Enniskeane 4-19
Ballyhea 0-9
RUNNERS-UP in 2019, Enniskeane are determined to go one step further in this season’s county intermediate camogie championship. No surprise so that they kicked off this year’s campaign in style at Castle Road with a convincing Round 1 win against Ballyhea.
With some young players making their championship debuts and also fielding without their captain Kate McCarthy and stalwart Orla Coughlan it looked as if Enniskeane would have a huge battle on their hands.
Ballyhea opened the scoring with a pointed free from Kate Kilcommins, however Enniskeane through Cork senior star Orla Cronin responded with two of their own. Sinead Hurley then followed up on a goalkeeper error and crashed the ball to the net for Enniskeane’s opening goal.
Ballyhea responded with two more points from frees, but Enniskeane had five points of their own and then Sinead Hurley, once again, was on the end of a pass from Tara Sheehan to score the Carbery club’s second goal.
Ballyhea had some chances but excellent goal-keeping and defensive play from Enniskeane kept them out, while at the other end Orla Cronin, Laura Mannix and Tara Sheehan all scored as Enniskeane led 2-9 to 0-6 at the break.
With Aisling O’Driscoll and Danielle Carroll commanding the half-back line and Louise Duggan marking Ballyhea’s best player it was a case of one-way traffic in the second half as Enniskeane called the shots. Celine Nyhan, Kellie Scannell and Emma O’Driscoll left nothing past them. Daire O’Brien and Laura Mannix totally bossed midfield and in doing so laid off great ball to create wave after wave of attacks.
Aisling O’Driscoll broke from half back, passed to Orla Cronin who, with meticulous vision, picked out Tara Sheehan – and it led to another goal. A reward for her efforts Cronin then had a superb goal of her own from a Ballyhea puckout.
Also, 16-year-old Deirdre Browne was in great running form and aided by Siobhan O’Driscoll and young Eimear O’Brien fed Orla Cronin, Tara Sheehan and Sinead Hurley, who all impressed. Caitlin O’Donovan when introduced continued the good work done by Louise Duggan.
Ballyhea launched one final attack and in doing so got a free and Kate Kilcommins went for goal, however Kate Corcoran stood firm in the Enniskeane goal and saved this shot to keep a clean sheet. Enniskeane now move on to the third round and will be out again later this month.
Scorers
Enniskeane: Orla Cronin 1-11; Sinead Hurley 2-1; Tara Sheehan 1-4, Laura Mannix, Siobhan O’Driscoll, Eimear O’Brien 0-1 each.
Ballyhea: Kate Kilcommins 0-4f; Roisin Killeen, Rachel Harty 0-2 each; Elaine Crowley 0-1.
Enniskeane: Kate Corcoran; Louise Duggan, Celine Nyhan, Kellie Scannell; Emma O’Driscoll, Danielle Carroll, Aisling O’Driscoll; Daire O’Brien, Laura Mannix; Orla Cronin, Tara Sheehan, Siobhan O’Driscoll; Deirdre Browne, Sinead Hurley, Eimear O’Brien. Sub: Caitlin O’Donovan for L Duggan.
Ballyhea: Chloe Keogh; Laura Dundon, Mary Carroll, Laura Dillon; Isabel Mortell, Roisin Killeen (0-2), Grainne O’Leary; Chloe Dundon, Elaine Crowley; Kate Kilcommins, Jade Hooper, Tara O’Sullivan; Rachel Harty, Jane Foley, Ciara Harty.
