Slow start proves costly for Roscommon
The Roscommon camogie team that lost out to Armagh in the opening round of the Centra Camogie Division 3A League. Picture: Roscommon Camogie.
A new campaign but a familiar feeling for Roscommon as they were defeated by a slick Armagh outfit in their opening game of this year’s Centra Division 3A camogie league.
The visitors raced 1-3 to no score after six minutes and although Roscommon were able to go stride for stride with last year’s All Ireland finalists for the remainder of the half, they were unable to get within a score of Armagh.
Roscommon only trailed by four points, 1-7 to 0-6 after 32 minutes, but an Eimear McGeary goal proved a hammer blow and from there PJ O’Mullan’s side were comfortable.
Roscommon displayed no shortage of grit on a rough day for a game but despite seven points from Shauna Fallon and a strong showing from Kaitlin Egan, Mary Grehan’s side were second best.
The visitors’ strong start paved the way for this triumph as Tierna Maxwell’s goal after three minutes proved an early hammer blow. A Rachel Fitzmaurice score ended Armagh’s early blitzkrieg while the hosts began to gain a foothold when Oonagh Kelly dropped back as a sweeper.
The trade off was that Roscommon were down a body in attack which meant they struggled to carve out openings up top. Their sole goal chance came following a flowing move that saw Shauna Fallon’s effort tipped behind by Ciarrai Devlin before the corner forward slotted the resulting ’45.
Fallon added two further frees but a brace of scores from Eimear Smyth and Ciara Hill left Armagh 1-7 to 0-4 up at the interval. Roscommon started the second half with renewed vigour as early scores from Grace Jones and Egan gave the home supporters cause for optimism.
But, that quickly dissipated as the classy Corinna Doyle picked out the rampaging Eimear McGeary, who fired home Armagh’s second goal. Michaela Finneran gave Roscommon a reprieve when she denied Sinead Quinn but the Armagh full forward got her goal eight minutes later to move her side 3-9 to 0-8 in front.
McGeary almost found goal number four but her instinctive pull after Ciara Hill’s free dropped short flew off Finneran’s helmet and rebounded to safety from a Roscommon perspective.
Shauna Fallon grabbed the final three scores of the game but by then Armagh were content in the knowledge that the victory had been secured.
**Full report in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald**
