Shealy the saviour as O’Loughlin Gaels win Intermediate camogie title

O'Loughlin Gaels are Abbott Intermediate Camogie County Champions for the first time after they defeated Mooncoin in a hard fought match in John Locke Park, Callan last Saturday.

Ruth Crowley opened the scoring with a point from play for the city side. This was followed by another point for O’Loughlin’s when Laura Murphy took a shot on goal, the Mooncoin goalie batted it out and Aisling Butler was quickest to react and slotted over the bar.

Ruth Crowley added her second point to put O’Loughlin’s ahead 0-3 to 0-0 after 13 minutes before Roisin Crowley opened Mooncoin’s account in the 19th minute and the southerners then scored the next three points through Aine Aylward to go a point ahead 0-4 to 0-3.

Heading towards the half time whistle, Laura Murphy tacked over the equalising point to leave the score 0-4 apiece at the interval.

On the resumption of play, Laura Murphy added another point for O’Loughlin’s before Mooncoin hit two points from Aine Aylward and Muireann Gannon.

Laura Murphy equalised with a pointed free and the city side then scored four unanswered points through Danielle Quigley (she had raced out of defence and hit a great point), Emma Poyntz, Laura Greene and Laura Murphy to lead 0-10 to 0-6 after 50 minutes.

In the 52nd minute, Mooncoin cleared the sliotar from defence, Niamh Crowley gathered the ball and found her captain Laura Wall. The latter hit a low shot under the advancing goalie and the net rippled.

Now the match was back to the minimum and Laura Murphy fired over a free after she was fouled herself, to put them two ahead heading to the end of the match.

But Mooncoin didn’t panic, Aine Aylward slotted over a free, then with 60 minutes gone, the two Crowley sisters combined, Sarah cleared from defence to Niamh and she fired over the equaliser.

The fourth official put up four minutes of additional time on the board and the question now on everyone’s lips, was there going to be a winner or were we heading for extra time.

Into the last minute of the four added, O’Loughlin’s had a saviour, when substitute Aoife Shealy pounced on a loose ball that came out from a ruck, she raced towards goal and she slotted over the bar.

The referee blew the full time whistle a short time later and O’Loughlin’s were champions.

O’Loughlin’s are out next weekend in the AIB Leinster Intermediate Club Quarter Final against Raharney, Westmeath. Time and Venue to be confirmed.

Teams and Scores

O’Loughlin Gaels – Laura Murphy 0-5 (4f), Ruth Crowley 0-2, Aisling Butler, Danielle Quigley, Emma Poyntz, Laura Greene, Aoife Shealy 0-1 each

Mooncoin – Aine Aylward 0-5 (4f), Laura Wall 1-0, Roisin Crowley, Muireann Gannon, Niamh Crowley 0-1 each

O’Loughlin Gaels – Kate Furlong, Ailbhe Galwey, Neasa Galwey, Jen Holohan (Co Captain), Hannah Quinn, Danielle Quigley, Abigael Egan, Laura Greene, Jen O’Keeffe, Aisling Butler, Laura Murphy (Co Captain), Emma Poyntz, Kate Lawless, Ruth Crowley, Ema Lawlor.

Subs – Eva Collins for Kate Lawless, Aoife Shealy for Aisling Butler.

Mooncoin – Ellen Crowley, Marianne Walsh, Niamh Madden, Ava Sutton, Keelin Henebery, Sarah Crowley, Emily Crowley, Muireann Gannon, Laura Dillon Dunphy, Aine Aylward, Jessica Roche, Roisin Crowey, Laura Wall (Captain), Niam Crowley, Hannah Crowley.

Subs – Sarah Hayes for Hannah Cooney, Eimear Quilty for Jessica Roche.