Sacred Heart Clonakilty secure Senior C PPS Munster Ladies Football Title
In a great advertisement for Ladies Football the West Cork school proved their class eventually to pull away in the final quarter and claim the Munster LGFA PPS Senior C Perpetual Cup. Having won the throw in Sacred Heart hemmed in the Ennis girls for the opening 10 minutes and were rewarded with 2 goals. The first from Katie O’Driscoll came from constant pressure and good hand passing across the square which eventually found O’Driscoll free and she made no mistake. The second goal came from a free kick, Millie Condon kicked a fast and clever ball over the Colaiste defence which found wing forward Aisling Moloney free on the edge of the small square with a simple finish to the net. Despite the constant pressure Clonakilty had three wides from Lydia Sutton, Aisling Moloney and Katie O’Driscoll in the opening quarter.
On the ropes now and struggling to get out of their own half the Ennis girls dug deep and gradually found their way into opposition territory but were finding it hard to create scoring chances. The platform for the Ennis school came from their impressive half-back line of Hannah Doyle, Amelie Malice and Emer Hynes who grew in confidence. Eventually Aisling Costello kicked a point from play before the first water break.
Colaiste started the 2nd quarter in determined fashion and pushing up on the Clonakilty kick outs they eventually found reward with a well taken goal from Lydnsey Clarke. The game was back in the melting pot now but scoring opportunities were difficult to create for both teams as the game was frenetic. Before half time the Ennis school brought the game back to 1 point from a Lydnsey Clarke point from play. Half-time score Sacred Heart 2-0 Colaiste Muire 1-2.
The second half started slowly with both teams pressing each others kick outs and defending in numbers limiting clear cut scoring chances. However Sacred Heart made a decisive breakthrough with a clever 45m free. Their forwards came short looking for the ball drawing out the Colaiste defence only for Clonakilty wing back Maeve Kingston to drift in behind for a goal from a quick ball over the top. This goal and subsequent point from Orlaith Deasy gave Clonakilty a five point lead coming up to the 2nd water break.
Colaiste Muire rallied with a pointed free from Aisling Costello before Clonakilty took control. They reeled off two points from Orlaith Deasy and Siofra Pattwell before another major for Pattwell billowed the net. However credit to the Ennis girls who didn’t give up and kept pushing for a decisive goal of their own before the lively Lydnsey Clarke kicked a point. The game was very open now and Clonakilty scored two more points from Deasy and Pattwell to sandwich a point from Clarke for the Ennis girls. Refere James Brosnan (Kerry) blew the final whistle to the delight of the Clonakilty players and supporters.
Sacred Heart move on to the All Ireland Semi-final now to meet Colaiste Iognaid of Galway and were well served today by Millie Condon, Katie O’Driscoll, Ciardha McCarthy, Aisling Moloney, Orlaith Deasy and Siofra Pattwell. Best for Colaiste Muire, Ennis were Hannah Clune, Hannah Doyle, Amelie Malice, Emer Hynes, Roisin Cahill, Eimear Clune and Lydsney Clarke.
Sacred Heart, Clonakilty: Katie Hearne, Mary Murphy, Alannah O’Brien, Ruth Shanley, Millie Condon, Kate O’Donovan, Maeve Kingston, Katie O’Driscoll, Ciardha McCarthy, Aisling Moloney, Eimear O’Brien, Lydia Sutton (C), Roisin NiBhuachalla, Orlaith Deasy, Siofra Pattwell.
Subs: Ciara Hourihane Ross, Aoife O’Flynn Meade, Ellen O’Riordan, Anna Meade, Ciara White, Niamh Kennedy, Rachel Deasy, Laura Daly, Marie Murphy, Ella Nyhan, Tara Fleming, Caoimhe McEvoy, Emer McCarthy.
Colaiste Muire, Ennis: Rachel Daffy, Hannah Clune, Sinead O’Connor, Rachel Daly, Emer Hynes, Hannah Doyle, Amelie Malice, Roisin Cahill (C), Cliodhna Queally, Caoimhe Ryan, Eimear Clune, Emer Hanrahan, Charlotte O’Brien, Aisling Costello, Lydsney Clarke.
Subs: Emily Barry, Roisin O’Mullane, Ciara Sexton, Orla Hogan, Aisling McDonagh, Ellis O’Flaherty, Eabha O’Driscoll, Maeve Begley, Caoimhe Shalloo Murphy, Sarah Rochford, Niamh Meaney.
