By 
CAMOGIE- ULSTER BRIDIE MCMENAMIN SHIELD FINAL
Brocagh 4-9 Aghaderg 1-6
By Niall Gartland
YEP, it is eminently possible to pick your spot from 30 yards. Sally McCann’s absurdly precise thunderbolt from miles out swung the pendulum back in Brocagh’s favour as they surged to a historic Bridie McMenamin Shield title against Aghaderg on Sunday.
Their Down-based opponents enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges of the second half on a blustery day in Brocagh, though they still trailed by four points when McCann pounced with 37 minutes on the clock. After her timely intervention, Brocagh never looked back, and by the closing stages of the contest, the result was no longer in doubt, ensuring that the coveted Bridie McMenamin Shield will reside in Tyrone for a second successive year.
It wasn’t a game for the faint-hearted. For one thing, it was a torrid enough day weather-wise, though at least the rain stayed away for most of proceedings (when the heavens did open, it was during the post-match presentation but c’est la vie). It was hard-hitting: no quarter given and none taken, and there were only two solitary scores in the opening 20 minutes of play. It was entertaining though – combative in its best possible sense with plenty of eye-catching scores and Brocagh’s propensity for goals making a significant difference on the scoreboard.
Aghaderg’s Moya Lavery opened up the scoring before Brocagh levelled matters via Micheline O’Neill, but it was a tentative, fairly scrappy opening punctuated by some excellent defending by the likes of Aoife and Grainne McDonald in the Brocagh half-back line.
The next score arrived in the 20th minute – a fine point from Una McCann, who must have covered every blade of grass – and that well and truly sparked the game into life. Aghaderg’s Niamh McGrath landed a sensational score with the next play. Then from the restart, Sally McCann did tremendously well to find the target while off-balance, and even better was to follow from a Brocagh perspective.
McCann latched onto a superb crossfield ball from Roisin O’Neill McKee, duly finding the net to open up a 1-3 to 0-2 lead. Una McCann then nailed a free – a fifth score in as many minutes, four of them for Brocagh.
Aghaderg dangerwoman McGrath showed superb skill, poise and accuracy for the final point of the half, leaving it 1-4 to 0-3 on the scoreboard at the half-time whistle.
The Loughshore side had played the better camogie but their opponents flew out of the traps in the second-half, for a spell holding primacy in the middle sector and bombarding the Brocagh full-back line with high ball after high ball. Brocagh just about kept them at bay with goalkeeper Hollie Croucher doing extremely well under the severest of pressure, though points from McGrath and Connie Rea threatened to act as the launchpad for a full-blown revival.
An absolutely outstanding long-range point from Una McCann following a clever pass from the hugely influential Siobhan Donnelly helped to settle Brocagh’s nerves, and then came the aforementioned goal from way out the field from Sally McCann. 2-6 to 0-5 – all of a sudden they were looking rather comfortable.
A stunning team score, capped off by Sally McCann compounded their advantage, though Aghaderg did muster a goal down the other end from Connie Rea, who was alert to a ‘45’ from McGrath.
McGrath, who looks a real talent, scored a brilliant point in the 50th minute but it turned out to be their final point of the game, a testimony to Brocagh’s composure and fitness level s on the home straight.
In those final 10 minutes, Brocagh absolutely bossed possession and Aghaderg were looking increasingly open at the back. Una McCann batted the sliotar to the net from a rebound for their third goal of the game, all but sealing victory, preceding late points from Lauren Fitzgerald and Sally McCann. Then with the final puck of the game, Una nabbed her second goal, setting the seal on a momentous day for all involved with Brocagh camogs.
Scorers
Brocagh: Una McCann (2-3, 1f), Sally McCann (2-3), Micheline O’Neill (0-1), Lauren Fitzgerald (0-1), Siobhan Donnelly (0-1, 1f)
Aghaderg: Niamh McGrath (0-4, 1f), Connie Rea (1-1), Moya Lavery (0-1),
Teams
Brocagh: Hollie Crouchier, Colleen Ballantine, Maria Duffy, Mary-Jane Canavan, Aoife McDonald, Grainne McDonald, Mairead Donnelly, Una McCann, Lucia McNally, Lauren Fitzgerald, Siobhan Donnelly, Micheline O’Neill, Roisin O’Neill McKee, Sally McCann, Niamh McDonald. Subs: Ciara Hughes for M O’Neill, Clodagh Mallon for N McDonald, Cora Quinn for Canavan, Roisin Quinn for Ballantine, Aoife Quinn for Duffy
Aghaderg: Maria Stewart, Sarah Morgan, Claire Morgan, Anne-Marie Lennon, Cliodhna McGrath, Katie Morgan, Niamh Treanor, Sarah Malone, Rachel Monaghan, Cara Brackenbury, Niamh McGrath, Macie Haggart, Niamh Moran, Connie Rea, Moya Lavery. Subs: Ellen Savage for Haggart
Referee: Ciaran Conway (Armagh)
