Derry Camogs Progress to All-Ireland Semi-Final

In their previous meeting in the Ulster Final, Derry had a runaway victory, but having lost a couple of players to foreign fields and with a few niggling injury worries, Derry were under no illusion as to the task they faced. Down were a different team from that which was seen in Ballybofey, and their intense and physical play clearly unsettled the Derry players, who found themselves on the back foot for most of the game. Derry opened the scoring with two points from play from Katie McAuley, but Down responded and continuous pressure yielded three points in a row, with Derry struggling to get any grip in the middle third of the field. Derry were dealt a further blow when centre-forward and vice-captain, Denise McCann, was forced to leave the field with a serious facial injury. Derry responded well when an excellent point from play from Claire McCloy restored parity, but Down held the upper hand for the rest of the half and went in at the break 0-6 to 0-5 ahead, two further points from frees by McAuley keeping Derry in touch.

Having re-organised during the break and playing with the breeze, Derry went into the lead in the opening minutes of the second half, with the dependable McAuley finding the target twice from dead balls. The sides were level again after fifteen minutes, McAuley scoring her seventh free, but a crucial incident then happened when Derry captain and centre-back, Claire Doherty, was shown a second yellow card for dissent, having been yellow-carded in the first half. When Down took the lead from the ensuing free, it seemed as though Derry’s championship was over. This, however, drove the Derry girls to raise their game, and a great point from play by Claire McCloy after a strong run brought the teams level again. Derry’s newfound resolve cancelled out their numerical disadvantage, and another fine point from play by the hard-working Briege Convery gave them the lead by a single point.

This proved to be the last score of the game, as a tense last ten minutes failed to produce any. Both sides had a couple of chances, and Down tried their hardest to force an equaliser, but the Derry defence and midfield showed great heart and discipline to hold onto their lead and emerge winners in the end.

It was by no means a great performance by the Derry girls, as they were knocked off their stride by the physical nature of the game, but the Derry management will be very encouraged by how the players refused to buckle when a player short and a point down. Derry will now play ‘Waterford, in a double-header on Saturday 5^th August at a venue to be decided.

Derry team and scorers:

Claire O’Kane; Helena Kelly, Catherine Pickering, Jane Carey; Kate Laverty, Claire Doherty, Ceara Cushnahan; Briege Convery (0-1), Aisling Diamond; Claire McCloy (0-2), Denise McCann, Grainne McGoldrick; Sinead Cassidy, Katie McAuley (0-7), Jane Kelly. Subs: Catriona O’Kane for McCann, Emma McIlvar for O’Kane.