Senior One Camogie

Heartbreak for heroic Hoary as Lucan girls go down in thriller

Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-9 Lucan Sarsfields 3-5

Lucan’s long unbeaten run came to an end as a last gasp winner from a controversial 45’ broke their hearts on Tuesday in a sunny but breezy Pairc Ui Mhurchu.

Lucan had led until the 59^th minute in a rip roaring contest in which quarter was neither asked nor given. Two late late points meant the two league points stay in Ballyboden this time.

There were fine performances on both sides. Tipperary girls Jill Horan and Mairead Luttrel were the stars for the home side while Lucan’s Dublin keeper Joelenne Hoary was absolutely heroic between the posts for the visitors.

However, Lucan’s Ailise Dowling was the pick of the thirty players on show and completely nullified the threat of the combative Anne Griffin.

Lucan had another debutante this week in the imposing Jess Condron who impressed at corner back especially after half-time, while Orlaith Murphy again did her prospects no harm with an assured display at top of the left.

Lucan started with the aid of a good breeze blowing in from the west and were soon ahead on foot of a pointed free from a difficult angle by Ciara Casey after Ailbhe Ryan was fouled. Boden responded well and had replied (0-1 to 0-1) before Orlaith Murphy goaled after serious pressure from full-forward Sarah Collins.

Lucan then hit a purple patch as Casey pointed again and Annemarie Courtney scored from mid-field following good approach play by Mairi Moynihan. Laura O’Mahony  - who had a good hour - then ran through the defence for a superb point (1-4 to 0-2) after twenty minutes. The home side were denied by Hoary and full-back Siobhan Grimes but their raids began to look more dangerous as they brought the lead back to two points after 26 minutes (1-4 to 0-5).

Lucan finished the half on a high however when Sarah Collins broke free to drive the ball under the keeper and Claire Rigney came from centre-back to score a rousing point just before the break (2-5 to 0-5).

It looked like a six point breeze and so it proved afterwards.

Dowling defended magnificently after the break as Sarah Courtney came into the game at number seven. The action was remorseless then. Boden goaled after a goalmouth scramble. Then Sarah Collins ran through for her second goal of the night to restore the six point cushion for the girls in green after 42 minutes. Boden came back immediately with another goal of their own as the tempo reached fever pitch (Lucan 3-5 to Boden 2-5).

Aided by the wind, ball after ball rained down on the Lucan goal in a titanic struggle. Lucan still led by two with five minutes to go amidst heart-stopping exchanges. Sinead O’Toole was flying at wing-back by this stage as Collins then had two goal chances (both after great work by Laura Murtagh) to close out the match for Lucan - both of which whistled agonisingly the wrong side of the upright as the Boden keeper looked on helplessly.

Two frees brought Boden level before the 45’ in injury time brought joy to the home side as the final whistle sounded seconds later.

Enthralling contest. Broken hearted.

Lucan scorers : Sarah Collins 2-0, Orlaith Murphy 1-0, Ciara Casey 0-2, Laura O’Mahony 0-1, Annemarie Courtney 0-1, Claire Rigney 0-1.

Lucan : Joelenne Hoary, Ailise Dowling, Siobhan Grimes, Jess Condron, Sinead O’Toole, Claire Rigney, Sarah Courtney, Mairi Moynihan, Annemarie Courtney, Laura O’Mahony, Ciara Casey, Ailbhe Ryan, Laura Murtagh, Sarah Collins, Orlaith Murphy, Laura Morgan, Aoife McKearney.

SOTS : Ailise Dowling.