It was another ferry run today for the senior camogie squad as they faced Clonduff away for a 2pm throw-in in the Down Senior Camogie Championship. Due to the recent heavy rain, the ground was moderate under foot and would play a significant role in how the match would unfold.
In the first half, Ballycran played towards the northern end with no significant wind advantage to either team as the breeze swept across the pitch from west to east. Clonduff opened the scoreline with a straightforward point from Orla Gribben that would signal the first of many from Clonduff throughout the match. Ballycran quickly responded with a point from Keeva O’Prey who would subsequently have a great game with spells of interception and determination to possess and progress the sliotar.
Clonduff would inch up the scoreboard with two more points from Sara Louise Graffin and Katie McGilligan before McGilligan would take advantage of a slip in Ballycran’s defence minutes before the first water break to strike home the sliotar for Clonduff’s first goal of the day and Ballycran’s Lavery, Breen and McGrattan would ensure that this would be the only goal of the day as their defence held solid despite a series of runs to Ciara McCarthy’s goal.
Catherine McGourty spotted an opening in Clonduff’s half forward line and launched a searing ball to register her first point and score of the day and it wouldn’t be her only one. Across the remainder of the match, Clonduff would hoover up loose balls and convert these to points, improving their score to a final 1-18. Ballycran would chase Clonduff’s scoreline, at times kicking and scuffing the ball desperately off the dead ground as the sliotar showed a determination to stay flat and lifeless. Ballycran’s Mary Gilmore picked up a short puck from Alaidh Smyth as she made a run towards the goal and instantly fired but an alert Niamh Fitzpatrick reacted instinctively and parried away the sliotar for an amazing save.
Still in the first half, Referee Kieran Rice spotted a free for Ballycran about forty metres out from Clonduff’s goal and Catherine McGourty stepped up to drop the sliotar into full forward Mary Gilmore, but a congested goalmouth of Clonduff sticks caused enough confusion for the ball to slip into the net.
In the second half, McGourty would step up two more times to drill a free into the top of the net, followed by a penalty that was put well beyond Fitzpatrick’s reach. At the final whistle, Clonduff stepped across the line 1-18 (21) to Ballycran’s 3-07 (16). The five point differential, some might conclude, represented the marginal difference between these sides as Clonduff took their scores from Ballycran’s loose ball count. Ballycran had a great game and certainly will reflect on a couple of points that bounced off the uprights and Mary Gilmore’s unfortunate miss early in the game. Congrats to Clonduff, hard luck to the girls. On now to play Castlewellan at McKenna Park on the 17th October, throw-in at 2pm.
Portaferry to Strangford starts the journey across to Clonduff for Ballycran’s
camogie squad, management and supporters (CD v BC – 1)
(CD v BC – 2)
(CD v BC – 3)
Kieran Rice throws-in for 2pm (CD v BC – 4)
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Hilltown, nestling on the edge of Clonduff’s playing fields (CD v BC – 23)
