Derry camogs crowned All Ireland champions for second time

DERRY 1-17, MEATH 1-9

Derry were crowned Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Intermediate camogie champions for the second time at St. Tiernach’s Park, Clones on Saturday following a richly deserved eight-point victory over Meath.

This replayed clash was a ferociously physical contest played in blustery conditions but the Jack McGrath Cup is heading to Foyleside after Derry ignored another Meath fightback to find another gear in the final 10 minutes.

The OakLeaf side last won this competition in 2012, also after a replay with joint Derry captains, Aine McAllister and Aoife Ní Chaiside, claiming a second All Ireland medal having been involved all those years ago.

Aoibhin Lally replaced Grace Coleman in midfield for Meath in the only change for either side from the drawn game last weekend.

After an Aoife Minogue free opened the scoring, Mairead McNicholl replied with a fine effort from 40m. There was a fine tempo early on, with both sides eager to lay an early marker. Derry were sharpest last week but Meath showed a bit more from the off this time around.

Derry, backed by a vocal support, opened a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage with scores from Aoife Shaw, a free and a ‘45’, but Brendan Skehan’s side landed four in as many minutes to lead.

This was a game that ebbed a flowed, with clear cut goal chances hard to find, particularly with a couple of fine hooks at either end.

Then came a run of four for Derry. Shaw sent over a disputed free which saw Derry 0-6 to 0-5 ahead. Liz Dempsey consulted with both umpires before awarding the point. This came just moments after Aine McAllister nearly scored a fortuitous goal. Her long-range shot dropped short and goalkeeper Tara Murphy fumbled it off the post and away. It was one of five shots left short by the Oak Leafers in the opening half.

Shaw quickly landed her first from play but the other Aoife, Minogue, followed suit with a neat first from play. Late points from Mary Hegarty and Shaw meant that four of the last five scores went to those in red and white. Like last week, Derry held the half-time lead, this time by just three 0-9 to 0-6.

Eimear McGuigan landed her second to make it a two-score game early in the second half but youngster Leah Lennon typified the Derry effort, eagerly winning Meath deliveries and carrying the possession to launch more attacks.

Abbye Donnelly was upended for an 49th minute penalty, which Minogue buried it before an immediate point from sub Sonia Leonard made it a one point game. It did feel as if Meath had the momentum but they couldn’t sustain this in order to get level, or indeed ahead.

Instead Derry dug deep again, two sublime efforts, one from Mary Hegarty and the other from Shaw turned the tide. Then the goal that clinched the result. Sub Shannon O’Connor netted from an acute angle to put Derry six clear for the first time with just six minutes remaining. They would pull clear with O’Connor and Aine McAllister both on target.

Laura McKenna was awarded ‘Player of the Match’ prior to the Jack McGrath Cup returning to Derry hands once again.

DERRY SCORERS: A Shaw 0-7 (0-3f, 0-2 ‘45’), S O’Connor 1-0; A McAllister 0-3 (0-1f); E McGuigan, M McNicholl, M Hegarty, 0-2 each, D O’Kane 0-1.

MEATH SCORERS: A Minogue 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), E O’Connell 0-1, A Gaffney, S Leonard 0-1 each.

DERRY: N Gribbin, N Quinn, L Lennon, S McGill, R Downey, A Ní Chaiside, L McKenna, D O’Kane, A McGill, M McNicholl, A McAllister, E McGuigan, A Shaw, R McAllister, M Hegarty. Subs: S O’Connor for McGill (27), O Hill for Hegarty (60), E McCloskey for McKenna (60), B McCullagh for Shaw (60).

MEATH: T Murphy, R O’Neill, C Coffey, S Payne, T King, M Clince, L Devine, A Lally, A Minogue, A Gaffney, A Donnelly, O O’Halloran, C Foley, E O’Connell, E Burke. Subs: S Leonard for Lally (half-time), G Connolly for O’Halloran (43), G Coleman for Donnelly (58), E O’Brien for Gaffney (60)

REFEREE: Liz Dempsey (Kilkenny)