The Village finish strong to advance to intermediate camogie decider

The second of the intermediate semi-finals was attended by a very large crowd in the sunshine of Páirc na Ratha.

Both these teams met in the junior county final two years ago and it was a tight affair back then and last Sunday was no different.

It was a hard, physical, tight game.

Mooncoin’s Niamh Crowley got the opening point of the game.

It didn’t take long for the Village women to draw level, a point from play from Niamh Deely.

Mooncoin who had just been promoted from Junior last year showed that they weren’t there just to make up a number.

In response to the Village equaliser, they went three ahead with three points in succession, the pick of them from Deirdre Walsh with an outstanding free from way out the field.

The Village don’t do panic and points from Sophie O’Dywer (two frees) and Niamh Deely brought the sides level for the second time by the quarter hour mark.

At the half time interval the teams were level 0-6 to 0-6

Dee Walsh hit first for Mooncoin with a pointed free early in the second half, but by the 32nd minute James Stephens had struck.

A defensive mistake let the door open for a Village attack and Niamh Deely dispatched the sliotar to the back of the net, the goal edged her side two points ahead.

They say the best thing after conceding a score is to get a score back yourself as quickly as possible.

Mooncoin did just that within a minute of the Village goal when Mooncoin had the ball in the back of the net themselves.
Some very nice work by the forwards saw the sliotar reach the hand of Niamh Crowley and she made no mistake with her shot.

That put Mooncoin back in the lead 1-7 to 1-6.

James Stephens kept chipping away and by the third quarter mark they had a two point lead thanks to scores from Sophie O’Dwyer.

Dee Walsh reduced that margin to a single point a few minutes later to leave it 1-9 to 1-8 in favour of the Village.

James Stephens responded with three unanswered points as the Rachel Leahy, Ciara Delaney and Sophie O’Dwyer left the Village women with one foot in the county final.

The final whistle came shortly after and it was James Stephens who advanced.

Mooncoin did themselves proud in the game against all the odds but the Village showed their experience and having lost last years decider to Barrow Rangers, they badly wanted to get back to the final again and they achieved that.

Teams & Scorers

James Stephens - Sophie O’Dwyer (0-7, 0-5 frees); Niamh Deely (1-2); Ciara Delaney, Rachel Leahy (0-1 each).

Mooncoin - Deirdre Walsh (0-5, 0-3 frees); Niamh Crowley (1-1); Lauren Comerford (0-2).

James Stephens - Lucy McGrath, Chloe Power, Emma Gaffney, Hannah Larkin, Emma Manogue, Aoife Cantwell, Hannah Scott, Michelle Teehan, Anna Doheny, Sophie O’Dwyer, Niamh Deely, Niamh Brennan, Ciara Delaney, Rachel Leahy, Caoimhe Moran.

Mooncoin - Ellen Crowley, Eimear Quilty, Niamh Madden, Marianne Walsh, Emily Crowley, Sarah Crowley, Mairead Corcoran, Laura Dillon-Dunphy, Niamh Fleming, Sarah Hayes, Deirdre Walsh, Roisin Crowley, Niamh Crowley, Laura Wall, Lauren Comerford.

Referee - Liz Dempsey (Thomastown)