Junior Camogie Final Replay

Aughrim 1-4

Annacurra 1-6

Eoin Horkan

Pearse Park

Junior Camogie Final Replay

Last Sunday evening in Arklow gave the chance to the women of Aughrim and Annacurra to lock horns again in what turned out to be a very entertaining camogie final.

The start of the game was played at a fairly frenetic pace but scoring was at a premium in the opening phases of play due to both defenses been very strong on top of that there was a breeze that was difficult to judge. After a period of great defending Annacurra hit the first score from play from Grainne Quigley who judged the breeze to perfection to land a great score from play. This score kicked Aughrim into gear. This led to an Aughrim goal through midfielder Emma Murphy who latched on to the ball in the midfield and hit a ball in towards the goal and after the sticks went flying the ball ended up in the back of the Annacurra net.   Annacurra then hit their purple patch on the scoreboard. The first of these scores coming from the aforementioned Quigley who yet again judged the breeze well hitting another point from out the field.  Annacurra corner forward Sarah Barnes then managed to win a ball out near the sideline and from a very acute angle, she managed to split the posts with a fine point. With the sides now level Annacurra hit what turned out to be a huge blow for Aughrim in the context of the match, wing forward Aisling Shannon latched onto a ball near the 21yard line after a melee near the goal. Shannon hit a fierce shot which rattled the back of the net. From nearly the next attack Shannon then fired over a great score. With the game edging towards the half-time whistle Aughrim fired over a free from Sheenagh Byrne. Leaving the score 1-1 to 1-4 at the half-time whistle.

The 2^nd half started much like the 1^st with both defenses seeming to come out on top. A lot of the play was in the middle third of the pitch. Aughrim hit the first score of the second half after about 6 minutes of play with Sheenagh Byrne hitting over another free from out the field. For the resulting few minutes both teams evened each other out before Annacurra hit a ball in towards the Aughrim square this resulted in some fine defending from Aughrim who eventually got rid of the ball this resulted in a 45 for Annacurra, which Nicole Quigley calmly slotted between the posts. With both defenses been so strong scores were very hard to come by from both sides especially from play. Aughrim hit there next score from a free from Byrne. Annacurra then responded with a fantastic long-range free through Grainne Quigley. With the game edging near the final whistle Aughrim tried everything to get the goal to level it. The game was in its dying moments when they won a free on the 21yard line which Byrne quickly put over the bar. The ref allowed one more attack in which Aughrim managed to manufacture another 21 yard free Byrne was over the free and hit it towards the goal but Annacurra defended heroically and eventually cleared the ball to win the game by two points 1-4 – 1-6.

Aughrim; Grace Harper; Aine O Shea, Eirin O Toole, Aoife Healy; Doireann O Brien, Aoife O Brien, Emer O Toole; Ellen O Hare. Emma Murphy (1-0); Mia O Connor, Kate Campbell, Sheenagh Byrne (0-4f); Annette Keenan, Rachel Campbell, Katie O Byrne

Subs Used: Aoife Bolger for Katie O Byrne, Ava Whelan for Mia O Connor, Amy O Neil for Annette Keenan

Annacurra; Kali Thompson; Nadine Fitzgerald, Eimear Gregory, Cara Robinson; Aisling Quigley, Grainne Quigley (0-3), Sarah Lifely ; Emily Rose Byrne, Niamh Shannon; Grace O Sullivan, Emma Doyle Aisling Shannon (1-1); Sarah Barnes (0-1), Nicole Quigley (0-1f), Ciara Shannon

Subs Used Alison Maules for Ciara Shannon 

U12s A2 Jako Cup Final

U12s A2 Jako Cup Final

Rathnew 2

Greystones Utd B 1

Eoin Horkan

Arklow Celtic FC

Last Saturday in the first of the cup finals was played in sweltering heat in Arklow. The first of these finals between Rathnew and Greystones was what all cup finals should be a close battle between two great sides.

The game started off quite tight with both sides looking nervous when they were on the ball. Rathnew then started to settle themselves down. Rathnew managed to manufacture themselves a free kick after some nice build-up play. Rathnew striker and captain Jamie Moorehouse Hayden took control of the situation. His strike from the free outside the box deflected against the edge of the wall and made its way into the bottom corner of the net. The next section of the game went by with very little incident with Rathnew still slightly on top but not been able to make many penetrating moves.  With the fact it was so warm the teams were allowed a water break halfway through the first half. Whatever was said to the young Greystones boys at the break helped them as they started to get more of the ball this resulted in a great chance just after the break when midfielder Charlie McKenna got hold of the ball in a dangerous position, but just couldn’t keep his shot down as it flew over the bar.

