Defiant Dunderry down disappointed Drumree

Dunderry........................................3-10

Drumree..........................................0-9

Considering that a sizeable contingent of their players – “seven or eight” according to one club member - were playing in a junior football final the previous night that went to extra time it was somewhat surprising, and highly admirable, that Dunderry won this Intermediate Camogie final at Trim on Saturday as comfortably as they did.

From the 10th minute, when one of their marquee players, captain Aoife Minogue, fired the ball to the net for the opening goal, they looked the most likely winners. Helped by a second goal, netted by Anna Stenson on 16 minutes, they led 2-4 to 0-5 at the interval and never looked threatened after that.Minogue’s early strike was a potent demonstration of the kind of threat Dunderry carried. Another of Dunderry’s big performers, Maria McLoughlin, delivered a clever, perceptive pass into the path of Minogue who made no mistake from close range. Stenson’s goal on 16 minutes too was brilliantly created and sharply finished to the net.

Dunderry’s third strike on 54 minutes really did finish this game off as a contest. Minogue picked out Coaimhe Keyes who unleashed a stinging shot from about 15 metres out. A micro second later the sliotar was nestling in the Drumree net. The scoreline then stood at 3-8 to 0-7. Game over.

One of the difficulties the team in their distinctive red and white hoops experienced in this encounter was getting any reward from a Dunderry defence that gave nothing away.

Some measure of just how strong and miserly that defence was can be derived from the fact that seven of Drumree’s points came from placed balls with their chief markswoman Louise Griffin landing six points, three frees, three '45's, while Shayla Rattigan also converted a free. Their strong, skilful full-forward Aine McTigue landed Drumree’s only two scores from play, the first of those scored early in the second-half.

Full of running from start to finish Dunderry caused constant problems for the Drumree defence with Minogue underlying just how much of an influence she was in this game by finishing with 1-7, six frees.

Molly Dowd (two) and Niamh Daly were other Dunderry players who superbly finished off highly inventive attacking moves by skilfully slotting the ball over the bar in the second-half.

They too were heroes in a team that never allowed themselves to be diverted from their number one target – victory.

Dunderry: Aoibheann Byrne; Rebecca Lee, Michelle Daly, Seána Duffy; Laoise Ní Laoire, Lucy Crinion, Kate Leavy; Sadhbh Nelson, Rachael Flynn; Anna Stenson (1-0), Aoife Minogue (1-7 six frees), Maria McLoughlin; Molly Dowd (0-2), Niamh Daly (0-1), Clodagh Loughran. Sub: Caoimhe Keyes (1-0) for Leavy 46m.

Drumree: Lisa Donnelly; Megan Doyle, Cliodhna O’Riordan, Aoife Bawle; Ciara Philip, Chloe Morris, Jasmine Wall; Shona Lynch, Eabha Cribbin; Juliette Wall, Shayla Rattigan (0-1), Ellie Dervan; Clara MacCanna, Áine McTigue (0-2), Louise Griffin (0-6 three frees, three '45's). Subs: Chloe Mahon for MacCanna 40m, Chloe Morris for Doyle 44m, Lara Reynolds for Griffin 48m, Karen Dessain-Gelinet for Donnelly 50m, Muireann Ryan for Philip 61m.

Referee : Henri Clifford (Kildalkey).