By 
ULSTER INTERMEDIATE CAMOGIE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL REPLAY
Eglish 1-10 Crossmaglen 0-12
By Damien Donnelly
SUPERHEROES don’t always wear capes and on this occasion Brenda Horsfield was wearing the Eglish keeper’s jersey when she stepped up to take a title deciding penalty.
The team captain cannot have faced many more nerve tingling moments in her distinguished camogie career with Eglish than the one that confronted her at Eoghan Ruadh Park in Dungannon on Saturday. At stake was the Ulster intermediate club championship crown.
There was no room for error as Crossmaglen led by two points with time virtually up (0-12 to 0-10). A miss would make Crossmaglen the winners but score and Eglish would be Ulster champions. Horsfield, though, didn’t stand on ceremony and showed composure as she cracked home a trophy-clinching goal.
The oh-so-late penalty conversion was a well-earned reward for the tenacity of the Eglish team’s challenge over two memorable matches but the winning camp expressed plenty of sympathy and support for Crossmaglen who had given their all as well in both encounters.
A breakthrough season at domestic level in Armagh had hoisted Crossmaglen onto the Ulster stage and they played heroically, just as Eglish did. The Orchard side were on the cusp of victory but one last determined surge by Eglish saw an infringement penalised as players scrambled for possession in the danger zone. A penalty ensued and Brenda Horsfield answered the clarion call to seal the deal.
These two terrific teams had served up a real treat in the previous week’s drawn game at Armagh’s Pearse Park where Gemma Daly equalised for Eglish to necessitate Saturday’s sequel. As sequels go, this turned out to be just as gripping as the first edition. The scores might not have flowed quite as fluently second time round but the skill and sheer bravery of both teams beamed brightly.
Saturday’s first half at a well presented Eoghan Ruadh field had gone to script in the sense that these two teams were going to take some separating. They went into the interval locked together on 0-6 each, although Crossmaglen had started swiftly to move four in front following points by Lauren McConville, Megan O’Callaghan, Ashlinn McMahon and Faye Fitzpatrick (free) by the 12th minute.
Eglish began to settle into their stride better and Rhionne McLoughlin pointed on 13 minutes for the Tyrone representatives. Cliodhna Goodfellow followed up from a side-line free and influential midfielder Reagan Fay landed point number three to leave just one between the sides.
Kate Daly drove over the equalising score 17 minutes in and the atmosphere was building among a sizeable crowd who showed their appreciation for the camogie on display and also the commitment on display from both teams.
Kellie Shields and Reagan Fay swapped frees before Lauren McConville and Fay again exchanged scores to make the scores all-square at the turnaround.
Players took time to find their range in the opening exchanges of the second half but a brace of Faye Fitzpatrick frees gave the Armagh camogs a two-point advantage. Cliodhna Goodfellow pulled one back but Fitzpatrick was again on target with a side-line conversion.
Reagan Fay replied from a St Patrick’s free, although Megan O’Callaghan restored Crossmaglen’s two-point lead as play moved inside the closing ten minutes. Fay and McConville swapped placed efforts prior to Eve Hughes and O’Callaghan doing the same.
That left the scores reading 0-12 to 0-10 in favour of Crossmaglen as added time dawned. Enter stage left Brenda Horsfield to supply that late twist in the tale as Eglish claimed the Ulster title and a place in the All-Ireland race where more drama could very well unfold.
Scorers
Eglish: Regan Fay 0-4 (3f), Cliodhna Goodfellow 0-3(2f), Brenda Horsfield 1-0(p), Kate Daly 0-1, Rhianne McLoughlin 0-1, Eve Hughes 0-1(f),
Crossmaglen: Faye Fitzpatrick 0-5(4f), Lauren McConville 0-3, Megan O’Callaghan 0-2, Ashlinn McMahon 0-1, Kellie Shields 0-1
Teams
Eglish: Brenda Horsfield, Francine Farley, Aisling Donnelly, Laura Mason, Grace Daly, Kate Daly, Casey Gallagher, Kaitlin Gallagher, Reagan Fay, Oilibhia Farley, Catherine Muldoon, Cliodhna Goodfellow, Sharon Gildernew, Rhiane McLoughlin, Emma Holmes. Subs: Sienna Gildernew for C Gallagher, Eve Hughes for R McLoughlin, Gemma Daly for F Farley
Crossmaglen: Lauren Duffy, Aveen Bellew, Riona McConville, Claragh Leneghan, Alanna McEntee, Blathin O’Brien, Caitlin Leneghan, Ashlinn McMahon, Grace Fitzpatrick, Tina O’Reilly, Faye Fitzpatrick, Megan O’Callaghan, Kellie Shields, Lauren McConville, Eva Cassidy. Sub: Rionagh Leneghan for C Leneghan
Referee: Jerome McAllister (Antrim)