Go Ahead Junior F Final
- Aug 11,2023
Dublin LGFA Junior F Club Championship Final
St Annes 4-13 Clann na nGael Fontenoy 3-8
By Cóilin Duffy
St. Annes delivered Go Ahead Ireland Dublin LGFA Junior F Championship silverware, despite a determined second half comeback by Clann na nGael Fontenoy at St. Margarets on Thursday night, making it three wins from three in 2023 against the Ringsend side.
With a league victory, and a group stages win under their belts, St. Anne’s were coming into this game as favourites, but it wasn’t all one-way traffic, certainly in the opening quarter.
Indeed Clanna Gael grabbed the opening score through Ali Henry, but their lead was short-lived as less than four minutes later Caragh Jones equalised.
When Katie Maher put St. Anne’s ahead for the first time 45 seconds later it gave the Bohernabreena side a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Despite that burst of points, scores were at a pre minimum in the opening quarter, and it took St. Anne’s five minutes to claim their only other score, with Mya Clare on target after her shot was deflected over by Clanna Gael keeper Sarah Bossier.
St Anne’s were dominating possession, but following Clare’s point Clanna Gael rallied hard.
They cut the gap to the minimum with a point from Clodagh Frankie, but they could have been in front, but for a well placed save from Anne’s keeper Maryjane Douglas following a Grace Dolly effort, after initial good work by Frankie.
At the opposite end Anne’s registered the first goal of the hour when Mya Clare palmed to the net, after Caragh Jones had sent the ball inside.
Referee Orla Simpson consulted with her umpires to check all was in order with Clare’s close range effort, before the green flag was raised.
Anne’s drove on from this with Katie Mahon registering her second point of the tie, to hand her side a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage after 18 minutes.
Sarah Byrne and Maria Lee traded points, as did Caragh Jones and Ali Henry, with the gap at five points entering the closing six minutes of the half.
Annes were powerful until the interval, dominating midfield, and controlling the ball well from Clanna Gael’s kick-outs.
Mark Pollock’s charges won the next 10 unanswered kick-outs, yielding 1-4 from this, and helping move into a 2-10 to 0-4 lead.
That 1-4 came inside five minutes, with points from play from Maria Lee and Caragh Jones (2) inside a 100 second spell, before a couple of missed efforts.
Jones added another close range effort from play and also had an effort come off the crossbar.
St Annes rattled the net for a second time, when an Orla Walsh effort from 25 metres out finished in the top corner.
12 points ahead, St Anne’s again powered forward but registered two wides from the next two attacks, including an effort which saw the cross-bar deny them once again. Too her credit also Clanna Gael full-back and captain Helen Barron led by example over the hour, and was involved also on many occasions in trying to keep St Anne’s at bay.
Clann’s were determined to bounce back, and won their first kick-out in seven minutes, which yielded a point from Ali Henry deep in injury-time to ensure a 2-10 to 0-5 interval score-line.
St Anne’s got off to a powerful start on the resumption, and found the net just 19 seconds in, with Mya Clare flicking to the net to grab her second goal.
Points followed in a 30 second spell in the 35th minute, with Megan Doran and Caragh Jones on target as St Anne’s moved 16 points clear.
Amazingly St Anne’s wouldn’t score again for almost 19 minutes, as Clanna Gael really hit a purple patch.
Half-time substitute Olivia Hanley fired to the root of the net in the 39th minute for their opening goal, with pressure now on the Anne’s defence.
A Maria O’Donoghue goal effort was denied following good work by MaryJane Douglas close to the post, before Clanna Gael grabbed their second goal.
This time it was from the penalty spot, as Grace Dolly sent a low and hard shot to the net. She followed up with a point less than 90 seconds later, before finding the net once again - this time from play; to ensure just six points separated the sides entering the final quarter.
Clann’s came unstuck in front of the posts in the next five minutes, but regained their composure thanks to an Ali Henry point, to ensure a 3-12 to 3-7 score-line in the 51st minute.
Anne’s bounced back and broke their scoring dead-lock in impressive fashion as 16 year old Caragh Jones grabbed a well taken goal.
Ali Henry grabbed her fifth point of the game, but Anne closed out the game well with Go Ahead Ireland Player of the Match Jones bringing her tally to 1-7 for the hour on the way to an eight-point win.
After the game Dublin LGFA Chairperson Joe Keane presented the Cup to St Annes team captain Aisling O’Neill.
It was a proud moment for Aisling who referenced that she only took up Ladies Gaelic Football four years ago and that it was a privilege to have such teammates and friends.
Aisling thanked the management team for their guidance, saying that major strides have been made over the last two years. Incidentally the management is a family trio of Mark Pollock, his son Ciarán; and daughter Ava.
Aisling also had a word of thanks to the loyal St. Anne’s supporters for their ‘hype and huge positivity in their support from the sidelines.’
She also praised Clanna Gael Fontenoy whom she said are an upcoming team that will only get better, and that she is looking forward to playing them again in a few weeks - a fourth meeting for 2023, this time the Division 7 League semi-final.
Scorers for St. Annes: Caragh Jones (1f) 1-7; Mya Clare 2-1; Orla Walsh 1-0; Maria Lee, Katie Mahon (1f) 0-2 each; Megan Doran 0-1.
Scorers for Clanna Gael Fontenoy: Grace Dolly (1-0pen) 2-1; Ali Henry (2f) 0-5; Olivia Hanley 1-0; Clodagh Frankie, Sarah Byrne 0-1 each.
ST ANNES BOHERNABREENA: Mary Jane Douglas; Aisling O’Neill, Jodie Coghlan, Cara Barney’s; Jessica Murphy, Abaigh Pollock, Amy Tyrell; Orla Walsh, Megan Doran; Maria Lee, Katie Callery, Katie Mahon; Caragh Jones, Shona McNally, Mya Clare. Subs: Ava Barnes for McNally (38); Katie O’Hara for Coghlan (42); Lauren Quinn for Lee (57); Grace Mahon for Murphy (60); Abbey Mahoney for Jones (62). Panel: Kate Donaghy, Abby Donaghy, Leah Korean, Eva Byrne, Aimee Keogh, Emma Griffiths, Lily O’Connor, Lauren Douglas, Caoimhe Joyce, Katie Nugent.
CLANNA GAEL FONTENOY: Sarah Bossier; Aisling Madill, Helen Barron, Evie Keelen; Ava Fitzpatrick, Sophie Gallagher, Grace Murphy Cruse; Abbie O’Connor, Clodagh Frankie; Sarah Moriarty, Ali Henry, Sarah Byrne; Alannah Nic B’Haird, Grace Dolly, Nicola Brennan. Subs: Olivia Hanley for Brennan (HT); Emily Carroll for Keelen (HT); Maria O’Donoghue for Nic B’Haird (HT); Annabelle Black for Moriarty (47). Panel: Simone Halpin, Izzy Dowling, Aisling Costello, Laragh Heneghan, Orla Fox, Victoria Mohan, Lauren Thirroueiz, Katie Bowen, Amelia Flanagan, Roisin Staunton, Ali Storan, Allison Moriarty.
REFEREE: Orla Simpson (St. Colmcilles, Swords)