In response, Rathnew industries winger Lennon Mcgettigan Byrne got half a chance but his shot from a narrow-angle just went wide of the post. As the game was edging towards half-time Greystones midfielder Luke Smyth got control of the ball and with a Maradona esque slalom run he got straight through the defense and finished the ball into the back of the net. Leaving the game level at the break

The second half started off very much like the first with both teams containing each other well. Until after some fine build-up lead to a chance for Greystones Jamie Kavanagh who effort was saved well by Rathnew keeper Scott Doyle.  The game started to open up now with Rathnew starting to dominate. This led to two quick-fire chances the first for striker Hayden which was well saved by James O Dowd in the Greystones goal. From the resulting corner, O Dowd made another fantastic save to keep his side in the game. As it looked like the game was heading towards extra time Rathnew hit a sucker punch from a corner with the keeper making a good initial save the ball was rolling around the box. Rathnew poacher Patrick Grezyco managed to get his foot to the ball to put it in the net. That goal ended the game as a contest as Rathnew held possession and closed the game out too gives them a great cup final win.

Rathnew; 1, Scott Doyle, 2  Izzy Richardson 3, Darragh Leavy, 4,  Emmett Ronan 5,, Tynan Read, 6,  Lennon McGettigan Byrne, 8, John Hunter,9,  Jamie Moorehouse Hayden, 10,  Patrick Grezyco

Subs used; 11, Leo Read for Izzy Richardson, 7, Bill Moorehouse for Lennon McGettigan Byrne, Lennon on for Tynan Read 

Greystones 1, James O Dowd, 2, Cian Divilly, 12, Cathal Byrne, 8, Dary Smith, 5Luke Smyth, 6 Charlie McKenna 7 Jamie Kavanagh, 10 Noah Ryan, 11 Sean Barry

Suns used; 9 Thomas Large for Jamie Kavanagh,4 Sebastian Neaw for Sean Barry,13 Joe Creed for Charlie McKenna, 3  Sean O Nualain for Sean Barry 

U12s A1 Jako Cup Final

U12s A1 Jako Cup Final

Coolboy 0

Avonmore A 1

Eoin Horkan

Arklow Celtic FC

The second final of the day was played in yet warmer conditions which led to both teams displaying to us some very open and attacking football.

Coolboy came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders they nearly took the lead from a corner inside the first couple of minutes. Unfortunately for them, the header from Killian O Keefe flew over the bar. There was a carbon copy two minutes later but unfortunately, the effort from the corner flew over the bar. Avonmore striker Mark Reilly almost managed to get in behind the Coolboy defense but the defender stood his ground and Mark shot flew over the bar. Coolboy were in almost complete control of the game when midfielder Lee Doyle got the ball but after getting past a couple of players his effort went just wide of the Avonmore goal. Coolboy fine play was starting to come to the fore as there number 10 ... Cullen got behind the Avonmore defense but his shot flew wide of the near post.

Avonmore chances were few and far between but they did manage to carve the odd chance. From a corner, the ball came back out to the taker Leighton Doyle who cut inside the defender but his effort flew over the bar. Coolboy midfield was still dominant this led to another chance for Lee Doyle who put his shot straight at the keeper. As the half was drawing to a close coolboy winger Eoin .... Was running on to a through ball but the Avonmore keeper got there just in front of him. Leaving  the scores level at the interval

Whatever was said to Avonmore at the break changed this game completely. They came out at the start of the half and started playing some lovely football. This resulted in the finest move of the game with the ball ending up at the feet of the aforementioned Reilly who slid the ball into the corner of the net. The goal came completely against the run of play.  Coolboy kicked back into gear almost immediately creating another chance but after a great shot from Cain Byrne, the Avonmore keeper made a fine save.  Cullen had yet another great chance for Coolboy but yet again the keeper pulled off a fine save.  Keepers were on top in this period with Coolboy goalie Callum Keenaghan pulling off to fine saves in quick succession from Reilly again. Coolboy chances were fading quickly as time ticked on eventually you could see their heads dropping as they tried everything in their power to score but try as they might this never transpire. Avonmore held on for a very hard fought 1-0 win

Coolboy; 1; Callum Keenaghan, 7 Cian Byrne, 4; Thomas Kelly, 11 Eoin,,,, 8 Conor Hamilton 9 Bryan Tullan 3  Killian O Keefe 6, Lee Doyle,,, Cullen

Avonmore 1 , Reece Magee, 2, Oscar Dowling, 3, Joe Sinnott, 5 Leighton Doran 6, Kian Fluskey, 7,  Mark Reilly, 8, Gavin Cullen 12,  Paddy Harper

Subs on 11, Conor Hayes and 10 Ethan Tarmey