BY MARY WALSH
CLONAKILTY'S U12 camogie starlets secured a hard-fought County Final success over city rivals Blackrock thanks to a sustained second-half assault on the opposition goal at Inniscarra.
On a blustery afternoon north of the Lee, Blackrock opened the scoring with an early goal but Clon forward Aoibhinn Ahern soon had the teams level when fizzing in a lovely ground shot. Blackrock then regained the lead with a fine point - worth two points in this competition - shortly before half-time in this C grade Plate decider.
However, Clon emerged with renewed determination for the second-half. The dynamic midfield partnership of Maisy Lyons and Matilda O'Donovan took control in the centre of the pitch, as Maebh Lyons, Áine Hennessy and Aoibhinn Creedon shut out Blackrock in defence. A period of sustained pressure then led to the lively Grace Forristal giving Clon the lead for a first time with a rasper of a goal, before the excellent Ella Haughney added a spectacular point from distance. Blackrock kept battling to make for a tense last five minutes, but Forristal shook off a cloak of defenders to rattle the back of the net for a second time and put the contest beyond doubt on a final scoreline of 3-1 to 1-1.
It was a deserved victory for a well-balanced Clon team, who returned with their coaches and supporters for a celebratory lap of 'beeping' through the Brewery Town. A number of the girls involved doubled up the following day with a victory in the West Cork final, so it was a memorable weekend for the group.
Clonakilty panel: Sadbh Hart, Aoibhinn Creedon, Áine Hennessy, Lily McAdams, Mia Deasy, Maisy Lyons, Maebh Lyons, Matilda O'Donovan, Lara Twomey, Grace Forristal, Aoibhinn Ahern, Caoimhe Peppard, Emily Williamson, Liah ni Dhonnabháin, Emma Kitawaga, Ella Haughney, Róisín Cronin, Aoibhinn O'Donovan.
