Good win for Lucan senior camogie in championship opener

Senior One camogie

8^th September 2015

Oliver Plunketts ER 2-8 Lucan 3-16

Five unanswered points in the final minutes from a rampant Lucan were enough to finally see off a brave Plunketts challenge in this absorbing championship clash at the Navan Road.

Plunketts made a good fight of this one and were only four points to the bad when Aoife Bugler had a smashing goal after 46 minutes. Game On we thought. Amy Conroy, however, replied immediately with a green flag at the far end and Lucan eased home from there.

The match had begun with Lucan on top. Ciara Casey eventually opened the scoring with a pointed free from a difficult angle after five minutes.

Plunketts were wide with two scoreable frees before Lucan took over and some heavy lifting on the left wing of attack involving Casey, Sarah Collins and Ailbhe Ryan led to an opportunist goal from full-forward Amy Conroy.

Casey and Collins followed up with points while Plunketts eventually found the range at the west end aided by a nice breeze (0-3 to 1-3).

The Lucan forwards were having problems receiving the ball coming out of the low sun and didn’t really begin to settle until Amy Conroy had a brilliant goal on 21 minutes after a superb early pass from midfielder Mairi Moynihan.   

Ali Twomey then began to find her feet after her recent lay-off and slotted a lovely point from 40 metres which was quickly followed by a similar effort from Laura Murtagh just before the break  (2-5 to 0-5).

The scoreline was a fair reflection of the play at that stage.  Moynihan and Orla Beagan were at the heart of (and slightly edging) the battle in midfield.

Lucan started the second half in better form and Twomey had two more morale boosting white flags within minutes.

Beagan then sprinted forward, took on the half-back line and had the point of the day from 30 metres. Game Over we thought. (2-8 to 0-5).

Not a bit of it. Plunketts had a deflected goal. Lucan replied with two more Casey points before Bugler had that second Plunketts’ goal (2-10 to 2-6).

Conroy’s important third goal after 47 minutes was the signal for Lucan to empty the bench and was followed by a string of points from Conroy again, Twomey, Murtagh, Kate Whyte and finally a late free from sharpshooter Casey (3-16 to 2-8)

The Lucan back-four were rock solid throughout and coped very well with everything Plunketts could muster. Four good hurlers who are increasingly inspiring confidence.

Lucan maintained a huge work-rate all over the field for the hour and this – more than anything - wore down the home resistance. The blocking and hooking stats are solid.

Lucan’s superior hurling and increasingly resilient mindsets were obviously important too.  These qualities were best epitomised by powerful wing-backs Claire Rigney and Sarah Cotter.

Ciara Casey had a good second half in particular; winning ball on the ground and linking the play with her quick accurate passing.

Best for Plunketts were Dublin stars Aisling Carolan, Laoise Quinn and Aoife Bugler while keeper Ciara McDonnell, Chloe Rochford and Ciara Carolan acquitted themselves well.

This was a very encouraging display second-half display from Lucan.

Annemarie Courtney at number six was the pivot on which all Lucan’s good work rested. Outstanding display.

Lucan Scorers:  Amy Conroy 3-1, Ciara Casey 0-5 (0-3 frees), Ali Twomey 0-4, Laura Murtagh 0-2, Kate Whyte 0-2, Sarah Collins 0-1, Orla Beagan 0-1.

Lucan : Joelenne Hoary, Sarah Courtney, Niamh Byrne, Siobhan Grimes, Sarah Cotter, Annemarie Courtney, Claire Rigney, Mairi Moynihan, Orla Beagan, Ali Twomey, Ciara Casey, Ailbhe Ryan, Laura Murtagh, Amy Conroy, Sarah Collins, Kate Whyte, Laura O'Mahony, Ailise Dowling, Sam Fitzgerald, Laura Morgan.

SOTS : Annemarie Courtney