Primary Schools Finals: Goal hungry Kilmessan defend crown in sensational style
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Kilmessan’s Aoibheann Fletcher bursts from midfield during the Div 2 Camogie final against st Paul’s Navan. Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net Gerry ShanahanImage 2 of 5
The Kilmessan players (from left) were: back - Aoibheann Fletcher, Vivienne Sykorova, Niamh Duignan, Halle O’Reilly, Caoimhe Byrne, Ella Smith, Laura Roper, Niamh Horan; front - Hannah McDonnell, Aoife Fox, Caragh Byrne, Abbie Roach, Aoife Reilly, Finley Clarke, Katie Martin, Erin Reilly, Sophie Treacy Gerry ShanahanImage 3 of 5
The St Paul’s NS Navan players (from left) were: back - Ellie O’Leary, Lauren Richardson, Ellie O’Gorman, Abbie O’Brien, Caroline Woods, Lydia Jordan, Olivia Quinn, Eva O’Leary, Erin Dempsey; front - Ella Bracken, Maya Moran, Eliza Prior, Ellen Daughton, Katie O’Brien, Katie Conaty, Josie Reddin, Hailey Quinn. Gerry ShanahanImage 4 of 5
Meath Chronicle’s Fergal Lynch and Cumann na mBunscol’s Padraig Farrell presented the Div 2 Camogie final Spirit of the Final award to Kilmessan’s Aoibheann Fletcher. Gerry ShanahanImage 5 of 5
Cumann na mBunscol’s Padraig Farrell presented the Div 2 Camogie cup to Kilmessan captains Halle O’Reilly and Niamh Duignan. Gerry ShanahanDIV 2 CAMOGIE FINAL
Kilmessan NS...4-7
St Paul's NS, Ratoath...1-1
Fergal Lynch
Defending champions Kilmessan cruised to the Div 2 Camogie title with an easier than expected win over a battling St Paul's Ratoath side in Trim on Saturday.
Kilmessan dominated the opening period and took just 90 seconds to get off the mark with Halle O'Reilly pointing. A minute later Niamh Duignan had the ball in the net with a superb low drive into the bottom left corner.
Katie Martin stretched Kilmessan's lead to 1-2 to 0-0 in the eighth minute, but it was resolute defending from St Paul's that kept the Ratoath school in contention.
Aoibheann Fletcher converted a free to extend Kilmessan's lead to six points and when Ella Smith made it 1-4 to 0-0 it looked set to be a long morning for St Paul's.
However four minutes before the break Eliza Prior scrambled a goal for the Ratoath girls to close the gap to 1-0 to 1-4 at the interval and give them hope.
That hope was maintained by a strong defensive start to the second period. Caroline Woods made a string of fine saves including a superb stop to deny Ella Smith, but in the eighth minute of the half Ella Smith stretched Kilmessan's lead with a point and when Halle O'Reilly surged through the middle and batted the ball to the net for her side's second goal it signalled game over.
Ella Smith did manage another point before Katie Martin executed a brilliant catch, turn and finish for Kilmessan's third goal and with two minutes remaining Niamh Duignan converted a '25' to make it 3-7 to 1-0.
Katie O'Brien clipped over Ratoath' first point in the 39th minute, but the last word went to captain Halle O'Reilly who blasted her side's fourth goal to spark wild Kilmessan celebrations.
Kilmessan - Aoife Reilly; Caoimhe Byrne, Aoife Fox, Aoibheann Fletcher (0-1), Caragh Byrne; Halle O’Reilly (2-1), Niamh Duignan (1-1 one '25'); Katie Martin (1-1), Ella Smith (0-3), Laura Roper, Niamh Horan. Hannah McDonnell, Erin Reilly, Sophie Treacy, Abbie Roach, Finley Clarke, Vivienne Sykorova, Natalia Devine Brogan. Mentors: Róisín Carolan, Nessa Farrelly.
St Paul's, Ratoath - Caroline Woods; Ellen Daughton, Maya Moran, Ellie O’Leary, Lauren Richardson; Katie O’Brien (0-1 free), Ellie O’Gorman; Eliza Prior (1-0), Lydia Jordan, Katie Conaty, Abbie O’Brien. Olivia Quinn, Ella Bracken, Erin Dempsey, Josie Reddin, Emma McKenna, Hailey Quinn, Georgia Sherry, Eva O’Leary. Mentors: Emma Martyn, Caoimhe Bird.
Referee - Hayley Kennedy (Culmullen NS).