Goals from Anna Simpson, Nicola Cotter and Helen Reynolds secured a well deserved win for the Dublin minors in today’s Leinster Camogie Championship semi-final
Dublin 3-04
Wexford 0-04
The Dublin minors booked their place in the Leinster Camogie championship final with a well deserved win over Wexford this afternoon in TU Grangegorman Campus.
After a nervous start the Dublin minors settled into the game, particularly when they grabbed the opening goal of the game just past the midway point of the first half.
Dublin added a second goal late in the half to leave them seven in front at the break. The game was put beyond Wexford in the final ten minutes of the game with a third Dublin goal.
Today’s game was the first competitive outing for both teams and it showed in terms of match sharpness as both sides first touch and shooting were a little off the mark with Dublin hitting eleven wides and Wexford hitting twelve wides during the game.
Wexford took the lead in the ninth minute with a pointed 45’ from corner forward Kiera Dempsey. Dublin had started the game a little nervously and took a little while to settle into the game and hit five wides in the opening fifteen minutes.
The upside to that was they were creating plenty of scoring opportunities and it was only a matter of time before the found their range. And find it they did in the sixteenth minute with a well struck free from Kerri Austin to draw the teams level.
Dublin took the lead three minutes later with full forward Anna Simpson sweeping the ball to the net for the first goal of the game. The young Dubs drove on from there till the break and added a point from midfielder Zara Thorne.
Three minutes from the short whistle Dublin grabbed their second goal, half-back Nicola Cotter picked up the ball on the left wing inside the Wexford 45’ and drove the ball towards the Wexford goal, a couple of players jumped for the ball but missed it and it flew past the Wexford keeper into the net to give Dublin a seven point lead at the break with the 2-02 to 0-01.
Wexford came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half, but five wides in a row put the brakes on their enthusiastic second half start. They did get to me point back scored by substitute Lauren Smyth but Dublin responded with the next two points scored by Anna Thornton and Amy Carey.
With nine minutes left on the clock Wexford reduced the deficit with a pointed free from Smyth, but the game was put beyond Wexford two minutes later when Helen Reynolds hit the back of the net for Dublin’s third goal of the semi-final.
Both sides spurned a couple of scoring opportunities after that and the last score of the game fell to Wexford with Lauren Smyth knocking over a free in stoppage time.
The Dublin minors will now set their sights to the 5th of March and their Leinster Camogie Championship Final meeting with Kilkenny who beat Offaly in the other semi final by 1-19 to 0-08.
Scorers – Dublin: Anna Simpson 1-00 (1-00f), Helen Reynolds 1-00, Nicola Cotter 1-00, Kerri Austin 0-01 (1f), Zara Thorne 0-01, Anna Thornton 0-01, Amy Carey 0-01.
Wexford: Lauren Smyth 0-03 (2f), Kiera Dempsey 0-01 (1f).
Dublin: Mia Farrell, Milly Hughes, Sibeal Cherry, Aoife Byrne, Caoimhe Tierney, Sarah Power, Nicola Cotter, Zara Thorne, Aoife Kenny, Helen Reynolds, Anna Thornton, Kerri Austin, Aoibheann Stokes, Anna Simpson, Amy Carey.
Subs: Caoimhe French for Aoibheann Stokes (38), Saoirse Behan for Anna Simpson (47).
Wexford: Keeva Steadman, Kate Flood, Katie Bolger, Sarah Walsh, Jane Murphy, Leah Morris, Sophie O’Leary, Nicola Corrigan, Sadhbh Buttle, Ellie Stafford, Niamh Hearne, Bronagh Kenny, Kiera Dempsey, Aisling Goggins.
Subs: Lauren Smyth for Aoife Farrell (HT), Lauren Smyth for Aisling Goggins (45).