ZuCar All-Ireland U18 A final
Cork 3-11
Dublin 3-2
By Daire Walsh
Kate Carey finished with an impressive tally of 2-3 at Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park in Birr as Cork comprehensively defeated Dublin to claim their 13th ZuCar All-Ireland U18 ‘A’ Ladies Football Championship crown.
Aiming to bridge a three-year gap to their last title at this grade, Cork hit the ground running in this encounter with unanswered points from Eabha O’Donovan and Sarah O’Connor. The Leesiders were attacking in waves during the early exchanges and they rattled the net for the first time in the 11th minute as Ilen Rovers ace Carey drilled a fierce shot beyond the reach of opposition netminder Kalia Behan.
While Dublin eventually opened their account when Niadh Mooney cancelled out an earlier effort from Johanna Foskin on 18 minutes, their Munster counterparts reinforced their authority thanks to a brace of points from Carey. Although midfielder Lile Tully also split the posts for Dublin, Cork ended the opening period in spectacular style.
After O’Donovan (an AIB All-Ireland junior club football championship winner with O’Donovan Rossa in 2023) superbly palmed home for her side’s second goal of the contest, Carey bagged another green flag score in clinical fashion to ensure Kieran O’Shea’s charges held a commanding 3-5 to 0-2 buffer at the interval.
Dublin needed a strong start to the second half in order to give themselves a fighting chance at forging a dramatic comeback and Declan Patton’s outfit were desperately unlucky to see two opportunities at goal rebounding off the crossbar shortly after the restart.
Yet Cork continued to possess a potent attacking threat and their lead was stretched to 15 points when Laura Walsh, Carey and O’Donovan (free) all found the range in a six-minute spell.
However, Dublin displayed admirable perseverance throughout the second period and the Leinster champions cut significantly into their deficit when influential St Brigid’s star Molly Bourke fired home two goals in as many minutes inside the final-quarter.
Nevertheless, Cork were still in a strong position to collect the silverware on offer and with Walsh finding the target either side of a well-worked point from Douglas’ Aoibhe Sheehan, the outcome was place beyond doubt long before substitute Rebecca McEvoy secured a consolation goal for Dublin in the final minute of the action.
Scorers – Cork: K Carey 2-3, E O’Donovan 1-2 (0-1f), L Walsh 0-3 (1f), J Foskin, S O’Connor, A Sheehan 0-1 each.
Dublin: M Bourke 2-0, R McEvoy 1-0, L Tully, N Mooney 0-1 each.
CORK: A Toye; O Drummey, A Tobin, A O’Sullivan; R Breen, M McRae, É Walsh; S Cunningham, J Foskin; S O’Connor, L Walsh, A McAuliffe; É O’Donovan, K Carey, A Sheehan. Subs: G Young for Foskin (50), E Burns for Sheehan (52), C Horgan for McAuliffe (55), A Leahy for Carey, S Ni Laoire for O’Sullivan (both 60).
DUBLIN: K Behan; K Hayes, T Walsh, A Pollock; C Sone Lenou, H Murphy, K O’Donovan; S McDonnell, L Tully; L Murtagh, M Bourke, C Murphy; N Mooney, Z Flood, G Connolly. Subs: K Mooney for Walsh, R Kirby for Murphy, R McEvoy for Flood (all h-t), C Almeida for McDonnell (42), E Reen for O’Donovan (47).
Referee: Gavin Finnegan (Down).
ZuCar All-Ireland U18 B final
Clare 1-8
Sligo 0-7
By Gavin Cawley
Clare are this year’s ZuCar All-Ireland B champions after they overcame a battling Sligo side who came into the match as reigning champions at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Mayo.
Both sides were very well matched throughout the course of the match with both teams being made to work for scores during the contest.
Sligo opened the scoring through a free from Ellen Giblin who was their main scoring threat throughout the match.
The sides were level for the first time on five minutes with Aiobheann Ryan pointing for Clare. Sligo restored the lead a minute later when Gemma Callaghan was on target after some excellent build-up play from Giblin.
Ria Meaney was unlucky not to draw her side level on seven minutes with her effort coming off the crossbar but Meave Clancy had the sides level once again.
The sides were level again at the midway point in the half but Sligo retook the lead on 20 minutes with Giblin adding her third free of the half.
Ryan had claims for a penalty but after consultation with his umpires match referee Kevin Phelan deemed the Clare forward to be charging.
Ryan got the only goal of the match before the half-time break when she cut through the Sligo defence before finding the back of the net.
A point after the restart from Sligo’s Giblin left just a point between the sides at 1-3 to 0-5.
Sophie Culleton restored a two point for Barry Donnelly’s side after 37 minutes.
Sligo looked like they had got a goal on 41 minutes when Rachel McGoldrick set up Kate Smith but the goal was disallowed for a square ball.
