MEATH PRIMARY SCHOOLS FINALS: Whitecross NS hit six of the best in 10 goal thriller

Whitecross NS 6-3

St Mary’s NS 4-0

In what was a 10-goal thriller, Whitecross survived a late comeback from St Mary’s Ashbourne and sealed the Developing Schools Camogie Shield at Trim on Thursday.

The superb midfield duo of Eliza Dempsey and Amy deZanet was crucial to Whitecross’s success. Whitecross’s forwards were very clinical as all four attackers raised green flags and Tillie Donnelly scored a brace.

Both sides made a nervy start to the contest before Whitecross made the breakthrough in the seventh minute when Ciara Barron dropped a free into the danger zone which caused a goalmouth scramble before Donnelly finished to the net for her first.

St Mary’s defender Peggy Tsemzang did very well in the 10th minute when she made two goal-line clearances in quick succession, first to deny Emily Delaney and then Aisling Brennan. However, soon after Whitecross scored their second and third goal. When Donnelly’s shot was initially blocked by net-minder Clara O’Brien, Delaney capitalised and rebounded the sliotar into the net.

St Mary’s wing-back Millie Greene got her side off the mark in the 15th minute when she went on a fantastic individual run before she dropped the ball into the net from distance. Just before the break deZanet kept her side ticking with a point and at half-time, Whitecross led 3-1 to 1-0.

Even though they faced a strong breeze, Whitecross continued their momentum after the restart. Dempsey got in on the action with a point before she started a nice move which was polished off when Delaney split the posts.

After being denied a goal early on in the first-half, Brennan made no mistake when she rattled the net in the 32nd minute. Brennan then set up Zoe Kelly for Whitecross’s fifth goal before Donnelly scored her second goal.

To their credit, St Mary’s kept battling and scored three late goals through Abbie Lambe, Freya Davey and Tszemzang. However, it was not enough for the Ashbourne school to get back on terms with the eventual winners Whitecross.

Whitecross NS: Lily Ryan McCann; Aisling Brennan (1-0), Emily Kelly; Clodagh Brennan, Ciara Barron; Eliza Dempsey (0-1), Amy deZanet (0-1); Zoe Kelly (1-0), Tillie Donnelly (2-0); Leah Walsh (1-0), Emily Delaney (1-1). Subs - Orlagh Bolger, Harper Cluskey Kelly, Ella Kennedy, Lily Ella Hagan. Mentors - R Morrissey, J Roche.

St Mary’s NS Ashbourne: Clara O’Brien; Emily Moynihan, Heidi Soden; Millie Greene (1-0), Peggy Tsemzeng (1-0); Niamh Grange, Phoebe Slattery; Orlaith Kennedy, Abbie Lambe (1-0); Abigail Harvison, Moya Dillon. Subs - Chloe Naughton, Ella Eustace, Freya Davy (1-0), Grace Armstrong. Mentors - A O’Connor, A Synnott

Referee : Hannah Kealy (Kildalkey).