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Go-Ahead Dublin Junior D Championship Final 

St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh 0-15

Beann Éadair 1-04

Match Report By Nigel McCarthy

St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh were crowned the Go-Ahead Dublin Junior D champions this evening on a cool night in TUD Blanchardstown against a very competitive Beann Éadair side who battled right to the final whistle.

The final scoreline doesn’t do justice to what was a very open and competitive game, but it was ultimately St Oliver Plunketts clinical finishing that told in the end.

Both sides headed into tonight’s Junior D final unbeaten, Plunketts topped Group A with wins over Round Towers Lusk, Ranelagh Gaels and Cuala B scoring an impressive seventeen goals over those three games and continued on that hot scoring streak in their semi final win over Garristown coming out on top by 6-14 to 2-06.

Beann Éadair were equally impressive in Group B with the Howth side securing wins over Garristown, St Brigids B and Wanderers to finish top of the group and booked their place in the final with a 2-14 to 2-08 win over Round Tower Lusk in the semi final.

It was the perfect start to tonight’s final for Beann Éadair when a high dropping point attempt from Kate Skillington came off the fingers of Plunkett’s keeper Aoife Walsh and landed in the net for the games only goal with just a minute gone in the game.

A pointed free from Amber McCloskey and one each from play scored by Ciara Carolan and Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin brought the sides level by the tenth minute.

In what was a free flowing game with both sides attacking with gusto throughout, a point from Amber McCloskey in the twelfth minute gave St Oliver Plunkett’s the lead for the first time in the final.

A positional switch which seen Emer Haines swap from right corner forward to left paid dividends for Beann Éadair with the pacy forward laying the ball off to Kate Skillington to pop the ball over the bar for the equaliser and a minute later Haines struck over a fine point of her own to regain the lead for the side from Howth.

With ten minutes to go to the break the sides were level again thanks to a second successful free attempt from Amber McCloskey.

Beann Éadair were dealt a blow in the 24th minute when the impressive Almha Fitzpatrick was shown a yellow card for a high tackle and the Howth side were down to 14 for ten minutes.

St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh tried to make their numerical advantage count, but the Beann Éadair players stood firm and pulled off a string of excellent blocks and interceptions to thwart the Navan Road side.   

And three minutes from the break they retook the lead when half-back Saoirse Nolan finished off a sweeping move with a fine point.

But Plunkett’s hit back in injury time with points from player of the match Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin and corner forward Leah Pidgeon to take a one point lead with them into half-time break with the score 0-07 to 1-03.

Plunkett’s almost got off to the perfect start after the break, they broke down the right side and Niamh Donlon cut in along the end-line, but unfortunately she seen her thunderous shot come back off the base of the post.

The Navan Road side were now really starting to motor, Eimear McCarney extended their lead in the 34th minute with a nice point and Beann Éadair were thankful of their keeper Amy O’Gorman’s sharp reflexes as she saved a goal effort from Amy Darcy.   

Beann Éadair reduced the deficit in the 37th minute with a point from Ali Carton, unfortunately despite their best efforts it was to be their last score of the game.   

Plunkett’s reeled off seven unanswered points, five of those in as many minutes, three from Amber McCloskey one from a free and two from play and one each from Niamh Donlon and Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin.   

And late in the game Ní Mhaolagáin and Donlon swung over a point apiece to wrap up a deserving win for St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh and the Junior D title.   

Scorers - St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh: Amber McCloskey 0-06 (3f), Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin 0-04, Niamh Donlon 0-02, Eimear McCarney 0-01, Ciara Carolan 0-01,Leah Pidgeon 0-01.

Beann Éadair: Kate Skillington 1-01, Ali Carton 0-01, Emer Haines 0-01, Hazel Prior 0-01.

St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh: Aoife Walsh, Rachel Greene, Aimee McKeon, Hanna Brady, Niamh Donlon, Aisling Carolan, Saoirse Nolan, Éabha Ní Chonláin, Éabha Ní Mhaolagáin, Eimear McCarney, Ciara Carolan, Amber McCloskey, Amy Darcy, Nicola Carr, Leah Pidgeon. Subs: Laura Gregg for Eimear McCarney (40), Aoife Nic Chormaic for Rachel Greene (48), Eimear Murphy for Amy Darcy (56), Aisling Keating for Amber McCloskey (59), Nicole Dalton for Nicola Carr (60).

Beann Éadair: Amy O’Gorman, Mimi Cuddy, Laura Kellett, Katherine Bolger, Ellen O’Shea, Almha Fitzpatrick, Hazel Prior, Ellen Quinn, Sadhbh O’Neill, Mia Kennedy, Ali Carton, Hannah Maher Bobinger, Cait Phelan, Kate Skillington, Emer Haines. Subs: Jennifer Dunne for Mia Kennedy (46), Aoife Spratt for Emer Haines (51), Issy Markey for Katherine Bolger (59), Molly McGurrin for Cait Phelan (59).

Referee: Peter Trimble (Trinity Gaels)