McGraths shine as St Munna’s book final date

St Munna's 3-16, Croydon 0-2

By Gerry Buckley

With Sandra and Sheila McGrath – two of five siblings on the side – scoring all bar a point of their fine winning total of 3-16 between them, St Munna’s put aside a somewhat sluggish start to end up as very comfortable victors against Croydon from London in last Saturday’s All-Ireland camogie junior ‘B’ semi-final, played in cold but pleasant conditions in Abbotstown.

The unsurprising cold weather for early December apart, conditions were ideal for sport on one of many resplendent pitches in the impressive complex. Both teams were well supported from start to finish, but it was obvious from the moment that Sandra McGrath pounced for a rapid-fire brace of goals early in the second quarter – the first was fortuitous – that it would be the Westmeath representatives who would be returning to the same venue next Saturday week to take on Crossmaglen in the decider.

Sandra McGrath converted a second-minute ‘45’ (after her initial free had been deflected over the endline) and her sister Sheila doubled the lead some four minutes later (with Sandra as provider). Both sides almost got in for three-pointers – Croydon’s Laura Brown will be particularly disappointed with her effort – before a Sheila McGrath shot just crept inside the post.

In the 12th minute, the girls in black and green deservedly got on the scoreboard when Brown pointed neatly. Sheila McGrath might have done better with a one-on-one goal attempt, before her sister Sandra slotted over a routine free, leaving the winners 0-4 to 0-1 ahead midway through the first moiety.

The latter then found the net twice within a minute. The first was a fortunate goal from an acute angle, but the second was a clinical finish. Sheila McGrath added 1-1 by the 25th minute, the goal coming after she cut in impressively from the left wing. Sandra then tagged on a well-taken point. In the last action of the first half, fine play by Rebekah McKegney teed up Brown whose goal attempt was well kept out by Bridget Leavy. At the interval, the scoreboard read: St Munna’s 3-6 Croydon 0-1.

The UK champions doubled their tally courtesy of Brigid McMullan within 20 seconds of the resumption of play, but it was to prove to be a false dawn for their large group of supporters as they failed to score again in the time remaining. For their part, the girls in red and white seldom threatened to raise another green flag, but they kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely with well-taken points from open play and placed balls – Sandra McGrath excelled at the latter.

Laura Geoghegan’s 53rd-minute point was the only St Munna’s score of the afternoon not scored by the McGrath sisters, with Sandra (seven – including another ‘45’ and five more frees, of which two were superb long-range strikes) and Sheila (a brace of classy efforts from play) sharing the other nine points between them. Despite no lack of effort on their part, the young Croydon ladies seldom threatened, albeit McMullan ought to have done better in the 40th minute when Leavy batted the sliotar to safety.

St Munna’s have now won two successive matches by huge margins. However, the Armagh champions are sure to be a different kettle of fish on December 16 in Abbotstown.

Scorers – St Munna’s: Sandra McGrath 2-10 (0-6f, 0-2‘45’), Sheila McGrath 1-5, L Geoghegan 0-1. Croydon: L Brown, B McMullan 0-1 each.

St Munna’s: Bridget Leavy; Andrea Glynn, Fiona Glynn, Sinéad McGovern; Rebecca O’Neill, Shauna McGrath, Sandra Carey; Caitríona Egan, Laura Geoghegan; Abbie Reihill, Sheila McGrath, Nessa Burns; Alice Galvin, Olivia Glynn, Sandra McGrath. Subs used: Nicola Burns for Nessa Burns (40), Beibhinn Doherty for Shauna McGrath (50), Caitlín Leavy Aughey for O’Neill (57).

Croydon: Aisleen Campbell Sheehan; Alice Flavin, Gráinne Langan, Orla Kelly; Rachel Callanan, Rebecca Myers, Fiona Crowley; Rebekah McKegney, Chloe Nason; Aoibheann Murphy, Ciara Manley, Nicola Griffey; Brigid McMullan, Laura Brown, Leigh Anne McMahon. Subs used: Patti O’Keefe for Kelly (21), Aoife Gallagher for Flavin (30+1), Niamh Dooley for McMahon (38), Therese Mullaghan for Griffey (46), Jessica Buckley for McKegney (52).

Ref: Paul O’Neill (Armagh).

Examiner's Eye on game

Player of the match

Sandra McGrath (St Munna’s). The corner forward ended up with a whopping personal tally of 2-10, displaying outstanding accuracy from open play and placed balls throughout.

Key moment

Sandra’s quickfire brace of goals just past the midpoint of the first half seemed to set their opponents back in a big way.

Talking point

Both sets of supporters deserve great credit for braving the winter chill to loyally cheer on their respective sides from start to finish.