Liberty Insurance All Ireland Camogie Premier Junior Championship.
Roscommon 1-10 Kerry 0-8
Picture Credit: ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy
The Roscommon Camogie Team made the long trip to Tralee to take on Kerry in the first round game of the Liberty Insurance Premier Junior championship on Sunday last. It was a repeat of the National League Semi-Final Roscommon came out on top again yesterday
Roscommon opened brightly and early pressure yielded a 45′ which was converted by Kelley Hopkins. Kerry responded when Jessica Fitzell eluded her marker to shoot a fine point from the wing. Roscommon then added three points without reply; a pointed free and points from play by Niamh Watson and Annette Mc Geeney, after some neat interplay with Niamh Coyle. Centre forward Jacqueline Horgan then burst through the heart of the Roscommon defence for a nice point. With 16 minutes on the clock the Kerry goalkeeper, Michelle O’Carroll, saved brilliantly to deny Sinead O’Brien what looked a certain goal. Kelley Hopkins pointed the resultant ’45. Further good work by Shauna Fallon and Sinead O’Brien set up Annette Mc Geeney for another point. From the puck out Niamh Watson fired over to put Roscommon 0-7 to 0-2 ahead. Then Roscommon enjoyed a lucky break when Shauna Fallon’s attempted shot was fumbled by the Kerry keeper and the sliotar crossed the line. Kerry fought back and added two points from their best player Patricia Diggins but a Niamh Coyle score saw Roscommon go in at the break 1-8 to 0-4 ahead.
Difficult second half
Roscommon faced a strong wind in the second half and their play was not as cohesive or efficient as in the first half. Kerry had reduced the deficit by two points before Annette Mc Geeney added two for Roscommon to restore the gap. Roscommon then wasted a number of scoring opportunities from play and frees while Kerry with less possession added two points. Two pointed frees from Kelley Hopkins in the 21st and 22nd minute kept the scoreboard ticking over. Kerry finished the half strongly with two further points.
Roscommon will be happy to get a win from their first outing. The defence was very steady. Joanne Beattie, Aisling Byrne and Ashling Fallon were prominent throughout. Niamh Coyle and Kelley Hopkins controlled midfield, particularly in the first half. Up front Annette Mc Geeney was top scorer. Niamh Watson was very good in the first half while Sinead O’Brien, Rebecca Brennan, Nora Brennan and Shauna Fallon worked hard and set up a number of scores.
Next weekend Roscommon face Westmeath at home and will hope to collect another two points.
Teams and Scorers
Roscommon: C Connnaughton, A Fallon, P Lennon, A Byrne, S Spillane, E Daly, J Beattie, K Hopkins, N Coyle, N Watson, A Mc Geeney, S Fallon, S O’Brien, R Brennan, N Brennan.
Subs used: D Regan for N Watson.
Scorers: K Hopkins 0-5 (2 45’s, 3 fs), A Mc Geeney 0-4, S Fallon 1-0, N Watson 0-2, N Coyle 0-1.
Kerry: M O’Carroll, M Costelloe, S Murphy, S Horgan, A O’Connor, P Diggin, A Behan, N Leen, E Ryall, O Young, J Horgan, A Maunsell, J Fitzell, L Collins, N Casey.
Subs used: E Houlihan for A Maunsell, R Mc Carthy for A Behan, J O’Keefe for E Ryall.
Scorers: P Diggins 0-6 (2 45’s, 1 f), J Fitzell 0-1, O Young 0-1, L Collins 0-1, J Horgan 0-1.