But Sligo hit back and drew level with points from Kate McDonagh and free from Giblin.
Clare went 17 minutes without a score but a point from Culleton edged them back in front.
The Clare defence was impressive in the final five minutes with some key turnovers proving vital and they added three points to seal the win.
Scorers: Clare: A Ryan 1-1; H Keating 0-2, S Culleton 0-2 (1f), A Kelly, M Clancy, C Mescal 0-1 each.
Sligo: E Giblin 0-5 (4f), G Callaghan, K McDonagh 0-1 each.
CLARE: N Clark; A Cahill, A Kelly, E Burke; A Kelly, H Keating, L Daly; A Talty, A Crowe; K Darcy, R Meaney, S Culleton; A Ryan, A McNamara, M Clancy. Subs: S Clancy for M Clancy (44), S Cagney for Talty (44), C Mescal for Kelly (60).
SLIGO: C Gallagher; K Feeney, L Galvin, C Morgan; A Durcan, T Hastings, R Killoran; L Henry, L McGuire; A Breheny, G Smith, G Callaghan; K Smith, C Crawley, E Giblin. Subs C Gilligan for McGuire (37), K McDonagh for G Smith (37), R McGoldrick for Breheny (38), S McDaniel for K Smith (47), A Canning for Killoran (60).
Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).
ZuCar All-Ireland U18 C final
Waterford 5-20
Westmeath 3-10
By Colin Lawrence
Waterford clinched their second ZuCar U-18 C All-Ireland title in a row thanks to a stunning display against battling Westmeath in Baltinglass.
The Deise held a relatively narrow four-point lead after a pulsating goal-fest of a first half but powered on in the second period, storming to the crown on a fully deserved scoreline of 5-20 to 3-10.
Such was the dominance of Fiona Laffan’s side in that second 30 minutes, they outscored their classy opponents by 2-10 to 0-4, lethal forwards Treasa Ní Chrotaigh, Abbie Fitzpatrick and Clodagh Power in flying form and boosted by the arrival of the superbly accurate Emma Fitzgerald off the bench after half-time, while centre-back Rebecca Walsh and full-back Deirdre Roche shone in a uncompromising defence.
A decent crowd had gathered in a sun-kissed Baltinglass GAA grounds for what promised to be a thriller, and the opening half certainly delivered in that regard.
Six goals, some lovely points and football of a very high standard sent Waterford in with a four-point lead at 3-10 to 3-6 after those hectic opening 30 minutes.
It was the Leinster champions who hit the ground running early doors, opening up a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after four minutes, Rachel Murphy with the goal and Kate Stuart Trainor causing havoc on the wing.
But Waterford were here to play, and white flags from Eimear Campbell, Clodagh Power and team captain Ava Connolly left the minimum between the sides with eight minutes on the clock.
The Deise side started bossing matters and by the end of the first quarter they led by 2-6 to 1-2, the goals from Abbie Fitzpatrick and Clodagh Power.
This was a free-flowing encounter with strong running from both sides, and it was all in the mix at the break thanks to fine goals from Shannon Breslin and Katie Kilmurray (penalty) who helped Westmeath battle back into contention.
However, the introduction of Emma Fitzgerald at the break and her impact from placed balls and the scintillating Deise attack that produced two more goals, the first from Siún Mernin and the second from the outstanding Clodagh Power and a host of points from all over the field left the Waterford side worthy winners after a cracking battle in the Garden County.
Scorers – Waterford: C Power 2-6 (4f), A Fitzpatrick 1-2, E Fitzgerald 0-5 (4f), A Connolly 1-1, T Ní Chrotaigh 0-4 (f), S Mernin 1-0, E Campbell 0-1, R Browne 0-1.
Westmeath: K Kilmurray 1-6 (1-0pen, 3f), R Murphy 1-0, S Breslin 1-0, K Stuart Trainor 0-2, S O’Sullivan 0-1, E Carey 0-1.
WATERFORD: G Corcoran; R Power, D Roche, G Carrigan; S Peters, R Walsh, E Campbell; S Condon, R Browne; C Power, M Kenneally, S Mernin; A Connolly (capt.), T Ní Chrotaigh, A Fitzpatrick. Subs: E Fitzgerald for E Kenneally (h/t), A Butler for Mernin (59), R Fitzgerald for R Power (60), E Curran for Condon (60), M McCusker for Ní Chrotaigh (60+2).
WESTMEATH: K Kelly; R Ward, L Brogan, G Shortall; A Barry, M Donohue, Á Bracken; C Butler Clyne, A Keegan (capt.); S O’Sullivan, R Murphy, K Stuart Trainor; O Collins, S Breslin, K Kilmurray. Subs: L Allen for Donohue (29), E Carey for Barry (39), K Hogg for Shorthall (41, inj), N Farrell for Collins (57), A McDonald for Butler Clyne (60+2).
Referee: E Cuthbert (Down).
