Wicklow Senior County Camogie Champions Knockananna took on Drumnraney of Westmeath on Sunday afternoon for the 2020 AIB Leinster Club Junior B Final at the pristine grounds of the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown.
Due to the clash of colours each team donned their county colours; Drumraney in the Westmeath jerseys and Knockananna in the Wicklow jerseys.
As the game got underway, Knockananna were quick to assert their dominance with a few balls that just slipped wide of the posts. Their efforts were rewarded when player of the match Rachel Byrne struck the sliotar from just outside the 45 and sent it all the way to the back of the net. A beautiful piece of play in which Áine Lynn sent a high ball from a free into a cluster of Drumraney full forwards resulted in a goal for the Westmeath side. Laura Hogan who wore the number 12 jersey for Knockananna put in an immense effort along the wing, picking up the sliotar and sending it into her full forwards.
Áine Byrne the Knockananna full back kept the Drumraney forwards out of the danger zone whilst Rachel Byrne put another 2 points on the board for her team. Linked play from the Drumraney captain Chloe Butler to Chloe Moran led to a well-deserved point. Only 2 points separated the teams at half time, the scoreboard reading Drumraney 1-01 to Knockananna 1-03.
The first score of the second half didn’t come until the eleventh minute after some very tense battling, Sarah Byrne passed the ball into Rachel Byrne who put it over the bar with ease. After a handful more of Knockananna points, Áine Lynn raised her team’s heads by slotting the ball between the posts from a free twice.
Aimee Duncan had an excellent game, continuously sweeping at the Drumraney half back line and clearing the sliotar. Points from Rachel Byrne, Sarah Byrne, Laura Hogan and captain Shannagh Goetelen secured the win for the Knockananna girls.
Knockananna finished on a high with a goal that was flicked in by Róisín Byrne. The scoreboard finishing up reflected harshly on Drumraney, the effort they put in was phenomenal.
The final score was Drumraney 1-04 to Knockananna 2-12 resulting in Knockananna captain Shannagh Goetelen lifting the Leinster trophy.
Rachel Byrne was the deserving player of the match with a personal tally of 1-08 for Knockananna.
With only 3 teams in the hat for the All-Ireland semi-final, Knockananna will now go straight into the All-Ireland final after they were third out of the hat they will face either Na Brideoga from County Mayo or Naomh Treasa Dungannon from County Tyrone who go head to head on Sunday the 12th of December at Barnboy, County Cavan.
Report by PRO Og Grainne Hogan
