St Maurs are AIG Div 3 Feile Champions ...
- May 20,2019
AIG Dublin Ladies Football Feile Division 3 Final
St Maurs 5-3 St. Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh 2-2
By Cóilín Duffy
St Maurs AIG are division 3 Dublin Féile champions, following a strong showing, helping them to a 10-point win over St. Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh at St. Peregrine's GAA Club in Blakestown on Sunday.
In ideal conditions the Rush club were quick off the blocks, and registered their opening score after just 30 seconds, with Kerrie Austin taking a fine point to see them quickly settle.
From then on, Maurs wouldn't trail although they were met with some strong resistance also by a hard working St. Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh defence, while up front the Navan Road outfit battled bravely for scores.
Indeed they were unlucky not to grab an equaliser, with two quick attacks after Maurs opening score, but Emily Vahey's effort was blocked out for a 45', which Amber McCloskey failed to convert.
At the opposite end Tara Brady grabbed the first of her two points from frees over the tie, and it wasn't long before the first goal of the tie.
Eoghan Ruadh's defence was now under strong pressure, with Zara Thorne grabbing the first goal after just four minutes.
Less than 90 seconds later another goal followed, after a high ball in, Tara Brady found the net.
Brady saw a further effort from the resulting kick-out come off the posts, before Saoirse Mehigan was on hand to net a goal from an acute angle – and complete her sides hat-trick in less than two and a half minutes.
Brady brought her tally to 1-2 with another pointed free, and while they were 3-3 to 0-0 ahead after seven minutes, it wasn't until the seventh minute of the second half that they would get their next score.
Plunketts worked hard to try and get a score before the interval, but despite the best efforts of the likes of Rachel Fitzmaurice, Emily Harold and Eabha Ní Mhaolagáin before the break, the score stood at 3-3 to 0-0 in Maurs favour at the interval.
Maurs saw an early effort go out for a 45' on the restart, before Plunketts created their first real goal chance in this game.
Molly Foley Brown was in for goal, but had her third minute effort saved by Maurs keeper Isobel Lyster.
St Maurs defence was now coming under pressure at this stage, with Tori McDonnell opening Plunketts account with a fine score.
Plunketts grew in confidence, with Amber McCloskey adding their second point, but Maurs found the net for a fourth time, as Rebecca Sweetman's dipped effort finished in the net.
Emily Vahey cut loose, before finishing a much required goal for Plunketts, but once again Maurs rattled the net – this time from Kerrie Austin 11 minutes into the half to put her side 5-3 to 1-2 in front.
Both sides battled hard in the closing stages, with good work from the likes of Sarah Fitzmaurice at the back for Plunketts.
They managed a second goal, with McDonnell bundling the ball over the line in a crowded goalmouth late on, but St. Maurs had laid the foundations in the opening half.
Afterwards Pat O'Donoghue Dublin LGFA presented the Cup to St Maurs captain Ella Hegarty.
Scorers for St. Maurs:Tara Brady (2f) 1-2; Kerrie Austin 1-1; Saoirse Mehigan, Zara Thorne and Rebecca Sweetman 1-0 each.
Scorers for St. Oliver Plunketts: Tori McDonnell 1-1; Emily Vahey 1-0; Amber McCloskey 0-1.
ST. MAURS: Isobel Lyster; Ellie Hanratty, Rebecca Fitzpatrick, Cianna Flynn; Sania Baloch, Ella Hegarty, Lucy Clarke; Zara Thorne, Colleen Moran; Kelli Carthy, Aimee Cotter, Kerrie Austin; Saoirse Mehigan, Tara Brady, Rebecca Sweetman. Subs: Holly Monks, Rebecca Attley, Keely Durnan, Aoibhe Kelly, Ella O'Connell.
ST OLIVER PLUNKETTS/EOGHAN RUADH:Kerri Cuggy Byrne; Gemma Cushen, Sarah Fitzmaurice, Emma Forde; Áine Bresnan, Bláthnaid Murray, Sky Synott; Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin, Emily Harold; Alex O'Hara, Amber McCloskey, Rachel Fitzmaurice; Emily Vahey, Cáit Rouse, Grace Flanagan. Subs: Molly Foley Brown, Tori McDonnell, Grace Flanagan.
REFEREE: Simon Redmond
Image credit GAApics.com (C)