Errigal Group Derry Senior Camogie Championship quarter finals: Lavey 0-10 Bellaghy 0-9; Ballinascreen 4-14 Eoghan Rua 0-3
LAVEY and Ballinascreen slotted in to the semi-final draw for the Errigal Group Derry senior camogie championship in contrasting quarter-finals in Ballinderry on Saturday.
While the ‘Screen as expected coasted through, Lavey almost paid the penalty for erratic shooting at the end of a closely fought battle with Bellaghy.
They hit eight second half wides and, when Aimee Lennon got possession in the clear in added time, a Bellaghy goal looked on.
However Ellen McCormick got across to block her path and, while Anna Cassidy pointed to finish the move, the goal opportunity had passed.
There were six scores in the first half, evenly distributed at 0-3 each. But there were also six wides for each team. Maria Rafferty scored all three Lavey points while Leah Cassidy hit two for Bellaghy.
Two frees from Aoife Shaw and a fourth point from Rafferty opened a gap at the start of the second half, but Bellaghy closed it with scores from Lennon and Cassidy and the teams were level again, 0-7 apiece, on 45 minutes.
Shaw with two more frees pushed Lavey ahead and that was the gap in added time when Bellaghy almost got their break.
Eoghan Rua were the outsiders in the first game looking for an early score against Ballinascreen. Instead Amy Rose Mulligan had the sliotar in their net after 90 seconds and the favourites took control.
Jackie Donnelly bagged goals in the 23rd and 40th minutes with the fourth ‘Screen goal coming five minutes from time.
Ballinascreen were pulled out of the semi-final draw with Swatragh while Lavey face Slaughtneil, last year’s finalists bypassing the quarters as a result of finishing top of their qualification groups.
Lavey: M Rafferty (0-5, 2 frees), A Shaw (0-4 frees), C Collins (0-1)
Bellaghy: A Lennon (0-4, 2 frees), L Cassidy (0-3), C Chambers (0-1), A Cassidy (0-1)
Ballinascreen: J Donnelly (2-2), AR Mulligan (1-3), A Doyle (1-1), G Kelly (0-4 frees), C Donnelly (0-2), R McAllister (0-1), O McGuigan (0-1)
Eoghan Rua: S Doherty (0-1), T Mullan (0-1), G Holmes (0-1 free)