Derry senior camogie championship continues this weekend
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With Swatragh and Bellaghy already through to the semi-finals later in the month, the focus this Saturday is on the quarter-finals in the Errigal Contracts Derry senior championship and opportunities for upsets with Sleacht Néill and Ballinascreen both facing away games.
Lavey took Bellaghy to extra time in their last game but hadn’t enough scoring power to finish the job. They were able to break down Bellaghy movement in the middle third, but there was a period towards the end of the first half where their shooting could have been better.
As the game went on Lavey’s shooting improved, but they didn’t get as many chances as they had got in the early part of the game. Increasingly they were relying on Carla Collins frees to get them over the line.
Sleacht Néill were using the back door route and they had no problem getting well on top of Newbridge from an early stage in the Round 2B clash. However the tempo dropped after the break and Newbridge picked off a few scores to give the score-lien a more respectable look.
The team is still similar enough to the one that topped Swatragh last year but then fell on their face to Loughgiel in the Ulster semi-final. Swatragh are the only team to have beaten them in the championship for a dozen years. So within Derry they still seem to carry too much experience for other clubs.
Ballinascreen struggled against Swatragh in their last outing relying on Áine Barton to keep them in touch from the dead ball. They also struggled during the league and finished below their quarter-final opponents Glen who had a good first round outing against Bellaghy.
Glen conceded three late points in that game to enter the back door route with what many anticipated would be a manageable enough outing at home to last year’s Intermediate champions Dungiven who hadn’t won a game all season.
Not so! By half time Glen were 4-7 to 0-9 down and in trouble. It took a very late goal from Bronagh Gallagher to force extra-time and they eased their way through that with a goal from Annie Ní Lochlainn.
Glen can’t afford to fall asleep against the ‘Screen who have enough experience to hold out if they get their noses in front.
I can’t see Sleacht Néill slipping up, but there might be a shock result in Maghera.
Errigal Contracts Derry senior quarter-finals
Saturday, September 12
3.30pm in Lavey: Lavey v Sleacht Néill
5.30pm in Glen: Glen v Ballinascreen