Maghera reach yet another camogie final

St Patrick’s Maghera 0-15 . . . Cross & Passion Ballycastle 0-9

St Killian’s Garron Tower 1-6 . . . St Louis Ballymena 0-3

There will be a repeat of last year’s Corn Uan Uladh decider after the Christmas break as a consequence of victories in Tuesday’s semi-finals for St Patrick’s Maghera and St Killian’s Garron Tower.

Seven points in the first half from Carla Collins helped St Patrick’s Maghera gain control of their semi-final in rainy Portglenone.

During the first quarter and for most of the second half Cross & Passion gave as good as they got, but it was during the second quarter that Maghera made sure of a place in the decider.

Collins scored twice as Maghera moved 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after just five minutes, but Shannagh Heggarty tightened things at the back with Erin O’Hara pulling off a couple of fine saves and Janey McIntosh’s two points levelled things after 17 minutes.

However Maghera took off with a point from Eimear Doherty a minute later and between then and half time they scored a further six points, five more scores from Collins with a second point from corner-forward Eavann Convery. Those scores put Maghera into a comfortable lead of 0-10 to 0-4 at the break.

A point from Eobha McAlister on the re-start got CPC back into the game and they fought hard to remain in contention, matching Maghera’s intensity and picking off some nice points along the way.

Orlaith Hull, who had entered the game at half time as a sub, quickly picked off two good points during the third quarter with another from Collins in between. Although those were matched by excellent scores from play for Marie Laverty, Mary McArthur and Eobha McAlister, Maghera were always in control of their own destiny.

Ballycastle couldn’t add to their total during the last ten minutes and Carla Collins finished off the scoring with her ninth point a minute from time.

The other game was played in very difficult conditions in Ballymena and that is perhaps reflected in the low score-line of 1-6 to 0-3 for St Killian’s against St Louis Ballymena.

Points from Kady McNeill, Eva McNeill (free) and two from Cara O’Boyle had the Tower four up at the end of the first quarter.

But there was just a point each to record from then until half-time, both of them from frees landed by Eva McNeill and Anna McKillop.
A goal from Orlaith McAlister in the 41st minute left it very difficult for St Louis to get back into the game.

However they fought hard with Erin Coulter’s driving solo runs causing some problems for St Killian’s who will now hope to go one better than their first final last January when they lost by 1-11 to 0-4 to Maghera.

Each team has more than half of last year's starting team available and there should be a cracking finale to the competition at the start of January.

St Patrick's: C Collins 0-9 (3 frees), E Convery and O Hull 0-2 each, K McCloskey and E Doherty 0-1 each

CPC: E McAlister (2 frees) and J McIntosh (1free) 0-3 each, S Deery, M Laverty and M McArthur 0-1 each

St Patrick's: M Hughes, A McWilliams, E Murray, E McCormick, R Doherty, C Conway, B Brolly, E Doherty, K McCloskey, C Mallon, C Collins, G Kelly, E Quinn, C Chambers, E Convery
Subs: O Hull for C Mallon (HT), MT McCullagh for E McCormick (42), A Mulholland for E Quinn (45)

CPC: E O'Hara, C Boylan, O Breen, D McQuillan, E Connolly, S Heggarty, C Delaney, S Deery, T McAfee, E McAlister, J McIntosh, C Dobbin, M Laverty, M McArthur, E McCaughan.
Subs: M Cunning for C Boulan (HT), N McCaughan for T McAfee (37),

Referee: J O'Neill (Armagh)