ARMAGH GIRLS SHINE IN SILVERWARE WIN
ARMAGH U16 4-12 WATERFORD U16 4-6
Richard Bullick at Kinnegad
A feel-good day for Armagh gaelic football began with the Under 16 girls claiming the Orchard county’s first ever All Ireland B title for that age group thanks to a deserved victory over Waterford in glorious sunshine in Kinnegad at lunchtime.
It was fitting for the day that was in it that the victorious Orchard captain lifting the trophy should be Ballyhegan’s Moya McGrane, daughter of former Armagh great Paul, before fans headed on to Croke Park to watch the county’s men tackling Kerry.
Derrynoose’s Caoimhe Gollogly led the way with 2-3 for Armagh, though there was also an excellent contribution of 1-5 from Dromintee’s Lily McBennett, daughter of RTE’s Head of Sport Declan McBennett.
A superb start saw the Armagh girls build a nine-point interval lead, but Waterford fought back to close the gap to just two and it took a clinching goal by Cassie Henderson deep in injury-time to put the result beyond doubt.
Henderson had been left out of the starting team because of missing the semi-final victory over Wexford while away winning a brilliant boxing bronze for Ireland in the European Junior Championships in Bosnia.
The multi-talented 15-year-old prowled the sideline like a caged tiger from the 14th minute, before eventually entering the fray early in the second half and it took time to make her mark but Henderson duly had the last word.
She had top-scored when St Ronan’s College had won the All Ireland Under 16 B title back in March and Saturday’s success completed a nice double for several Lurgan girls including accomplished playmaker Aoife McDonald.
The Orchard crew were leading by 10 points when McDonald was sinbinned for a high tackle midway through the third quarter and, despite a Gollogly penalty and another McBennett point, there was just six in it when she returned.
Armagh lost shape in attack in McDonald’s absence, also missed her capacity to pick out inside forwards with lethal kick-passes and, with Waterford’s tails up now, it was difficult to turn the tide again.
A fourth Waterford major in the 56th minute was soon followed by a free and Armagh then had a real let-off when a shot flashed low across their goal and past the far post as the clock ticked towards injury-time.
But McBennett steadied Orchard nerves by converting a free to insure Armagh against the danger of a winning goal and Henderson hit the net a minute later to let the celebrations begin for Fergal Duffy’s side and their supporters.
There may have been some anxious moments during that Waterford fightback but Armagh had put enough in the bank earlier to remain ahead ever since McBennett put them in front with the game’s opening point in the very first minute.
The Orchard’s courage in pushing up on Waterford early on rather than just trying to settle into the final was well rewarded as they went six up inside the first six minutes despite hitting a couple of wides.
Imposing full forward Alannah O’Neill from Dromintee got the second point, Gollogly raised her first green flag after McBennett ran onto the opposition kickout and then the latter converted a free won by McDonald.
Waterford replied with a much-needed goal in the eighth minute but O’Neill quickly replied with a superb point and Gollogly added another from an acute angle before being just wide with a nice shot after McDonald switched play after an audacious reverse off-load.
Armagh’s high-press was making life difficult for Waterford, who were facing claustrophobic pressure, compounded by a scoreboard deficit and energy-sapping conditions, but they did get one kickout away which led to their first point of the day.
With Henderson now warming up, Gollogly scored another nice point early in the second quarter and then a brilliant ball by McDonald should have produced an Armagh goal but the keeper saved at point-blank range from the manager’s daughter Eilidh-Meabh Duffy.
However, the girls in orange went eight up in the 19th minute after a great clean catch inside by towering NI Under 17 netball co-captain Evie McCafferty set McBennett up for a second Armagh goal.
There aren’t as many instances on the female side of the sport of goalkeepers getting involved in outfield play but Gollogly did that for Armagh Under 16s last season, when they won the Ulster gold final.
Carrickcruppen’s Charlotte Havern, who is also a talented soccer player, looked exceptionally comfortable bringing the ball out on Saturday but she also did her goalkeeping job well including a nice catch just after the McBennett goal.
Waterford converted a free though Armagh had a great chance to go further ahead when Mullaghbawn’s Blaithin Carragher shot at the goalkeeper after a great run before a McCafferty turnover led to another McBennett point.
The half ended with the scoreboard showing 2-8 to 0-1 after McDonald hit the inside of the left post high up with a left-footed effort from the acutest of angles on the right and O’Neill confidently split the posts with another well-struck shot from distance.
A Waterford point was the first score after the break, quickly cancelled out by a Gollogly free ahead of Henderson replacing Ruby Murphy of Whitecross and impressive midfielder Emma Hart raised a white flag just before McDonald was sinbinned.
Waterford pointed from play and added a free to chip away at the deficit, but although Gollogly clinically despatched a penalty on 42 minutes to push Armagh 11 clear, this contest was far from over.
Clodagh Power completed her hat-trick with got two quickfire goals midway through the half either side of a McBennett point and, after a scoreless 10 minutes, Waterford hit the Orchard net for a fourth time to put the outcome of this final back in the melting pot.
With Armagh missing opportunities and clearly rattled, a successful Waterford free added to increasing concerns that what had earlier looked like a straightforward win was in real danger of being snatched away but thankfully the nightmare ending didn’t come to pass.
The Player of the Match award went to Hart of Pearse Og, an imposing presence in the midfield of the field for Armagh, before Mullaghabawn man Gerry Doherty proudly presented the trophy to McGrane on behalf of the LGFA.
Her unscripted speech was excellent as she impeccably the Armagh management, match referee and officials, Kinnegad for hosting the game and opponents Waterford before turning to her own players.
Addressing her team, Moya said she hoped this wouldn’t be a last day out in county colours for these girls but that ‘we will all push on’ and mentioned looking up to Armagh’s very successful senior side for inspiration.
The 16-year-old’s mature, considered comments should leave even more egg on the face of the GAA for their much-criticised policy of muzzling Minors captains from speaking after big games which has come under the spotlight lately.
Speaking to the Ulster Gazette afterwards, the modest McGrane expressed satisfaction with her side’s strong start but acknowledged that it would be unrealistic to expect to dominate a final from beginning to end.
“We knew Waterford would have their strong spells too, and they did fight back, but we trust each other and I always had faith that we would come through and win, even though it was tough in the heat. It’s a very special day for us,” she reflected.
Manager Duffy felt his team had an “an outstanding first half, in which Waterford found it hard with our press”, and was delighted that his Orchard outfit’s fearless approach from the off had left them with a sufficient cushion to withstand the opposition comeback.
ARMAGH: C Havern; A Hagan, M McGrane, E Owens; B Carragher, E Melanophy, A Lavery; E McCafferty, E Hart (0-1); L McBennett (1-5; 2f), A McDonald, EM Duffy; R Murphy, A O’Neill (0-3), C Gollogly (2-3; 1-0pen, 0-1f). Subs: C Henderson (1-0) for Murphy (33mins), A McGeown for Hagan (43), J McCreesh for Lavery (46), O Campbell for Carragher (51).
WATERFORD: G Corcoran; R Power, C Cullinan, E Campbell; A McHugh, J Whelan, K Winkle; R Browne, A Tobin; S Peters, T Ni Chrotaigh (0-3; 1f), A Power; C Power (3-1; 0-1f), M McCusker (0-1), E Power. Subs: A Kirwan (0-1) for E Power (ht), S Connolly for Tobin (ht), S Mernin (1-0) for McCusker (43), R Shankey for McHugh (54).
Referee: Ger Canny (Mayo).
