Oulart-The-Ballagh 3-13 Drom Inch 0-5:THE WEXFORD stranglehold on camogie tightened further as Oulart-The Ballagh strolled to victory in comprehensive fashion at Croke Park yesterday.
Powered by the Leacy sisters, Úna and Mary, Ursula Jacob, Aideen Brennan, Stacey Kehoe and the outstanding Stacey Redmond, Oulart were much too powerful for a Drom Inch outfit that failed to score in the first half.
Jacob and Kehoe had got the scoring under way by the time Brennan poked the sliotar to an empty net in the 15th minute.
Jacob and Kehoe slotted two more points before Una Leacy finished brilliantly to the net nine minutes later. It was 2-6 to 0-0 at half-time and Oulart were 18 points clear by the 40th minute.
Brennan notched her second goal before Caitríona Shortt and Geraldine Kinnane finally landed Drom Inch’s first points.
In the curtain-raiser, Derry side Eoghan Rua retained the intermediate title by defeating Ardrahan of Galway, 2-8 to 0-12
OULART-THE-BALLAGH: H Jacob; C Atkinson, C Storey, K Atkinson; S Redmond, U Leacy (1-0), S Sinnott; D Ryan, Shelley Kehoe; T Stamp, U Jacob (0-7, 2f), L Sinnott (0-1); A Brennan (2-2), U Jacob, Stacey Kehoe (0-3). Subs: Sharon Kehoe for L Sinnott (53); A O’Connor for U Leacy inj (56); K Dunne for Stamp (58); E Moran for Brennan (58); D Kirwan for K Atkinson (59).
DROM/INCH: R Kenneally; P McGrath, L Bourke, N Connolly; N Harrington, M Shortt, T Shortt; S Bourke, J Ryan (0-1); G Kinane (0-1), A Kennedy, E Shanahan; C Shortt (0-2, 1f, 1 45) N Harkin, M Looby (0-1). Subs: A Eviston for Kennedy (25); A McGrath for Shanahan (43); M Barry for T Shortt (43); D Dunne for Harrington (53); S Corcoran for C Shortt (60).
Referee: O Elliott.