Liberty Insurance Premier Junior Camogie All-Ireland Semi-Final
Roscommon 1-9 Dublin 1-5
This was one of the best wins for the Roscommon camogie team in many years as they produced a brilliant display to defeat Dublin and qualify for the All-Ireland final in Croke Park on Sunday the 13th of September, where they will face Laois.
Roscommon reversed a ten-point defeat at the hands of the same opposition earlier in the year to score an outstanding win and now they will head to the final with confidence following this superb victory.
Dublin looked the likely winners at the three-quarter stage but a late surge from Roscommon saw them sweep past the Dubs and into the final. Overall Roscommon deserved to win as they dominated for long stretches.
Roscommon, with Kelley Hopkins in brilliant form from frees and play on her return to the side, led by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break. However Dublin struck for an opportunist goal early in the second half from sub Carolanne Canning, which saw them take the lead.
Roscommon were on top but they became nervous as the game went on and shot a number of bad wides. Then in the 53rd minute Kelley Hopkins’ free was flicked to the Dublin net by Niamh Farrell and suddenly Roscommon were back on top.
Next Kelley Hopkins and Niamh Farrell copper-fastened Roscommon’s great win with late points.
Roscommon will not need to be reminded that when they met Laois earlier in the championship the O’Moore County won by 13 points but if they can reverse a ten-point loss to Dublin then there is no reason why they cannot do the same with Laois and it promises to be a huge day for the game in the county when Roscommon play in Croke Park on Sunday 13th September.
Roscommon: C Connaughton; C Killeen, S Coyle, A Byrne; S Spillane, E Daly, J Beattie; N Coyle, R Fitzmaurice; K Hopkins (0-7), M Fannon, R Brennan (0-1); A McGeeney, N Farrell (1-1), F Connell. Sub: C Curley for Connell.
Dublin: A Spillane; C O’Reilly, G Ryan, D Powell; S McBride, M Kelly, R Noctor; J Brown, R Drohan; A McGrath, G Kelly (0-4), E Gallery; L Devoy (0-1), A McDonald, E Keenan. Subs: E Maher for Brown, S Walsh for McGrath, C Canning (1-0), for McDonald.
Referee: G Coulter.
