Galway Junior A Championship Final 2005 - Eyrecourt Take Junior Title

by Anne Kearney, PRO, at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe.

Eyrecourt 1-05 Mountbellew/Moylough 0-06

Eyrecourt emerged with two points to spare over a committed Mountbellew/Moylough side in the Galway Junior A Camogie Final at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe.  The East Galway side only scored one point in the second half but that score was enough to see them through in a thrilling encounter despite the lack of scoring proficiency.  The girls from the North East of the County drew first blood when Paula Carrick pointed from play just three minutes into the game. Two minutes later Aisling Fallon set up Elaine O' Sullivan for a second Mountbellew/Moylough score but for the reminder of the half Eyrecourt were to dominate and from once Molly Dunne struck over a pointed free from 45 meteres there was to be no turning back fro the Shannonsiders after that. By the eight minute Molly Dunne had pointed a second free to level the game. When Dunne went for a goal shot from close range free Eyrecourt opportunity to take thelead went a miss but Paula Kenny was quick to find the target and give Eyrecourt a lead that would never relinquish. Dunne added a point from play and at the end of the opening quarter Eyrecourt had established 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

Karena McHugh pointed for Mountbellew/Moylough but two minutes later Eyrecourt broke through for the only goal of the game. Paula Kenny soloed through from midfield before finding Fionnula Larkin whose goal bound effort was brilliantly blocked by Mountbellew/Moylough 'keeper Catherine Nee but the ball rebounded favourably to Siobhan Turley who crashed to the Mountbellew/Moylough net.  In a bid to stamp their authority on the game both Molly Dunne and Yvonne Bradley had goal shots stopped by the Mountbellew/Moylough defence and before the break Mountbellew/Moylough's Paula Carrick had pulled back another point that left scoreboard reading Eyrecourt 1-4 Mountbellew/Moylough 0-4 when the half time whistle sounded.

Eyrecourt continued to charge forward early in the second half but their policy to go for goal kept Mountbellew/Moylough in touch and when Paula Carrick surged through before releasing to Mary Dempsey who split the Eyrecourt posts, the margin was down to two points with over twenty minutes still to play. The decision by Karena McHugh to go for goal proved costly when Susan Earner brought off a good save and minutes later Paula Kenny combined with Yvonne Bradley to force a 45 which resulted in Molly Dunne combing with Fionnula Larkin for a valuable Eyrecourt  point.

Eyrecourt were not to score again in the final quarter but Mountbellew/Moylough despite tremendous pressure were unable to claw back the deficit. Karena McHugh did pull back a point but it was not enough as further chances from McHugh, Paula Carrick and others with amiss.

Eyrecourt: S Earner: C Lynch, M Moran, E Larkin, P McCormack, C Larkin, L McNally: P Kenny (0-1), L A Lyons; Y Bradley, M Dunne (0-3), S McCormack; F Larkin (0-1), S Turley (1-0), C Bradley.
Subs: M Mullary for C Lynch.

Mountbellew/Moylough: C Nee, M Cunniffe, B Dempsey, L McHugh; C Donnellan, C Gavin, C Dempsey; P Carrick (0-2), M Reynolds, A Fallon, C Gardiner, K McHugh (0-2) M Dempsey (0-1), E O'Sullivan (0-1), O Connelly.
Subs: E Donnellan for E O'Sullivan.

Referee: G Smyth.