Gaby, Jody and Zoe Couch score 1-11 of the St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh total
The Couch sisters Gaby, Jody and Zoe were in sparkling form today for St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh scoring 1-11 of their teams total as they beat Naomh Mearnóg to reach the Dublin Camogie/We Are Dublin GAA Senior 2 final.
They weren’t the only ones to shine today for Plunkett’s, in defence Aisling Carolan was superb and the centre half-back also scored two points.
Up front the movement of Rebecca Keating and Ciara Carolan caused problems throughout with both players grabbing two points apiece.
Niamh Donlon was another to catch the eye with her battling qualities and her performance was one of the reasons Plunkett’s dominated the middle third.
For Mearnóg’s number 6 Ciara Holland had an excellent game under intense pressure and finished her teams top scorer with 0-05 from three frees and two sublime efforts from open play.
Aoife Kavanagh proved to be the Portmarnock sides biggest goal threat and with limited chances managed to find the back of the net twice one in each half.
Aoibhe Dillon was another to stand out as battled throughout the contest for limited ball that went her direction and she clipped over two nice points.
Naomh Mearnóg started the game brightly and raced into a two point lead thanks to scores from Ciara Holland, one from a free and the other from open play.
A Zoe Couch converted free got Plunkett’s up and running and it was followed quickly afterwards with a fine point from Gaby Couch and the sides were level.
A successful free attempt from Ciara Holland regained the lead for Mearnóg’s but their opponents dominated proceedings for the next 15 minutes and Plunkett’s made good use of the possession hitting five points in a row.
Gaby Couch scored her second point of the game, Rebecca Keating hit two excellent efforts over the bar in quick succession and a converted free from Zoe Couch was followed with a point from the all action Niamh Donlon.
Naomh Mearnóg were in danger of being out of the contest before half-time but they were thrown a life line when a point attempt dropped short and was batted down in the square by the Plunkett’s keeper Zoe Cole, after a scramble for the ball Aoife Kavanagh swept the ball to the back of the net to leave just a point between the sides.
But St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh girls dusted themselves down and got back on the front foot and points from Gaby Couch and Ciara Carolan gave them a three point lead at the break with the score 0-09 to 1-06.
An excellent point from Aoibhe Dillon early in the second half reduced the deficit to just two points. But that was as good as it got for Mearnóg as Plunkett’s hit 1-03 without reply, Gaby Couch added her fourth point of the game and in the next attack the ball found Jody Couch about twenty five yards from goal and the midfielder hit a rocket of a shot into the top corner of the net, further points from sister Gaby and Ciara Carolan put the Martin Savage Park crew in total control.
A point from Ellie Kane momentarily stemmed the tide but Plunkett’s were relentless at this point, Gaby Couch showed off her football skills after losing her hurl in a tackle to kick the ball over the bar for a point and quickly followed that up with another this time off her stick.
A converted free from Aisling Carolan was cancelled out with a point from play from Ciara Holland, but not to be outdone by her opposite centre half-back Aisling got on the end of the next Plunkett’s attack to claim one herself from open play.
With the result looking like a forgone conclusion the game swung back in Mearnóg’s favour when Aoife Kavanagh cut inside her marker and finished with aplomb to the back of the net for her second goal of the semi-final.
An excellent point from Aoibhe Dillon and a converted free from Ciara Holland cut further into the deficit and the inklings of a comeback were in the air. But after drifting a little out of the game for those few minutes Plunketts regained their dominance in the game and two points from Jody Couch to add to her earlier goal and a point from substitute Aoife Bugler sealed the deal and Plunkett’s qualifies from the Senior 2 Camogie club championship final for the second year in a row.
St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh Scorers
Gaby Couch 0-07
Jody Couch 1-02 (1F)
Zoe Couch 0-02 (2F)
Rebecca Keating 0-02
Ciara Carolan 0-02
Aisling Carolan 0-02 (1F)
Aoife Bugler 0-01
Niamh Donlon 0-01
Naomh Mearnóg Scorers
Ciara Holland 0-05 (3F)
Aoife Kavanagh 2-00
Aoibhe Dillon 0-02
Ellie Kane 0-01
St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh
Zoe Cole, Alice Leahy, Aisling Gibbons, Hannah Brady, Anne McSweeney, Aisling Carolan, Caoimhe Ní Mhaolagáin, Zoe Couch, Jody Couch, Amy Darcy, Gaby Couch, Niamh Donlon, Rebecca Keating, Ciara Carolan, Eimear Murphy, Eimear McCarney, Laura Gregg, Róisín O’Neill Cunningham, Alannah Cunningham, Aoife Bugler.
Naomh Mearnóg
Rosie Keneally, Laura Walsh, Catriona Power,Amy Kavanagh, Ciara Holland, Miriam Twomey, Laura Twomey, Megan O’Connor, Sinead Rowe, Grainne Power, Leanne Walsh, Aoibhe Dillon, Tegan Comer, Jade Woods, Grainne Skelton, Grace Murray, Ellie Kane, Ciaran Laird, Aoife Kavanagh, Ailbhe Crean Lynch, Aoife O’Connor, Hannah Collins, Aoife McLoughney.
