth following a comprehensive defeat of St John’s Carnlough in the semi final at Con Magees having gained a bye in the previous round with Kickhams Ardoyne unable to field. 

This is the third meeting of these sides this season with both teams competing in Division Three Camogie. The girls from Dreen would being going into this fixture full of confidence having collected a remarkable win against Glen Rovers in their last league encounter in July with both sides inseparable in their first tussle back in May.

Credit to St.Brigid’s Cloughmills for providing the setting at Fr Leonard Park in perfect playing conditions, even after all the heavy showers going around. John McKillop was the man in the middle for this evening’s game.   

St Mary’s Rasharkin were first out of the blocks and registered a three pointer after as many minutes. Amy Brennan gathered possession in midfield and went on a pulsating run, she steadied herself and shot for point from thirty yards, much to the raptures of St Mary’s sub bench the ball dropped into the back of the net over the head of Charlene McClafferty on the Armoy line. Three minutes later Marie Hasson entered her name into the score sheet with a great strike from the right hand wing to complete and excellent start for Rasharkin. Glen Rovers Nuala Devlin fired the ball between the sticks following a clever free from Orla McAlinden to Sinead McDonnell. McDonnell then laid off to Devlin who made no mistake from twenty yards. The same player reduced the deficit to two, midway through the half, when she watched her effort sail over the crossbar after an impressive strike. 

Rasharkin enjoyed much possession midway through the half but couldn’t convert their dominance into scores, they found their way through the Armoy defence on several occasions only to lose momentum at the wrong time. With sixteen minutes on the clock Armoy’s Bronagh McDonnell dispatched a free from forty yards out. This shot took a deflection in the Rasharkin backline to send the sliotar goalward beyond Shauna Marie McMullan to give the north Antrim girls the lead for the first time. After twenty minutes of the first half the game came to a sudden postponement when Helena Dalrymple, who was having a positive impression for St Mary’s, was to receive treatment for a suspected dislocated knee. The versatile centre forward was forced to retire following this awful injury as the emergency services were called upon. Stacey Baird replaced Helena in the half forward line. 

Following the break in play both sides did their best to get back into the groove as Armoy settled first and had the ball in the back of Rasharkin’s net for the second time. Orla McAlinden drilled the ball invitingly into the edge of the square as Sinead McDonnell flicked the ball into the roof of the Rasharkin net. St Mary’s responded almost instantly as Caroline Dalrymple landed a sublime effort from the right hand side, but Armoy’s Bronagh McDonnell grabbed the last score of the half when she polished off a tremendous solo run to split the posts from twenty yards. Half time score Glen Rovers Armoy 2-3 St Mary’s Rasharkin 1-2.

Armoy started the second half with wind advantage as the gusts began to swirl around Cloughmills. Shauna Marie McMullan saved Rasharkin from a couple of early chances in the half, the mobile keeper dealt with a couple of certain goal chances to clear her lines quickly. St.Mary’s management introduced fresh legs on the form of Breige Mullaghan and Francesca Hassan to try to swing the game in their favour. The second half was five minutes old when Caroline Dalrymple pointed to reduce the tie to a goal following a brilliant pass from Maeliosa Hardy. Armoy fought back through Nuala Devlin who landed her third point from play after seven minutes.  The north Antrim girls pushed on midway through the half with repeated attacks on St Mary’s defence. Further points from Orla McAlinden and Michelle O’Toole pushed them into a six point lead, however, the game then saw Armoy’s third goal after twenty two minutes and Rasharkin were on the ropes. This was possibly the score of the game involving the Glen Rover’s half forward line who were instrumental in this victory. Nuala Devlin and Orla McAlinden set Bronagh McDonnell on her way as she crashed the sliotar to the back of the Rasharkin net to raise the green flag from an unstoppable shot. Rasharkin grabbed a consolation point from Danielle McAlister who converted a free from range.  Full time score Glen Rovers Armoy 3-6 St Mary’s Rasharkin 1-4.

This was a gallant effort from the Rasharkin girls and management who deserve a lot of credit for their performance, they have progressed from last season and are moving the ball more fluently around the field. The day belongs to Armoy, team manager Aidan McErlaine has reaped the benefits of calling upon some of his "old guard” that have the invaluable experience of winning championship games, Congratulations to him, his squad and backroom staff.

St.Mary’s Rasharkin: Shauna Marie McMullan, Louise McGurk, Emer McLernon, Emer McAlister, Noeleen O’Kane, Maeliosa Hardy (Capt), Shariffa O’Kane, Caroline Dalrymple (0-2), Danielle McAlister (0-1), Amy Brennan (1-0), Helena Dalrymple, Marie Hasson (0-1), Kirby Maria, Emma Hampson and Emer Quigg.

Subs: Stacy Baird, Francesca Hassan, Breige Mullaghan, Niamh McLernon and Sinead Hardy

Glen Rovers Armoy:  Charlene McClafferty, Paula Scally (Capt), Siobhan McDonnell, Rionach Burns, Suzanne Devlin, Una McErlaine, Lucia McCormick, Eimear Stewart, Melissa O’Hara, Nuala Devlin (0-3), Orla McAlinden (1-1), Bronagh McDonnell (2-1), Michelle O’Toole (0-1), Sinead McDonnell and Bronagh Black.

Subs: Jennifer Devlin, Justine Kelly, Leona Devlin, Maggie Scally, Christina McVeigh and Roisin McKee

Referee: John McKillop (Ruairi Og Cushandall)