CLANN EIREANN RETAIN ORCHARD CROWN
CLANN EIREANN 1-16 CROSSMAGLEN 0-11
Richard Bullick at the Athletic Grounds
Prolific forward Niamh Murray weighed in with nine points, seven of them from frees, as Clann Eireann retained their Orchard crown with an expected county final win over Crossmaglen, who were back in the domestic showpiece after an 18-year-absence.
Niamh Henderson lifted the Marie Hoye Cup as Clann Eireann captain for the fourth year running along with her third Player of the Match award in finals during that time, though the gong could easily have gone to her teenage niece Cassie Henderson.
Starting a county final for the first time, the 16-year-old rising superstar unleashed a thunderbolt shot to the roof of the Crossmaglen net in just the second minute for what would prove the game’s only goal, though she herself later struck the crossbar.
Age group Irish boxing champion Cassie had the last word with a towering point to round off the scoring while another young gun Anna Lavery raised two white flags for Gregory McGonigle’s star-studded team.
To their credit, Cross were far from overawed by facing the back-to-back provincial champions, contributed much to an enjoyable game on a beautiful autumn afternoon in the Athletic Grounds, and can take a lot of encouragement from what was a predictable defeat.
But Clann Eireann maintained their remarkable domestic dominance with their 14th county title triumph in the past two decades, stretching back to when they took the Orchard crown from Cross with victory in the 2006 decider.
The Lurgan giants won more emphatically when the teams met again in the following year’s final and Cross haven’t been back until now, with Aveen Donaldson Bellew the only member of the present team who was also around back then.
A midfielder for Armagh when they won the Ulster title five years ago, Bellew has reinvented herself as a slightly more conservative version of Ethan Rafferty with confident forays outfield, though her fantastic kickouts were the greatest asset for Crossmaglen.
The legendary Lauren McConville was magnificent for Cross, though left hugely frustrated that her superb bursts were almost invariably ended by cynical fouls on an afternoon when neither the referee nor the rules – more on that another time – served the underdogs well.
The baffling lack of any yellow cards deprived the final of a greater sense of fairness along with the likelihood of a closer contest and the tougher test Clann Eireann could have benefited from ahead of their provincial campaign.
However, while Clann Eireann head to Fermanagh to begin their Ulster title defence later this month, many of this Crossmaglen squad dominated by dual players can look forward to the club’s first camogie county final for 21 years.
Carrickcruppen have been Clann Eireann’s regular rivals in local ladies football, with an astonishing 15 county final appearances in the past 17 seasons, but with so much talent coming through, Cross look well equipped to take up that mantle in the seasons ahead.
Lauren McConville and Megan O’Callaghan, who has represented the county in both codes and top-scored for Cross in this final with five points, are key figures for their club but relatively unknown midfielder Christina O’Reilly really caught the eye here.
It is difficult facing Clann Eireann for they have formidable operators all over the field, with no fewer than 13 of McGonigle’s listed starting team having played inter-county football at adult level, the exceptions being hot prospects Cassie Henderson and Erin Melanophy.
As it transpired, Meabh McCambridge didn’t start, but Lavery proved an excellent replacement whereas not having Aoibheann McConville on the field from the off was a considerable blow for Francis Fitzpatrick’s Crossmaglen.
Another former county forward, Mairead Watters, was just used off the bench while the loss of the multi-talented Alex Clarke to professional soccer in Scotland has deprived her gaelic club of a real weapon in attack and the tenacious Eimear McMahon was missed too.
Crossmaglen might have hoped to ease themselves into the big game but Cassie Henderson rifled home a screamer of a shot, which bulged Bellew’s net with exactly 100 seconds gone and Lavery added a fourth minute point.
Fittingly, Crossmaglen’s first score came from their taliswoman Lauren McConville, and it was a memorable one as the 30-year-old All Star cut in from the left, beat five players and hoisted the ball between the uprights.
