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Eoghan Rua camogs back in Croke Park

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Eoghan Rua captain Meabh McGoldrick led by example as the Coleraine qualified for an All Ireland final with victory at Killyclogher on Sunday.

REIGNING All-Ireland champions Eoghan Rua Coleraine will be back in Croke Park to defend their title following last Sunday's narrow semi-final win, 1-8 to 1-5, over Laois Harps in Killyclogher. This was a teak tough affair throughout with defences dominating for long periods.
The fact that both teams could only manage two scores each from open play is some indication of how tight this was. Crucially for the eventual winners, one of those scores was their opening goal which not only helped Eoghan Rua to settle early on but gave them a lead they would not relinquish.
The Harps goal came deep into added time, reducing the gap to three and giving the champions a few anxious seconds as the time ticked down to the final whistle.
However, that score was just too late to change the course of events as Eoghan Rua are now back in Croke Park on Sunday March 4 to defend their Intermediate championship title.
This was a far from polished performance by the Eoghan Rua outfit but nevertheless their captain Meabh McGoldrick was delighted to have ground out a win.
“Well I suppose both teams were familiar with each other after last year and we were not really expecting an open free flowing game," she admitted.
“Maybe the camogie wasn't great but the most important thing was to get a win and that's what we did. There were a lot of stoppages for frees and that probably did not make for great viewing for the spectators but I suppose our supporters will be happy enough anyway as we are back in the final again."
Yes they are, but the Coleraine side were made to work hard for it all the way to the final whistle. Indeed, it was that work-rate which the Coleraine captain flagged up as being a key ingredient for Sunday's win.
“The girls worked really hard out there," continued Meabh. "The Harps crowded out our forward line quite well with the extra player back and it was difficult to break them down. We rely on our workrate a lot and I think our fitness levels stood to us as we had to keep going.
“They were maybe a bit more physical than we expected - they certainly upped the physicality stakes from the All-Ireland final last year."
The opening exchanges were very cagey but The Harps took the lead in the fourth minute with a point from a '45' through midfielder Louise Mahony.
Eoghan Rua's first score was probably the most crucial in the game. In the fifth minute Meabh McGoldrick broke up a Harps attack, her long ball out finding Grainne McGoldrick who strode forward to fire to the Laois net, just the sort of start every team dreams of in a semi-final.
A minute later Coleraine increased their lead when Grainne McGoldrick pointed a long range free some 45m out. It could have been even better for Eoghan Rua seconds later when Grace McMullan placed Claire Tracey in a good position but her shot hit the side netting.
The Harps then came back with a point from a free, Louise Mahoney scoring, the same player then missed a chance from virtually the same position moments after and another opportunity went abegging before the first quarter was out.

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