PRIMARY SCHOOLS FINALS: Mahon leads the way for brilliant Boardsmill
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Boardsmill NS’s Orlaith Purcell breaks the tackles of Kildalkey NS’s Anna Walsh and Sara Cicha during the Div 2 Camogie final at Trim on Friday. Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net Gerry ShanahanImage 2 of 5
Boardsmill NS captains Orlaith Purcell and Méabh Fitzsimons receive the Div 2 Camogie Cup from Boardsmill NS Principal James Battersby. Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net Gerry ShanahanImage 3 of 5
Boardsmill NS’s Chloe Mahon receives the Spirit of the Final award from Meath Chronicle’s Jimmy Geoghegan. Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.cyberimages.net Gerry ShanahanImage 4 of 5
The Boardsmill NS players (from left) were: back - Tess Mahon, Orlaith Purcell, Beth Mahon, Méabh Fitzsimons, Chloe Mahon, Alannah Walsh, Hannah Farrell, Bobbie Lou Haney, Emily Reilly; front - Fia Reilly, Lillian McKeon, Holly Canty, Caoimhe O’Brien, Sadie Lawless, Annabella Dowdall, Erin Conway, Sophie McLoughlin, Áine Fitzgerald. Photo: David Mullen-www.cyberimages.net David MullenImage 5 of 5
The Kildalkey NS players (from left) were: back - Hannah Kealey, Alice Maguire, Laura Noone, Sara Cicha, Grace Reilly, Elsie Keogh, Freya Sheerin, Aoife Casey, Amelia Fagan, Aefa Geraghty, Katie McNally, Emmeline Tuffin, Katie McGowan; front - Lucy Meenan, Sadie Brennan, Alannah Carroll, Siún Canty, Ella Fagan, Éabha McNamara, Kayleigh Doonan, Anna Walsh, Rose Johnston, Holly Cronjé. Photo: David Mullen-www.cyberimages.net David MullenBoardsmill NS3-8
Kildalkey NS1-2
These two schools from renowned hurling strongholds, produced a real humdinger of a game in this Div 2 Camogie final in Trim on Friday with Boardsmill producing a powerhouse of a second-half display to claim the silverware.
The teams were level 1-2 apiece at the interval but with the help of the strong breeze Boardsmill upped the tempo in the second-half with Chloe Mahon capping a five-star display. She ended up with 2-6 and what was unusual about that final tally was that all her scores were taken after the break. The second-half was the Chloe Mahon Show.
She was unstoppable as she surged forward, time and again to add to her team’s tally, either slotting over the bar or conjuring up one of those power-packed shots from her wide repertoire of skills. Not that she was the only Boardsmill player on song.
There were many others in blue who made their contributions to this victory such as Emily Reilly who helped herself to 1-1 and Tess Mahon who also lofted up a fine score from play. Everybody played their part.
Yet arguably Kildalkey NS engineered the most spectacular goal of the game. It was scored by their commanding goalkeeper and joint captain Aoife Casey. With 18 minutes played, and with her side trailing 0-1 to 1-2, she stepped up to take a free about 25 metres or more inside her own half. Everyone expected her to loft the ball forward. She, instead, drove it shoulder high and with real force. The sliotar flew past Boardsmill ‘keeper Alannah Walsh, who had an excellent game, and into the net.
Anna Walsh and Elsie Keogh also pointed for Kildalkey in that opening half but playing against the strong breeze in the second act they couldn’t add to their account as Boardsmill and Chloe Mahon took control.
Boardsmill NS:Alannah Walsh; Orlaith Purcell, Áine Fitzgerald; Beth Mahon, Erin Conway; Méabh Fitzsimons, Fia Reilly; Tess Mahon (0-1), Chloe Mahon (2-6 three frees); Emily Reilly (1-1), Caoimhe O’Brien. Subs – Holly Canty, Bobbie Lou Haney, Sophie McLoughlin, Hannah Farrell, Lillian McKeon, Annabella Dowdall, Sadie Lawless. Mentor – S Howard.
KIldalkey NS : Aoife Casey (1-0 free); Freya Sheerin, Éabha McNamara; Grace Reilly, Aefa Geraghty; Anna Walsh (0-1), Elsie Keogh (0-1); Ella Fagan, Sara Cicha; Siún Canty, Amelia Fagan. Subs : Lucy Meenan, Laura Noone, Alannah Carroll, Sadie Brennan, Rose Johnson, Siófra Maguire, Alice Maguire, Katie McNally, Kayleigh Doonan, Emmeline Tuffin, Holly Conje. Mentors – Katie McGowan, Hannah Kealey.
Referee : Brian Mullins (Kilmessan NS).