Newport Ballinahinch finish impressively to down Toomevara in Intermediate League decider

Intermediate Camogie League Final

Newport Ballinahinch 2-13

Toomevara 3-5

Newport Ballinahinch are 2024 Intermediate League champions after a hard-earned five-point win over Toomevara played on Saturday in the County Camogie Grounds in the Ragg. 

Played in beautiful conditions in a sunny County Camogie Grounds, the fine crowd of supporters were treated with an exciting game of camogie that produced five goals and plenty of action as both sets of players showed real determination to pick up some early silverware on offer. 

In the end it was Newport Ballinahinch who had that bit more firepower up front and after the game captain Aisling Mulryan received the trophy from county Chairperson and fellow Newport Ballinahinch club member Denis Lenihan. 

It was a family affair for the Lenihans with daughter Abbie playing at wing forward while Abbie’s mother Martine was part of a delighted management team at the full-time whistle. 

Grace O’Toole who was a constant thorn in the Toomevara defence opened the scoring after a minute with a point. Toomevara responded with a pointed free from Orla Hogan before Laoise Cummins fired home the first goal of the game after five minutes. 

Orla Hogan then added a second free to make it 1-2 to a point after 10 minutes. Newport however began to settle more and more into the game and struck three points in a row from Grace O’Toole (2) and Abbie Lenihan to reduce the Toomevara lead to a single point. 

Disaster struck for Newport Ballinahinch when Laoise Cummins again blasted her shot passed Amy Healy in the goals and Newport looked to be in real trouble with Toomevara’s goal threat. Isobel Eivers settled Newport again with a point before a long range free on the 26th minutes from Grace O’Toole travelled all the way into the Toomevara goal to make it 1-5 to 2-1. 

There was still time for more drama and another goal when minutes later Shauna Quirke raised a green flag for Toomevara’s third goal of the game in a high octane opening half. Abbie Lenihan had her second point of the half to leave the score 1-6 to 3-2 in Toomevara’s favour at the break. 

The game was won in the second half with Newport Ballinahinch tightened up in defence cutting out any more goal chances for Toomevara and limiting them to just three second-half points. Newport Ballinahinch seemed to find another gear in the second half while their forwards really clicked to hit 1-7 and enjoy a 0-5 point win. 

Laoise Cummins was also a huge loss for Toomevara when she had to go off injured and they really missed her scoring threat up front. While at the opposite end a powerful solo run by Grace O’Toole resulted in a wonderful goal on the 39th which was the catalyst to their win. 

With Abbie Lenihan and Sinead O’Riordan accurate from play they got great momentum behind them and powered their way to victory. In defence Emma Coleman was super throughout with Caroline Mullaney and Thea Curtain very steady along the centre. 

Toomevara: Rachael Shanahan; Aisling O’Farrell, Maura Gleeson, Ccaoimhe Cantwell; Chloe Whyte, Margaret Quigley (0-1f), Jenna Hackett; Niamh McCormack, Laura Bergin; Mary Flaherty, Laoise Cummins (2-0), Shauna Quirke (1-0); Aisling McCormack, Orla Hogan (0-3f), Eileen Gleeson.

Newport Ballinahinch: Amy Healy; Chloe Quigley, Caroline Mullaney, Robyn Coffey; Aisling Mulryan, Thea Curtin, Emma Coleman; Clodagh Grimes, Laura Parsons; Abbie Lenihan (0-3), Grace O’Toole (2-5, 1-3), Aine Finn; Isobel Eivers (0-1), Shauna Curtin, Sinead O’Riordan (0-1).