National title for U16 camógs

All-Ireland U16 'C' camogie final

Cavan 5-5

Wicklow 2-12

Cavan U16 camógs came out on top after a thrilling encounter with Wicklow on Sunday past. Cavan, who finished top of their group dominated, the opening half of this fixture, scoring five goals. In the second half Wicklow closed the gate and after Cavan hit three early points, Wicklow took control scoring 2-3 without reply to leave it a one point game heading into injury-time.

In an incredible exciting game the Cavan defence held strong and had kept a clean sheet until the 58th minute and then conceded a second quickly after. Having gone 26 minutes without a score the girls were on the ropes but found the determination to scrap for the final score of the game with Clodagh Gaffney converting the free.

Although it was Wicklow who got off to the better start in the opening half with a point within seconds of the ball been throw-in and a second just over a minute later. Cavan responded well with Lacken’s Eimear Gannon hitting the back of the net with a super strike in the fourth minute.

Cavan goalkeeper Vivienne King denied Wicklow a goal with a great save but they soon equalised with a point from play. Joint-captain Sarah Devine found herself within the scoring zone as she fired over to get Cavan back in front.

With the game heating up Cavan hit their stride and a goal each from Megan Brady and Kate McSeain raced the girls in blue into a seven-point lead as the second quarter began. Órlaith Whelan sent over two frees for the Garden county before Sarah Devine hit the back of the Wicklow net in the 18th minute.

Cavan’s defence struggled to keep up with a fast-paced Erin Byrne who was knocking over two points from play. Cavan continued to find holes in the Wicklow defence as Sarah Devine bagged a second goal and Cavan’s fifth, six minutes before the break. Wicklow finished the half with two points from Freya Renwick leaving Cavan ahead at the break 5-01 to Wicklow’s 0-09.

After the break silly tackling and frustration seen players from both squads yellow carded in the nineth minute of play. Cavan came out of the traps well with Kate McSeain adding a point after two minutes. Sarah Devine brought her tally to 2-2 with a well taken point a minute later and Kayleigh Browne extended the lead to ten point in the sixth minute.

The tide soon turned and Wicklow dominated putting Cavan’s defence under pressure. After a number of missed chances for both sides, Sadbh Hartley sent over a free for Wicklow ending 14 minutes without a score at either end.

Wicklow added two more frees to close the gap to seven points with six minutes of ordinary time remaining. Wicklow startled the Cavan defence again in the 26h minute with a dropping ball into the square from a free, to Cavan’s relief it was declared a square ball.

Two goals in the final two minutes of ordinary time threw the game into chaos but great leadership from Evana Keenan and Clodagh Gaffney steadied the defence and Cavan soon started to settle again.

A long puck from keeper Vivienne King out the field saw Cavan win a late free, with a cool Clodagh Gaffney stepped up to fire over a long-range point from giving Cavan a slight bit of breathing space with one minute left on the clock. When the final whistle eventually blew a relief came over the Cavan girls as they sealed this All-Ireland title with Eimear Gannon picking up the Player of the Match award.

Cavan: Vivienne King, Faith Dunne, Ciara Brady, Evanna Keenan, Grainne Gilroy, Clodagh Gaffney(0-1f), Eavan O’Sullivan, Molly Smith, Siún O’Sullivan, Rebecca Clarke, Eimear Gannon(1-0), Kate McSeain(1-1), Kayleigh Browne(0-1), Sarah Devine(2-2), Megan Brady(1-0) Subs: Freya McKiernan, Ali Lynch.