Ballinascreen win Fiele na nGael Div II Camogie All Ireland

Ballinascreen represented Derry for the fifth consequetive year in the Camogie Fiele na nGael All Ireland which they won in 2003 and were defeated by a single point in the final last year.

Ballinascreen 4-9  Ballyhale 0-0

Ballinascreen opened their feile campaign with a match against their host club Ballyhale Shamrocks.  Screen started the game strongly with a goal from Aimee Kelly in the opening minutes.  This was the first of Aimee’s tally of 1-5 for the day, the next score, a point coming from her as well.

Dania Donnelly was the next Screen player to score when she lifted the net with a cracking goal from outfield.  Aimee and Dania took the next 2 points and this was followed by 2 points from Louise Kennedy to complete the first half and meant Screen went into ½ time 2.6 to no score.

The 2^nd half proved to be more of the same and althought the Ballyhale goalie and defense battled hard, the Screen girls seemed to penetrate their fefence at ease.  Dania Donnelly opened the 2^nd half score with a 45 and Aimee Kelly took the next 2 points.  Dania followed with another goal and then sub Leona Groogan completed the scoring for the day with a goal.  Scorers Aimee Kelly (1-5)  Dania Donnelly (2-2)  Louise Kennedy (Tam) (0-2) Leona Groogan (1-0)

Ballinascreen 11-7  Piltown 0-0

Screen travelled to Piltown on Saturday morning to play Piltown in the 2^nd of the games in their qualifying section.  Screen took control of the game right from the start and the Piltown defence was under constant pressure from the Screen midfield and forwards who seemed to be able to score at will.  Screen went in at half time with a comfortable lead of 6-3 to 0-0 and this trend continued in the second half.  Scorers Aimee Kelly (3-2)  Catriona McBride (2-2)  Dania Donnelly (3-0)  Louise Kennedy (1-0)  Bronagh McGillian (0-1)  Theresa Kelly (0-1)  Eimear Friel (1-0)  Jenny Clerkin (1-0)  Caoimhe McCormack (0-1)

Ballinascreen 3-6  Offally 0-0

 This was the tightest match for the Screen girls in this qualifying round against the Offally champions who had also beaten Ballyhale Shamrocks and Piltown comfortably.  The Screen girls took on the challenge and in a marvellous display of camogie led at half time by 1-3 to 0-0.  The Screen girls knew that a spot in the semi final was within reach and they started the 2^nd half determined to get their place in the semi final.  The forwards battled for every ball, the defence cleared their lines and when the final whistle blew, Screen had booked their place in the place in semi final.  Scorers  Aimee Kelly (1-3)  Louise Kennedy (1-0) Dania Donnelly (0-1)  Theresa Kelly (0-1) Catriona McBride (1-1)

Semi Final

Ballinascreen 0-8  Lismore 0-0

After a busy afternoon getting autographs and photographs with Henry Shefflin and Jackie Tyrell, the Screen girls got back to business when they travelled to Palmerstown to play the Waterford champions Lismore.  This game proved somewhat tougher than the 3 games in the qualifying section, with the Lismore defence putting up a brave effort to stop the Screen forwards.  Screen Midfielders Sarah McAllister and Dania Donnelly ensured a good supply of ball into their forwards and Screen went into half time with a 0-6 to 0-0 lead.  In the second half, Lismore tried to attack the Screen defence several times but the half back line of Kelly Marie Hegarty, Charlene Scullion and Grace Kelly held firm.  Scorers  Dania Donnelly (0-1)  Catriona McBride (0-1)  Caoimhe McCormack (0-2)  Aimee Kelly (0-4).

All Ireland Feile na nGael Div II Camogie Final

Ballinascreen 2-2  Ballycran 0-3

This was a repeat of last year’s final and neither team had been tested in the qualifying rounds or the semi finals.  The Screen girls were determined that the outcome of this match was going to be different from 2006 when Ballycran beat them by a single point in the final.  Bronagh McGillian got the scoring off to a quick start for Screen with a point within the first few minutes.  Ballycran levelled the score with a point from a free.  The game progressed with some fine displays of camogie, and with each teams’ playing very strongly scores were hard to find.  Louise Kennedy (Tam) took the next score for Screen with a goal to put Screen 3 points ahead.  Ballycran followed with a point which proved their only score from play and a further point from a free to leave the score at half time 1-1 to 0-3 in favour of Ballinascreen.  Bronagh McGillian also opened the score for Screen in the second half with a goal and Screen substitute Shannen O’Hagen scored a point with just a few minutes to go before the final whistle to secure the Div II title for Ballinascreen for the second time.  Scorers Bronagh McGillian (1-1)  Louise Kennedy (1-0) Shannen O’Hagan (0-1)