Sizzling Swatragh cruise as Bellaghy survive extra-time epic in camogie quarter-finals

Bellaghy 5-14 Lavey 3-14 AET

Swatragh 2-22 Ballinascreen 0-10

Swatragh and Bellaghy are through to the Errigal Contracts Derry senior camogie semi-finals after contrasting Round 2A games on Saturday afternoon. While Swatragh, the 2024 champions, won their game with Ballinascreen by a margin of 18 points, Bellaghy were taken to extra time in their derby with Lavey in Páirc Seán de Brún.

The home team got off to a terrific start despite a Lavey point inside 25 seconds from Caitriona Toner. Leah Cassidy struck 1-1 in the next 60 seconds but, despite a lot of possession, Bellaghy couldn’t add another score until Cassidy found the target again in the 12th minute.

That came immediately after a goal from teenager Ríonach McNally who struck a second goal six minutes later, just after Anna Cassidy had hit the net for Bellaghy. McNally quickly added a point to put Lavey ahead by 2-5 to 2-2.

Some poor shooting from Lavey however let Bellaghy off the hook and the teams were level at the break, 2-6 each, with Orlaith Hull finishing the half with the last four points.

Lavey outscored Bellaghy by 0-3 to 0-2 over the first ten minutes of the second half, but Hull pointed two frees to flip that before Aoife Shaw and Anna Cassidy swopped goals. In a tense final ten minutes both teams had goal chances before Carla Collins pointed a late free to draw the teams level at 3-10 each.

Bellaghy started extra time well with points each from Leah Lennon and Caoimhe Chambers and then a goal from Orlaith Hull. Two Carla Collins frees left Lavey a goal in arrears at the break.

Collins stood over a penalty less than a minute into the second period but her shot skimmed over. Nevertheless she reduced the gap to the minimum with six minutes to play. But Orlaith Hull grabbed her second goal and Grace Draine and Anna Cassidy finished Lavey off with points each.

By contrast Swatragh took control early and a goal from Mary Therese McCullagh and some excellent points from Emma Quinn saw them lead by 1-13 to 0-6 at the break, four of the Ballinascreen points coming from Áine Barton frees in the last five minutes of the half.

The second half followed a similar path with Swatragh outscoring their opponents by 1-6 to 0-2 over the first 20 minutes with Shannon Doherty the goal-scorer. Áine Barton brought her personal tally to nine points before the end, eight of those from free. But Emma Quinn registered 13 points including seven from open play as the Davitt’s went through to the semis.

Both Lavey and Ballinascreen get a second bite at the cherry when they face the Round 2B winners in a fortnight. Lavey have drawn Sleacht Néill while the ‘Screen will face Glen.

Bellaghy: O Hull 2-6 (0-5fs), A Cassidy 2-1, L Cassidy 1-3, O McCartney, G Draine, L Lennon and C Chambers 0-1 each

Lavey: RMcNally 2-1, A Shaw 1-0, C Collins 0-8 (6fs, 1 pen), E Collins and M Rafferty 0-2 each, C Toner 0-1.

Swatragh: MT McCullagh 1-4, S Doherty 1-0, E Quinn 0-13 (6fs), D O’Kane and G McNicholl 0-2 each, E Conway 0-1.

Ballinascreen: Á Barton 0-9 (8fs), L McKenna 0-1.