It was quickly cancelled out at the other end by Niamh Henderson but Crossmaglen replied with the next two scores, a fisted effort from O’Reilly and a point from play by O’Callaghan after Clann Eireann had again lost their own kickout.
Murray kicked a free to punish a foul by Crossmaglen captain Faye Fitzpatrick but it was pulled back straight away by the lively Kellie Shields courtesy of a break through the middle at pace and nice strike on the run.
McConville won a brilliant turnover but Clann Eireann got the next two scores, Niamh Henderson pointing after a Grace Fitzpatrick kick-pass went astray and Cross coughed up possession again in the lead-up to another successful free from Murray.
Caitlin Lenaghan kicked a couple of wides for Crossmaglen but Murray was off-target with a free, though the professional musician pointed from play before converting her next one and an O’Callaghan free left the half-time score 1-7 to 0-5.
Crossmaglen should have had more to show for their sustained pressure late in that opening period, but going in just five points down after conceding a goal so early was a respectable position and meant they were still in the game.
O’Callaghan got the first score after the break, converting a free for a foul on McConville, after a characteristic long-range effort for Clann Eireann by Tiarna Grimes went well wide, but thereafter the champions began turning the screws.
Murray kicked a hat-trick of frees, punctuated by pointing from play – a very controversial score following a mistaken signal by the referee, who should have called play back – to widen the gap to eight points by the 39th minute.
Young Lavery got her second score of the day just after Niamh Coleman stood tall to block a shot by McConville at the other end, though a tug on Lauren by the latter’s sister, Dearbhla, got Cross on the board again with an O’Callaghan free at the end of the third quarter.
Grace Fitzpatrick kicked a nice point for Crossmaglen but they somehow weren’t awarded a penalty when McConville was flattened close to goal – the referee just gave a free which O’Callaghan converted – with no sinbin for Grainne Carville rubbing salt in the wounds.
Cross had a reprieve when Cassie Henderson rattled their crossbar and that woman McConville raised their spirits with a majestic score as again she came down the left, cut in past multiple defenders and lofted a great shot between the sticks.
Murray put six points between the teams with yet another free and her inspirational skipper Niamh Henderson then raised two white flags in quick succession, the second a fisted score after a great save by Bellew to deny Niamh Coleman.
McConville was left frustrated again when blatantly pulled back by county colleague Cait Towe after another blistering burst into the danger zone, with just the free – which she put over herself – and no sinbinning being scant reward.
The excellent Cassie Henderson kicked a fantastic closing score deep in injury-time, barely breaking stride in taking a pass behind her, laying the ball off, getting it back again and then hoisting a towering shot through the posts before the final whistle.
She’s well used to the routine by now but, as always, winning captain Niamh Henderson – son Noah on the podium by her side – spoke with her hallmark mix of humility yet assurance after a warm hug with Marie Hoye’s daughter Aine as she handed over that special trophy.
CLANN EIREANN: C Lawless; E Melanophy, C McCambridge, G Carvill; R Mulligan, M McCann, D Coleman; N Coleman, C Towe; T Grimes, N Henderson (capt; 0-4), A Lavery (0-2); E McConaghy, C Henderson (1-1), N Murray (0-9; 7f). Subs used: E McCafferty for Lavery (52), M McCambridge for McConaghy (55), LM McAreavey for Carvill (62), C Galbraith (62).
CROSSMAGLEN: A Bellew; A McLoughlin, A McMahon, C Dooley; E Kelly, L McConville (0-3; 1f), F Fitzpatrick (capt); G Fitzpatrick (0-1), C O’Reilly (0-1); M O’Callaghan (0-5; 4f), K Shields (0-1), J McCreesh; Claragh Lenaghan, E Cassidy, Caitlin Lenaghan. Subs used: Ellen Lennon for Caitlin Lenaghan (ht), M Watters for Claragh Lenaghan (38), A McConville for Kelly (38), M Luckie for McLoughlin (52),
Referee: David Griffin (Shane O’Neills).
