Armagh City Hotel Ulster Intermediate Camogie championship semi-final
Cavan 2-8 Armagh 1-16
NATIONAL League Division Three champions Armagh survived a tough semi-final in Kingspan Breffni on Sunday to make it through to tUlster intermediate final on the second weekend of May.
While Armagh had the better of early exchanges and took a 0-2 to 0-1 lead, they also hit some poor wides through the first half and were decidedly lucky to go in at the break on level terms.
Despite conceding a goal on the re-start, five points in a row in the opening 10 minutes of the second half put Armagh back on track.
Although the Breffni ladies did their best to close the gap, they couldn’t get ahead and Rachael Merry (two frees) and the Donnelly sisters tagged on four points in injury-time to ease their team into the final.
Points from the Fitzsimons’ sisters kept the teams level after 10 minutes, but Sinéad Quinn’s point 10 minutes later had Armagh 0-5 to 0-3 ahead.
Shanise Fitzsimons and Niamh Keenaghan levelled before Quinn edged her team ahead once more. But a lot was packed into the final five minutes of the half, beginning with a goal from Erinn Galligan.
Although Michelle McGuigan responded with a point for Armagh, Niamh Keenaghan pointed twice from play. Just when it looked like the home side would go in at the break a goal to the good, Armagh struck, with Ciara Geogeghan’s goal tying the teams at the change of ends.
Cavan responded with a goal on the re-start from Erinn Galligan, but Armagh took over and two points each from Rachel Merry (frees) and Ciara Geoghegan and another from veteran Jenny Curry gave them the lead again.
The teams traded points during the middle of the second half, but the late Armagh scores finally killed off the Cavan challenge.
Scorers
Armagh C Geoghegan 1-4, R Merry 0-7 frees, S Quinn and J Curry 0-2 each, N Forker 0-1
Cavan E Galligan 2-0, S Fitzsimons (2 frees) and N Keenaghan 0-3 each, H Fitzsimons and C O’Reilly 0-1 each.
