BALLYBODEN St Enda’s produced a stunning performance to defeat league winners St Brigid’s and land the Under-16 A camogie championship title at a wet and cold Naomh Mearnog on Saturday.
Despite the advantage of the elements in the first half, it was Brigid’s who started quicker and got an early point from a free. Little did they know at that stage, however, that it would prove their only score of the final as Boden soon got into their stride.
Emer O’Leary and Jodie White soon popped over a point each before Aine O’Brien got on the end of a scramble in the goalmouth to finish to the net. Almost immediately the same player scored a fine point for a 1-3 to 0-1 lead.
Boden were well on top at this stage with Laura Nagle, Eve O’Donoghue and Aoife Durkin in the half-back line were dominant. Nagle broke through from midfield and played a long pass to O’Brien to finish superbly to the roof of the net for an eight point half-time lead.
Emily Flanagan and Kelli McLoughlin were totally on top throughout the game in midfield, and this gave great confidence to their team-mates. They were greatly assisted in the middle third by Claire Kirwan, Ciara Barnes and Eimear Butler who all worked tirelessly throughout.
And the Boden girls brought an intensity to the second half against the elements that made it nearly impossible for Brigid’s to threaten their goal in the second half.
Ciara O’Neill was composed in goal and had a quiet afternoon, well protected once again by full-back line Sarah Lambert, Captain Fantastic Hannah Hyland and Orla Tevlin.
While Boden continued to dominate, a number of goal chances went begging.
Then, with 15 minutes remaining, the ever dangerous Emer O’Leary gained possession 30 yards out, beat a number of challenges and finished with precision into the bottom corner of the net to put the game beyond any doubt.
