CAMOGIE NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 2, ROUND 3
Holders eye final spot
WEXFORD 3-9 GALWAY 1-3
Leading scorer Ciara O'Connor on the ball for Wexford.
Wednesday March 10 2010
THE WEXFORD Intermediate camogie team are within one victory of a place in the National League Division 2 final following a comprehensive win over Galway in St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy, on Saturday afternoon last. The victory was as straightforward as the scoreline suggests as the visitors failed to register a second-half score with Wexford in completely dominant form.
That dominance was aided by the availability of several key members of the squad who missed the previous week's drawn game against Down. Fiona Kavanagh, Karen Atkinson, Shelley Kehoe and Ciara Storey all returned to the starting line-up while Nicola Murphy got her opportunity between the sticks in place of Helena Jacob who started for the Seniors.
Early signs were not so good for last year's Division 2 champions. Free-takers Ciara O'Connor and Tracey Murray exchanged early efforts before hesitancy in the defence allowed Ann-Marie Starr to nip in and grab the game's opening goal in the seventh minute.
The goal summed up the start and there was a clear lack of intensity early on from Wexford. Despite points from O'Connor and Stacey Kehoe, it wasn't until Síona Nolan and in particular the tidy Emma Moran began taking control of the middle of the park that the home side blossomed.
Nolan fired an effort into the roof of Susan Earner's net in the 18th minute to give her side the lead, while O'Connor blasted a penalty into the same spot seven minutes later to leave Wexford ahead by four at the break (2-4 to 1-3).
Ciara O'Connor, who had her difficulties from placed balls against Down the previous week, added two further scores in the first eleven minutes of the second-half. Galway were struggling against the breeze but, despite endless pressure, the home side just couldn't put them away.
Finally, the clinching goal arrived in the 47th minute. A fantastic catch in midfield by Ciara Storey allowed substitute Ellen Kelly to find Fiona Kavanagh and she fired from the floor into the Galway net to give Wexford a nine-point lead (3-6 to 13).
Two further scores by O'Connor and a fine point from Nolan helped to round off a well-deserved victory against a Galway side who failed to score in the final 40 minutes of the contest.
Victory in their final group game against Limerick on March 21 will give Wexford top spot in the group and a place in the final on April 24.
- DEAN GOODISON
