Markievicz camogs just come up short against Ballerin

A brave Markievicz effort just came up short against Derry’s Ballerin in this highly entertaining Ulster Junior Camogie championship quarter-final tangle in Killygordon. 

Markievicz 1-10
Ballerin 2-9

The Finn Valley girls trailed throughout but admirably hung on the coattails of the visitors from start to finish. 

A fine Ballerin side had led 1-7 to 0-5 at the midpoint but a brilliant start to the second period from the Donegal champions resulted in them squaring the game up, 1-7 each, on 36 minutes. And going down the home stretch just two points split the teams. 

However, try as they might late on, Markievicz just couldn’t source the goal which would have propelled them on to a provincial semi-final spot. 

The excellent Caoimhe Higgins, who would end up with six frees to her name, nabbed a pair of early points while Rhianna Doherty was also on target as the Oak Leaf ladies jumped three clear just six minutes in. 

Ciara Coulter, who would top score for Markievicz with seven points, then landed a brace of overs to get the home side up and running. 

However, with Higgins posting four superb frees on the bounce, Ballerin were already 0-7 to 0-2 clear on 27 minutes. Another Coulter placed ball and a lovely effort from play by the lively Alexandra Elaurza, did cut the gap back to three. 

But a very generous free, awarded to the away side, then allowed Higgins to send a direct effort, from distance, in towards goal. And with Clodagh Moore reacting quickest to the grounded Sliotar to drill to the net, Ballerin jumped six clear at 1-7 to 0-5. 

The hosts did manage to land another free from Coulter but it was the Derry girls that exited at the midpoint five up. 

The second-half opened with Coulter slicing over another free while Elaurza was very unlucky to see her ambitious drive from distance well stopped by Bellerin custodian Katrina MacCombe.

Still, on 34 minutes MacCombe was powerless to prevent Faragh Campbell from pouncing and prodding home from close range as Markievcz spectacularly fired themselves back to within one. 

Things got even better for Declan Coulter’s girls as Ciara Coulter, again from a free, levelled it all up. 

Just when Markievcz found themselves back on an even keel, Ballerin went straight down the other side and lamped in a second goal through Sinead Faulkner. 

Back bounced Markievicz through usual suspect Coulter but that was equalled by Faulkner and three remained the difference going into the last five minutes. 

Laura McGuinness then dissected the posts with a well clipped fee but Faulkner again stroked that headway out. Three minutes into added time McGuinness registered another free as the gap once again dropped to two. 

And while Markievicz desperately tried to somehow force the issue late on, it was Ballerin that deservingly hung on to advance to the last four. 

Markievicz scorers: Ciara Coulter (0-7,6f), Laura McGuinness (0-2,2f), Faragh Campbell (1-0), Alexandra Elaurza (0-1). 

Ballerin scorers: Caoimhe Higgins (0-6,6f), Clodagh Moore (1-0), Sinead Faulkner (1-2), Rhianna Doherty (0-1).

Markievicz: Margaret McConnell; Jodie McGhee, Ciara Gallagher, Mary O’Neill; Jessica Martin, Laura McGuinness, Aimee Lafferty; Amy Campbell, Sinead Flood; Laura Browne, Alexandra Elaurza, Aoife Campbell; Ciara Coulter, Janice Rushe, Faragh Campbell. 
Subs: Olivia Gillespie, F Campbell (40). 

Ballerin: Katrina MacCombe; Eileen Quigg, Ursula Mullan, Orla Mullan; Mikeela Mullan, Caoimhe Higgins, Niamh Mullan; Eabha Mullan, Shannon Quinn Deighan; Leah O’Connell, Danielle Ferris, Grace Mullan; Sinead Faulkner, Clodagh Moore, Rhianna Doherty. 
Subs: Niamh Nicholl for O Mullan (37).

Referee: Padraig Leonard (Omagh, St Enda’s).