Rangers' brave effort falls just short
The Mount Leinster Rangers team before their Leinster Camogie semi-final against Na Fianna in Trim GAA club
It wasn’t quite to be for Mount Leinster Rangers as they bowed out of Leinster competition in Trim GAA against a well-versed Na Fianna side on Saturday afternoon.
It was a close battle throughout with the decisive moment arriving late in the first half when Erin Leddy’s free landed in the Rangers’ goalmouth and sat up perfectly for Aedin Slattery, who was able to hook the ball into the net from close range.
That gave Na Fianna a two point lead at half time and they maintained that through the second half despite the very best efforts of Rangers.
Na Fianna have won four Meath titles in a row and in 2023 won out Leinster and went all the way to Croke Park for the All-Ireland final before losing narrowly to Clanmaurice so they know all about competing at this level and that experience showed in the second half.
This was Rangers’ first venture into the Leinster Championship after their brilliant county final win in Carlow and selector Shea Hayes emphasised that after the game.
“This time last year, we got together as a group and our goal was to win Carlow, let’s make no bones about it. This is bonus territory but obviously when you get here and are a puck of a ball away right up until the last minute and lose it you are gutted,” he said.
After a close start with the first four points shared evenly, Rangers got on top midway through the first half.
County final goalscoring hero Anna Breen was denied a goal in the 17th minute when Katie Mulvihill kept out her well struck shot but a superb point from play by Roisin Joyce and then a free from the always excellent Ciara Kavanagh made it 0-4 to 0-2.
It was only late in the half that Na Fianna starting to come back at the Carlow champions. Leddy converted a 28th minute free before Slattery’s goal left the score at 1-3 to 0-4 at the break.
Leddy scored the first two points after half time and from there they always had a certain amount of control over the game.
Sarah Kehoe and Kavanagh again scored to leave two points in it with ten minutes to go but despite Rangers pushing until the very end, that was as close as it go and Na Fianna only increased their lead from there.
“I suppose the bit of luck we had all year decided to desert us today, and that’s sport, but I can’t fault the effort of the girls,” said Hayes.
“They kept going to the very end, they kept plugging away. On another day we would have had another ten minutes extra time. Chances didn’t go way but I can’t fault the effort, they were outstanding and they have been outstanding all year,” he added.
It was a poignant day for the Rangers club as it began with a minute’s silence for Jim Byrne, a great clubman who passed away during the week. His four granddaughters featured in the game and Hayes had a special word for those four Kavanaghs.
“Jim certainly was a great clubman. He was involved in setting up the ladies football in the club. When you look at the week that we’ve had, it puts sport and camogie into perspective. Them four Kavanaghs have been outstanding all year – Shannon, Orla, Ciara and Molly – they really have. As have the rest of the girls but I want to pay a special tribute to them four girls for coming out today on what was a tough week for them and their family but no doubt, they did their grandfather very proud today,” he said.
Katie Mulvihill; Sophia Payne, Claire Coffey, Aisling Byrne, Niamh Mulvihill, Gracie Grehan, Eimear Fagan; Leah Devine, Aoife Carey 0-3 (1f); Brodie Kelly, Erin Leddy 0-4 (2fs), Aedin Slattery 1-2, Brooke Flynn, Emma Regan 0-1, Katie Kelly.
Anna Carey for N Mulvihill, 43; Cliodhna Ward for K Kelly, 56.
Catherine Kavanagh; Katie Barcoe, Aine Ryan, Alice Dalton, Sarah Joyce, Rachel Breen, Kathleen Fenlon; Molly Kavanagh, Sarah Kehoe 0-1; Roisin Joyce 0-1, Martha Dolan 0-1, Ciara Kavanagh 0-6 (4fs); Eimear Byrne, Anna Breen, Shannon Kavanagh.
Rachel Kennedy for S Kavanagh, 36; Chloe O’Dwyer for Byrne, 36; Ava O’Dwyer for Barcoe, 42.
Brian Kearney (Kildare).
