Glenealy 6-5, Knockananna 5-6: Glenealy and Knockananna served up pulsating entertainment for the couple of hundred enthralled spectators that were fortunate enough to be present in Avondale GAA grounds last Wednesday night.

Knockananna entered the game as slight favourites by virtue of a comprehensive league victory over the Glenealy girls six weeks ago. Glenealy for their part were chasing a third consecutive title at this grade and determined to prevent the team from the west adding to the under-14 title that they captured with some ease earlier in the month.

The strong Knockananna midfield trio of Rachel Byrne, Ciara Byrne and Aine O'Keefe were winning repeated possession and directly taking on the Glenealy defence. Glenealy adopted a long ball approach, preferring to bypass the Knockananna halfback line and utilise their potent inside forward line to lethal effect.

After five minutes of sustained Knockananna pressure it was Glenealy that struck first, an aforementioned long ball into corner-forward Katie Bouchier that was dispatched to the top corner of the net from all of 25 metres, the first of five goals that were to come off the youngster's stick.

Knockananna opted to start without star centre-forward Aine Byrne and this gamble appeared to have paid off as they pegged Glenealy back over the next ten minutes and opened up a four-point lead with a tally of 2-1 without response.

Her introduction after fifteen minutes should have pushed Knockananna further ahead, however a tighter Glenealy defensive performance than of late saw the teams evenly trade 1-2 over the remaining ten minutes to leave Knockananna leading by 3-4 to 2-3 at the break.

Glenealy opened the second period with a renewed sense of vigour and were rewarded almost immediately with two quick goals that turned this match on its head.

Lottie Cullen and April Dickinson gradually got the measure of their three midfield counterparts, a decisive development that allowed fellow midfielder Stacy O'Neill the freedom to deliver the sort of service that the Glenealy forward line required.

By the time Katie Bouchier's fifth goal arrived Glenealy had stretched out their lead to a comprehensive six points.

A shrewd switch of Aine Byrne back to midfield by the Knockananna management saw them regain some amount of momentum and a total of eight points before the end, however a goal and a point from Stacy O'Neill and April Dickinson ensured that the team in red hung on for a nervous, but deserved two-point victory. Special mention should be made of Knockananna's Jessie Kane and Glenealy's Amy Doyle, defenders that stood up to the mark in every sense of the word.

Glenealy: Michaela Dunne, Nikita Dempsey, Jenny Higgins, Amy Doyle, Lucy Cullen, Stacy O'Neill (1-1), Lottie Cullen (0-2), April Dickinson (0-1), Danielle Doyle, Shaunah Marah, Katie Bouchier (5-1), Emily Stephenson, Charmaine Higgins, Aoife Gaffney, Holly Neary, Jade O'Connor, Michaela Drumgoole, Chelsea Boyle, Fionnuala McDermott, Charlie O'Connor.

Referee: Con Keddy(Kilcoole)

OTHER RESULTS

U-16 B Championship final: Kilcoole 4-5 Avondale 4-0.

The Kilcoole panel was Sinéad Kinsella, Darragh Lacey, Laura Flood, Sarah Burke (1-1), Orlaith Whelan, Aisling McCabe (0-2), Karen Douglas, Caressa O'Toole (0-1), Sinéad Kelly (1-0), Erin Horan (0-1), Aoife Keddy, Sarah Gammell (2-0), Rachel Finnegan, Alana Dole, Tara Brady, Mairead Grennan, Caoimhe Dempsey, Ciara Cunningham, Aisling Reidy U-12 League final: Glenealy 2-2, Knockananna 1-3. All County League semi-finals: Kiltegan 5-9, Donard Glen 2-04; Glenealy 3-7, Knockannna 2-7.

FIXTURES

Camogie County Finals on Saturday, September 11, in Pearse Park, Arklow.

U-12 Championship final: Knockananna v Glenealy at 2 p.m.

Intermediate Championship fInal: Annacurra v Avoca at 3:30 p.m.

Senior Championship final: Glenealy v Kiltegan at 5 p.m.