Ballinteer St Johns Intermediate Team back in the Winners Enclosure in Marlay Park!

 

BSJ teams were back in the winner's enclosure last night in Marlay Park as captain Emma Lane's intermediate camogie team produced a dominant performance to overcome a spirited Faughs challenge on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-3.

 

Ballinteer started like a train into a stiff and cool autumn breeze on pitch 2 with Lisa Webster and Ruth Nolan to the fore, repeatedly cutting through the Faughs rearguard to reach Holly Barr and Sinead Ní Bhaoighail who were causing havoc in the inside line. Some excellent last ditch defending by the Faughs full back and keeper and a little wayward shooting into the wind kept the visitors in touch and the teams were deadlocked at 0-3 apiece at the short whistle.

 

Colm O'Callaghan's charges franked their superiority though in the second period with a dominant display against stubborn and skilful opponents. Eve Leslie and Ciara Downey-McCarthy at midfield upped the tempo covering every blade of grass with a smothering press on the opposition puckout that snuffed out hopes of an away win. With the wily Fiona Hayes pulling the strings on the 40 the scores began to flow with Hayes herself and Webster notching white flags aided by Nolan and Ní Bhaoighail's tenacity and creativity. When the lively Niamh Nic Chinnéide's arcing angled drive found the back of the Templeogue women's net midway through the second period the result was put beyond any doubt. 

 

Special credit must go to the BSJ backs who kept a clean sheet in the second half. With Lane in goal, and fellow evergreen stalwarts Roisin Nic Uileagoid and Louise Hayes accompanied by teenager Ruth Keoghan (a very strong candidate for player of the match) in the full back line, Ballinteer have conceded a miserly 1-3 from play in two championship games to date. Outside them, the half back line consisting of the impressive returning Aisling Larkin, the industrious Ciara Andrews and the imperious Robyn Kenneally were the launchpad for much of BSJs best work. Substitutes Sophie Fearon, Anna McGrath, Ellen O'Callaghan, Sophie Carroll and Lauren Reilly provided a bulwark against complacency and slotted in seamlessly when asked. All in all a very solid nights work for the tangerine and black as we march on to the county semi-finals.

 

Match Report: Anthony O’Connor