ALL IRELAND MINOR C CAMOGIE FINAL
KILDARE 2-11
ARMAGH 2-9

After the disappointment of last week Kildare Camogie is celebrating another All Ireland trophy after the Minors gave a determined performance to see off the dogged challenge of Armagh, 2-11 to 2-9 in Drogheda on Saturday, in what was a hugely entertaining game, during which fortunes fluctuated throughout and left both sets of supporters checking their heart monitors at the end.
Armagh had the advantage of a stiff breeze in the first half and led by 0-5 to 0-2 after twelve minutes four points from the stick of the excellent Sinead Kirwin two from frees and two from play and one from Aoife Crilly. Full forward Emer O Reilly kept Kildare in touch with two fine points from play. Following a fallow period Kildare's Chanice Corcoran sprung to life and within a couple of minutes had her team back in the game first with a point and then a minute later her shot from out on the corner dropped in to the top left hand corner of the Armagh net. In the remainder of the half three points from Kirwin and two from Reilly left it all square Kildare 1-5 Armagh O-8 at halftime.
With the wind in their backs it might have been expected the advantage lay with Kildare and that was how it seemed. Midfielder Deirbhile Byrne really came into her own as she roamed from attack to defence taking the game by the scruff as she helped in putting serious pressure on Armagh and helping her team go into a six point lead during the first twenty minutes with a point early on by Sarah Clancy followed by five points, four from frees and one from play from Player of the Match O Reilly. It looked at that stage that another score would seal it for the Lillywhites. But Armagh's centre forward Laura Smyth was having none of it and time and time again she drove forward on the Kildare defence to apply pressure which was eventually rewarded when a side line ball was collected by Siodhna Woods in just enough space to shoot past the Kildare goalie. A minute later Kirwin pointed from a free to bring it back to a very dangerous two point lead for Kildare. And so it proved as Armagh pressure created a scramble on the Kildare square from which Kirwin managed to get her strike in to rattle the Kildare net to put her team a point up with three minutes to go. Kildare as is their wont did not let the heads drop and drove on to try to salvage the match and just before the whistle Corcoran took possession and her shot was parried by the Armagh keeper only to have Niamh Hegarty on hand to deftly flick it over her head to the net to give Kildare a famous first Minor All Ireland title in its present format.
Manager Frank Hegarty commented afterwards '' I am absolutely delighted that the girls got the ultimate reward for the hard work and commitment that they have put since the beginning of the year. Every one of them out there today gave their all for the cause and we are very proud of them and their achievement. This team have been training since January and under the coaching of Tom O Mahoney and Carol Nolan the girls quickly gelled into a tightly knit group and the bonus is that nearly all of them are still eligible to play minor next year. Tom O Mahoney instilled a total commitment, with a no blame culture which proved to be the backbone of the season. Since the first round defeat by Meath the team improved with every match and the comeback from twelve points down against Carlow proved that it would take a good team to beat us. Armagh pushed us to the wire from being six points up to a point behind with a couple of minutes to go but this teams strength and character were shown when they continued to strive for victory and four quick passes of the ball ended in the back of the net to seal the victory. The management of Tom O'Mahony, Frank Hegarty, Shane Moore, Liz o Donoghue-Byrne & Carol Nolan have been very proud to work with this group of girls.
Next up in August is the Leinster Championship and we will get back together in two weeks to start our preparations for that competition, but, today we celebrate''

Kildare Aisling Delaney, Niamh Phelan, Muireann Fagan, Rachel O Neill, Roisin Nolan, Chloe Donoghue, Niamh Egan, Meabh Walsh, Deirbhile Byrne, Emma Barry, Chanice Corcoran(1-1), Louise Qualter, Niamh Hegarty (1-0), Emer Reilly(0-9, 5F), Sarah Clancy,(0-1), Niamh Fitzgerald, Emer Pierce Kehoe, Jenny Downey, Sophie Fleming, Helen McMillian, Aine O Neill, Ciara Finn, Rebecca Kenny, Kris Brady, Cheyanne Holmes. Tweet

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