Down girls are crowned champions of All-Ireland

Down girls are crowned champions of All-Ireland

9 May 2012

DOWN minor camogs were crowned All-Ireland C champions after they beat Kerry in Naas on Saturday.

Down started brightly with a great point from Brid McGourty, followed quickly by another from their star player and captain, Niamh Mallon. Down’’s Aislinn McFarland, Deirbhile Savage and Anna Rogan exerted great pressure on the Kerry backs, who took time to settle, but the Kerry half forwards then started to attack the Down half backs, running at them in pairs.

Down found this difficult to handle and allowed Kerry to equalise with two points from frees. With Kerry still on the attack, a magnificent save from point-blank range by Down ‘keeper, Orlagh McLogan, settled the Down full back line of of Amey Coulter, Eimear Dynes and Caitlin McCartan and they started to close down Kerry’s feeding players.

At one stage Caitlin literally put her body on the line to keep the sliotar out of the Down net. The action then turned to the other end of the pitch when a great ball from midfield found the elusive Deirbhile Savage.

She pulled on the sliotar with great accuracy and struck the back of the Kerry net to put Down ahead, a lead they never relinquished.

Kerry tried hard to open up the Down defence with penetrating runs and reduced the deficit at half-time to Down 1-6 Kerry 0-5.

Down came out in the second half with manager, Paul Boyle, having made a few positional changes.

Aimee McAleenan was moved into midfield to partner Aoife Keown while Olivia Boyle was switched to centre half back and Maria Higgins to half forward.

This was to prove a key element in Down’s great performance thereafter. Tireless work at midfield by McAleenan and Keown gave the half forwards a constant supply of the ball which was duly converted into points by Niamh Mallon, Maria Higgins and Anna Rogan.

The introduction of Monica McKay also provided Down with another point scorer. With only minutes left on the clock Down led by nine points, but Kerry continued to make attacking runs.

However, they were thwarted time and time again by great interceptions from Nicola O’Gorman, Amey Coulter and the steady Catherine Rocks.

Whilst the whole Down team worked their socks off to ensure their All-Ireland victory at the final whistle, a special mention must be made of the inspirational and humble Niamh Mallon, who not only set up scores, but recorded a personal tally of 0-7 and deservedly won the player of the match award.

Niamh played the whole game through the pain barrier with a broken finger sustained in a club game six days earlier and this surely sums up the character of a true ‘Star of the County Down’.

Down: Orlagh McLogan, Amey Coulter, Eimear Dynes, Caitlin McCartan, Nicola O’Gorman, Maria Higgins (0-2 1f), Catherine Rocks, Olivia Boyle, Aoife Keown (0-1f), Aimee McAleenan, Brid McGourty (0-4 1f), Niamh Mallon (Capt) (0-7), Deirbhile Savage (1-0), Aislinn McFarland, Anna Rogan (0-1), Monica McKay (0-1) on for Aislinn McFarland, Niamh Hazard, Ciara Gibson, Clare Cleland, Clare McGilligan, Danielle McCourt, Deirdre McCabe, Elizabeth Wilson, Jenna Boden, Mary-Clare Grant, Molly McMullan, Niamh Rogers, Nuala Carvill, Rhea Smyth, Shauna O’Neill.

Down 1-16

Kerry 0-10

ALL-IRELAND MINOR C FINAL