Final flurry sees brilliant JTB camogs land historic Leinster title win
Johnstownbridge 2-9
Myshall(Carlow) 1-8
Leinster Club Intermediate Camogie Championship final
A brilliant final flurry from Johnstownbridge, where they scored 1-2 to come from behind, saw the Kildare club land their first ever Leinster Intermediate Camogie Championship title in thrilling circumstances in Carlow this afternoon.
Emma Farrell's 55th minute goal proved to be the decisive score in a game which was dominated by the superb Siobhán Hurley, who was ably assisted by fine performances from Aoife Trant, Clodagh Flanagan, Aisling Holton and Roisin O'Connell.
This game was always going to be a massive test of Johnstownbridge's credentials as they competed in a Leinster Intermediate Championship final for the first time, and they were coming up against a seasoned side who have enjoyed remarkable success in recent years. They have claimed the last 18 Carlow county titles, which means some of the players on their team that have tasted championship success in recent years weren't even born when they began their remarkable run.
Last year the Carlow club claimed the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship title, just three years after defeating Johnstownbridge in the Junior decider. The success of Myshall is something that would have spurred Johnstownbridge on however, and they have proved just as adept at taking the step from the Junior grade up to Intermediate since winning their second All-Ireland Junior Championship title in succession at the tail end of 2016.
The opening stages were tense and tight, though both sides showed admirable stickwork and no little skill despite the wintry conditions in Netwatch Cullen Park. It took four minutes for the first score to be registered, but it was worth the wait from a Myshall point of view. The star of their side, Ciara Quirke, showed great determination to break through the Johnstownbridge defence before batting the sliotar to the net from close range, giving her side a perfect start.
Johnstownbridge settled into the game soon after through a fine point from the lively Roisin O'Connell, but Marian Doyle cancelled that out with an effort of her own almost immediately for the Carlow ladies. The visitors then enjoyed a brief purple patch as Siobhán Hurley warmed into the game and really took control. She stroked over her first point of the game from a free, before adding another couple of scores from a '45 and another free. In between those scores came the first goal chance for the Kildare side as Aisling Holton fired an effort at goal, but full-back Niamh Quirke managed to get back to block it superbly.
Myshall, who were sloppy in their play for large sections of the first half, were being kept in contention through the brilliant Quirke, and she fired over two points from placed balls to push her side two clear with 22 minutes gone.
Then came the game's first major turning point as Hurley went on a lung-busting run straight through the Myshall defence and thundered an unstoppable effort from 20 metres out low and into the bottom Mairead Doyle's net, driving the 'Bridge into the lead for the first time. A point from Maria Murphy shortly before the break ensured that Johnstownbridge went into the half-time turnaround with a 1-5 to 1-3 advantage.
The second half began just as the 'Bridge would have wanted as O'Connell confidently placed a free straight between the posts to extend her side's lead, but Quirke responded with a point from a '45 for Myshall. Hurley restored the three point advantage for the Kildare side, but they went off the boil for the next 15 minutes as Myshall took control of the game to power into the lead with four unanswered points.
Kate Nolan got the first of their scores with a brilliant effort at the end of a 50-metre run, before Quirke added another couple of scores to her personal tally - one from a free and one from play. There was major danger in the Johnstownbridge goalmouth in the 50th minute when Olivia Jordan thundered a lot shot at goal, but 'keeper Tanya Johnson managed to flick the sliotar over the crossbar and Myshall had to settle for a point.
Trailing by 1-8 to 1-7, Johnstownbridge looked to be wilting, but they showed the true mettle of champions as they kicked back to score 1-2 in the space of three minutes and to hang on from there. Hurley got them back on level terms with a pointed free, before substitute Emma Farrell got the game-clinching goal as she saw her speculative long range shot for a point drop short and evade Myshall goalkeeper Nolan and rustle in the back of the net. O'Connell immediately added a point from a free, driving the Kildare champions into a four-point lead that they were never likely to let slip.
Myshall threw everything at their opponents in the final minutes, but a combination of wasteful finishing, panic and some brave Johnstownbridge defending ensured that the brilliant ladies from county Kildare claimed a historic first Leinster Intermediate Championship title.
Scorers for Johnstownbridge: S Hurley 1-5(4f, 1'45), R O'Connell 0-3(2f), E Farrell 1-0 and M Murphy 0-1.
Scorers for Myshall: C Quirke 1-5(3f, 1'45), K Nolan, O Jordan and M Doyle 0-1 each.