Roscommon Camogie Senior Club Championship Final: Athleague 0-12 Four Roads 1-6
Athleague made it back-to-back senior titles after a hard fought battle with old rivals Four Roads at Rockfield last Saturday evening. Athleague got ahead early in the game and held on throughout. Four Roads closed the gap to a point in the second half but Athleague pulled away again to win deservedly.
Niamh Coyle was first to score for Four Roads but the defending champions hit six points without reply after that. Points from Niamh Farrell 3 (2 frees), Rachel Fitzmaurice (who was playing well at midfield) and Leanne Kelly (2).
Then Four Roads narrowed the gap with points from Niamh Coyle and a Sarah Kelly free. A long range free from Kelley Hopkins left Athleague ahead by four points at half-time. Athleague 0-7 Four Roads 0-3.
A Rachel Fitzmaurice point stretched the lead to five before Four Roads staged a mini recovery. Sarah Kelly pointed a free and then in the 44th minute she blasted a free to the Athleague net to leave only a point between the teams.
But it was Athleague who finished best and points from Niamh Farrell 2 (one free) and from Rachel Fitzmaurice saw Athleague home safely with a three-point margin.
After the game, the ‘Player of the Match’ award was presented to Athleague’s Rachel Fitzmaurice by the Chairperson of the Roscommon Camogie Board, Geraldine Beattie.
Athleague: P Daly; N Brandon, E Daly, M Tiernan; N Brennan, K Hopkins (0-1), C Whyte Lennon; R Fitzmaurice (0-3), L Fleming; R Brennan, A McGeeney, N Conway; L Kelly (0-2), N Farrell (0-6), F Connell/Jones. Subs: L Keenan for R Brennan, C Ryan for Conway.
Four Roads: B Mannion; K Lawlor, E Lennon, M Glennon/Kelly; A Fallon, P Lennon, M Lohan; S Fallon, D Kelly; S O’Brien (0-1), S Kelly (1-3), N Coyle (0-2); C Kenny, G Dufficy, N Crean. Sub: L Carty for Crean.
Referee: M Ryan
