Mary’s no match for Iosagain
ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES ‘D’ UNDER-18 FINAL
COLAISTE IOSAGAIN………………………… 3-7
ST MARY’S, MACROOM……………………. 0-4
By Daire Walsh
A FIRST-HALF goal blitz proved decisive in The Ragg, Thurles last Sunday afternoon, as Colaiste Iosagain secured the All-Ireland Colleges Camogie ‘D’ title in fine style against an overwhelmed St Mary’s of Macroom.
The Cork school had come into this game in impressive form having comfortably dispatched St Joseph’s, Rochfortbridge, at the semi-final stage, but Iosagain enjoyed an eye-catching route to the final too, and made an excellent start to the proceedings in the Tipperary venue, with a point from Dublin minor Jane Nic an Tuile, quickly followed by a goal from St Vincent’s Shauna Nic Giolla Bhride.
The Booterstown school’s first major of the contest would be added to by a brace of points from Nic an Tuile, before good work for Macroom from Becky Hennigan and Ann Marie Ryan would bring the Iosagain cushion back down to four.
Iosagain were on a roll in the opening period, though, and further goals from Nic Giolla Bhride and Kilmacud Crokes’ Anneka Nic Giolla Rua, as well as points from Roisin Nic Uileagoid and Doireann Ni Mhaoleannaigh, helped the Gaelscoil towards a 3-6 to 0-2 half-time advantage.
With a strong breeze at Macroom’s disposal in the second period, however, Ciaran O Murchu decided to deploy Nic Giolla Bhride would be deployed as an extra defender.
This turned out to be a masterstroke, because even though Iosagain (a sister school to Colaiste Eoin) only added a single further score, courtesy of Nic Giolla Rua, they managed to hold St Mary’s to just two second-half points, which ensured that saw out the game with 12 points to spare after a terrific team display.