Joan fights injury as All-Ireland clash looms
A SERIOUS knee injury could well keep Down midfielder Joan Henderson out of the game she desperately wants to play in.
Joan twisted her knee in training at the weekend and it could rule her out of the All-Ireland camogie semi-final against her native Tipperary on August 7.
Joan has played against and for Down in All-Ireland finals.
In 1991 she was the leader of the Tipperary attack in the All-Ireland Junior final, scoring a last minute goal against Down to put her side into the lead.
However straight from the puckout Bonny McGreevey burst through for a Down goal to collect the first of three All-Ireland Junior titles for Ulster sides in the nineties.
A year later Joan returned with Tipperary to Croke Park to collect the Junior title.
But Belfast based Joan, a graduate of Queen’s and a member of their record-breaking Ashbourne Cup side of 1991, was finding it more difficult to make enough training sessions with the Munster side.
A year out, when she and her husband travelled around the globe, finally made the break, but she returned to inter-county camogie two seasons ago under her old Queen’s mentor Bernie McNally.
Last year she collected a fistful of medals, including an Intermediate championship award, which her native county had also won in the interim.
Now, just three weeks away from her first game against Tipperary for Down, she looks likely to miss out, although she is seeking expert medical advice.
It’s Down’s first senior semi-final for 46 years. But it is a much more significant game for their Tipperary-born midfielder.
Tyrone teenagers shock Charlton
TYRONE’S teeny terrors weighed in with a headline-grabbing victory over English side Charlton Athletic on the opening day of the Milk Cup Youth Soccer Tournament in Coleraine.
The local boys recorded a 2-0 success at the University of Ulster. Peter Armour put the result beyond doubt after Charlton had done their cause little good by scoring an own goal.
County Derry battled hard against stylish Italian side Lazio before going down 2-1 in their opening group 6 game at Limavady.
Gareth Mullan got the Ulster side’s goal but strikes from Matteo Morici and Daniele Poma secure victory for Lazio.
Swindon beat County Down 2-0 with both goals coming from Chris McDonald.
Goals by Adam Barton and Luke Corbett helped classy Crew Alexandra cruise to victory against Co Antrim.
West Ham United saw off County Armagh. Glen Johnston shot them in front and Joey Salmon added the second.
In the Milk Cup U16 section Northern Ireland got off to a flying start in Coleraine yesterday.
They defeated County Fermanagh 3-0 with Mark Maginnis opening their account before half-time.
Mark Hughes headed a second and substitute Kevin Braniff got the third.
Finnish side Helsinki beat County Derry 2-1 with Paul McLaughlin’s goal not enough for the Irish.
County Down tasted victory, 3-1 against Malmo with Darren Nixon, Andrew Kilmartin and James Hamilton on target.
In the Elite 19 tournament, Northern Ireland lost by a single goal to Brazilians EC Vitoria at Limavady where Nascimento scored.
