Nemo Rangers Win County Minor B Camogie Final

Nemo Rangers 2-9 Ballyhea 2-3

“If you can dream it, you can do it”.

Nemo Rangers Minor Camogie reached the pinnacle on Saturday last in Castle Road when they won a rip-roaring County Minor B Camogie Final against an excellent and very sporting Ballyhea team.

Nemo got off to a quick start with a point from play by Captain Cassandra Fitzgerald who also tacked on a second point from a free. The Nemo backline held their shape well in the face of great pressure and movement from Ballyhea, with Centre Back Saoirse Collins and both Corner Backs, Mia O’ Callaghan and Emma Barrett to the fore. Laura Buckley and Caoimhe Geraghty meanwhile were shadowing Ballyhea’s two most free scoring forwards to great effect, sacrificing their own games for the team’s benefit.

Desire and workrate from Nemo was top class and the team’s effort and pressure was causing Ballyhea problems. Caoimhe Power hit a point from a free followed by a brilliant Aoife Collins solo effort- Nemo up 4 points to 1. Ballyhea snatched a snap goal then to set Nemo back but with Half Forwards of Ava Geary, Aoife Collins and Ciara Moroney upping their workrate Nemo started to get a foothold again. Power and Ellie O’ Callaghan were having a ferocious battle at Midfield with their opposite numbers and exchanges were free flowing and physical- Credit to the referee for letting the play develop as it added to the spectacle.

Corner Forwards Clodagh Morgan and Rebecca Murphy were working hard to support Full forward Cassandra Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald hit two vital frees before halftime to make the halftime score Nemo 0-6, Ballyhea 1-1.

Nemo introduced Brianna Lynch at halftime and as usual Brianna made an instant impact with her all action style, At the same time U16 player and Wing Back Katelyn Collins thundered into the game bettering a number of opponents showing her incredible skill, pace and determination to set up a number of attacks from defence. The Nemo collective were working incredibly hard with three players often hunting down one Ballyhea player to get in hooks and blocks. Our five minors (on the age) of Buckley, Barrett, Moroney, Fitzgerald and in particular Collins (Saoirse) were leading the team from the front. The switch of Caoimhe Power to Wing Forward worked well as she hit two great points from play. Ellie O’ Callaghan continued to mop up a huge amount of ball at midfield to put Ballyhea on the backfoot.

Nemo next introduced Ava Heaphy 15 minutes into the second half and her impact was instant as she cleverly nipped in to pull on the ball into the net for a vital goal for Nemo.- SMART PLAY- A few minutes later Ava Geary held the ball up well at the edge of the square and Brianna Lynch canonballed in to kick the ball into the Ballyhea net- Goal 2- vital score. Tessa McCarthy was introduced later to add punch to the attack.

Ballyhea threw caution to the wind and got a late goal but the Nemo defence was outstanding with the Collins sisters and Laura Buckley dominant, with Ellie O’ Callaghan and Cassandra Fitzgerald working back to help out and Emma Barett also dominating.

Goalie Meadhbh O’ Connell remained confident and assured through sustained Ballyhea pressure and thwarted many an attack.

At the final whistle Nemo emerged winners on a scoreline of 2-9 to 2-3 and created their own next step of history in the Nemo Camogie journey.

Player of the match was the Wing Back young Katelyn Collins who had a super game and the cup was presented to Nemo captain Cassandra Fitzgerald to scenes of great excitement.

Scorers:
Cassandra Fitzgerald 5 points ( 2 from play, 3 from frees)
Caoimhe Power 3 points ( 2 from play, 1 from frees)
Aoife Collins 1 point (play)
Ava Heaphy 1 goal (play)
Brianna Lynch 1 goal (play)

Referee: Cathal McAllister

Special congrats to our 5 minor ladies who have been superb from age 8 to 18 in Nemo underage. Laura Buckley, Emma Barrett, Saoirse Collins, Ciara Moroney and Cassandra Fitzgerald you have left an indelible mark on Nemo Underage Camogie and are brilliant role models for all our underage Camog’s.

Best of luck to the famous five in their next stage of life and what a way to finish up their underage careers.
We hope they will lead Nemo teams for many years to come in the adult grade.

The team mantra this year has been “ One spirit, One Team, One Win” and so it transpired!

Nemo Abú! 🖤💚