Sharp forwards help Piltown power to camogie success over Danesfort
Piltown 2-20 Danesfort 0-8
A fast start proved to be half the battle as Piltown powered their way to a third straight league championship win at the expense of Danesfort.
The winners were out of the blocks quickly, creating a goal chance in the first minute. Sophie Holden’s effort was bravely saved by Bronagh Davis in the ’Fort goal but the ball was kept alive by Piltown and worked out to Kellyann Doyle, who put it over the bar.
The score was a sign of Piltown’s intent to attack quickly and directly. It was a tactic which paid off, as Alice Talbot, Katie Power, Leah Cooney and Doyle again all scored before the home side opened their account in the 18th minute with a free from centre back Olivia Mahony.
The breeze helped Piltown. Danesfort went long with their puckouts, which were won by Piltown, who then counterattacked, with Davis in the Danesfort goal having to bravely deny Ruby Norris with another goal-bound shot.
Olivia Mahony would tack on another two frees before Shauna Mahony scored a fine point from the left side in the 28th minute to bring the deficit to six points. However, that would change after a penalty was awarded in the 30 th minute. Piltown won another puckout through Laura Norris, who delivered the ball to Katie Power on the 21. She released the flying Sophie Holden, who was clean through on goal, but before she could shoot she was upended by a defender. Aoife Norris made the long run up worthwhile, as she drilled the sliotar low and hard to the net.
Grace Farrell had time to score a point from close range when it looked like a certain goal, to finish the half and leave Piltown with a good lead (1-11 to 0-4).
When the teams switched ends the breeze had died down a bit, but Piltown would score into it through another free from Doyle. Danesfort replied with another free of their own from Shauna Mahony, followed with a great score from out on the right wing from Aoife Farrell.
Danesfort were combative in the tackle, but just couldn’t match the pace, movement and quickness of thought of their opponents. Ruby Norris got another from out on the left, matched by one from Niamh Davis as she burst through after Muireann Kelly found her.
Entering the final 10 minutes Piltown were still going for it. Danesfort were still working hard, and were putting on a good display for a team making the big step up from intermediate – they will improve with the experience. That type of experience was paying off for Piltown as a pass from Alice Talbot was caught cleanly by Heather Phelan. She turned looked for a team mate and found the inrushing Kellyann Doyle, who blasted the sliotar to the net.
Clinical and efficient, another goal chance came to the southerners when Heather Phelan had possession and aimed for the bottom right corner. With the ’keeper beaten, it was full-back Ciara Gleeson who batted the ball away for a 45. Doyle put it over the bar to seal an emphatic win for Piltown.
Piltown: Aoife Norris; Karen Duggan, Jenni O’Dea, Lorraine Long; Laura Norris, Aoife Landers, Danielle Carroll; Patsy Kenny, Leah Cooney; Alice Talbot, Kellyann Doyle, Ruby Norris; Grace Farrell, Sophie Holden, Katie Power.
Danesfort: Bronagh Davis; Clodagh Doyle, Ciara Gleeson, Jill O’Brien; Laura Dunne, Olivia Mahony, Muireann Kelly; Aileen Gleeson, Louisa Gilmore; Shauna Mahony, Eva Dunne, Rachel Phelan; Aoife Farrell, Bobbie Brennan, Niamh Davis.