Liatroim camogs unseat Ballycran in championship

11 September 2013

LIATROIM, inspired by captain Lisa McAliskey, dethroned Ballycran in the senior county championship final at Clonduff on Sunday.

Lisa, who recently took up the post as camogie regional development officer, ran herself all over the pitch to keep Ballycran at bay and to provide leadership to her young players.

As the game commenced the heavens opened for the opening 20 minutes and both sides struggled to get to grips with the conditions. Ballycran put pressure on the Liatroim goal, but to no avail and it was their rising star, Aimee McAleenan, who open the scoring with a point from open play.

Catherine McGourty converted a free for the holders, but Karen McMullan playing the full forward line added a point and goal to the delight of the Fontenoy supporters.

McGourty added two more points with McMullan on target again for Liatroim.

In true championship fashion the girls in Black and Amber got themselves right back into the game just before half-time with a great finish from Nicola Braniff to leave a point in it at the break, Ballycran 1-3 Liatroim 1-4.

Scores were few and far between due to the treacherous conditions, but the game was full of great skills and total commitment by both sides. Shileen McDonald commanded the full attention of the well organised Ballycran defence led by the skilful Michele Dorrian and Emma Keith. Liatroim’s Grainne O’Higgins and Paula Hughes Ballycran worked tirelessly for their teams at midfield, but it was Aimee McAleenan who got the scoreboard ticking over again for Liatroim with Nicola Braniff pointing for the Ards girls.

With time ebbing away and the defences dominating, every score was priceless and when a Catherine McGourty free found its way to the Liatroim net the holders went into the lead for the first time.

Back game the Liatroim girls and Dearbhla Magee was denied a certain goal by a brilliant save from Ciara McCarthy. From the resulting clearance Ballycran pressed hard to increase their lead to three points, but player of the match, Lisa McAliskey, aided by her brave back line, kept their team in the game.

Liatroim launched an attack which found the dangerous Karen McMullan in the top of the left and she soloed through to crash the sliothar into the roof of the Ballycran net to restore the narrowest of leads.

Ballycran were determined to hold onto their title and they responded well, but the experience in the Liatroim full back withstood the onslaught and set up the counterattack which resulted in a 45.

Ulster Poc Fada champion, Catriona McCrickard, game out of her goal to put the ball over the bar to double the Fontenoys lead.

Time was up and the Liatroim Fontenoys crowned their 125 years celebrations by winning the Division 1 Down Camogie Championship.

Liatroim: C. McCrickard (0-1), N. O’Higgins, C. McGovern, D. McCabe, E. McCrickard, L. McAliskey (capt), E. McCormick, K. O’Higgins, D. Magee, A. McAleenan (0-2), Shileen McDonald, Caitlin McCartan, Grainne Kelly, K. McMullan (2-3). Subs: S. O’Prey, L. Doyle, C. McMullan, L. Cassidy, A. Brown, J. Kelly, E. Kelly, R. Cunningham, O. McCormick, A. McCormick, C. Brown.

Ballycran: C. McCarthy, D. Savage, M. Dorrian, E. Keith, P. Hughes, B. McGrattan, S. McCullough, C. Clarke, C. McGourty (1-3), N. Morgan, N. Braniff (1-1), L. Hughes, B. McGourty, J. Fowler, N. Torney. Subs: N. Mallon, M. Hughes, F. Hughes, M. Gilmore, J. McHugh, O. McCarthy, R. Smyth, C. Woods, E. Dynes, L. Hughes.

Liatroim 2-6

Ballycran 2-4

DOWN SENIOR CAMOGIE FINAL

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