Minors qualify for Leinster B Final
- Apr 08,2024
Leinster MFC B Semi Final
Saturday April 6th 2024
TUD Blanchardstown Campus
Dublin 3-10 (19) Westmeath 1-09 (12)
Dublin have qualified for the final of the Leinster minor B final following a seven-point victory over Westmeath. Both teams had to contend with difficult blustery conditions in Blanchardstown TUD as storm Kathleen raged across the Country on Saturday afternoon.
The strong cross winds and gusty conditions did not favour the playing of football with players struggling at times to get into the contest especially in the opening quarter of this knockout game.
The home side took a 1-06 to 0-03 lead into the half time dressing room with Dublin’s Rachel Johnson on target for the opening goal of the game which arrived in the 21st minute. Síle Kearney was Westmeath’s only scorer accounting for her sides total first half tally of 0-03.
Westmeath enjoyed the prefect restart scoring three unanswered scores to cut the gap between the sides to just three points. Lucy Ahern helped quell the Westmeath onslaught with a well taken goal which came with eight minutes gone on the clock. This score pushed Dublin’s lead back out to six points. Shortly after Ahern’s goal Dublin were awarded a penalty by match official Emma Dunne of Louth.
Dublin goalkeeper Katie Moran Tighe duly dispatched the subsequent penalty kick to give her team a 3-06 to 0-06 advantage. Aoife Keane who was excellent throughout the contest responded with a well taken Westmeath goal to reduce the Dublin lead back to six points.
With 22 minutes gone in the second half Dublin started to pull away from their opponents tagging on four unanswered points. To their credit, Westmeath continued to battle away and finished out the contest strongly by registering the last two points of the game. As the final whistle sounded it would be Dublin who would advance to the provincial final on a score line of 3-10 to Westmeath’s 1-09.
Dublin will defend the Minor B title won last year when they met Wexford in the provincial final this coming Sunday (April 14th). Wexford had a tough semi-final battle with Laois winning in the end by 4-09 (21) to 3-07 (16).
Leinster LGFA will confirm the venue and throw in time for the Minor B final, shortly.
Dublin v Westmeath: Katie Moran Tighe, Ruby Magnier, Katie Hayes, Tessa Lambe, Aoibh Doyle, Catarina Almeida, Kirsten Mooney, Chloe O’Shea, Siobhán Birnie, Rachel Johnson, Elsa Kearney, Charlie Murphy, Lucy Ahern, Líadan Murphy, Ellen Leddy Doyle.
Dublin scorers: Ellen Leddy Doyle 0-05 (4f), Lucy Ahern 1-01, Rachel Johnson 1-00, Chloe O’Shea 0-01, Elsa Kearney 0-01, Katie Moran Tighe 1-00 (pen), Aoibh Doyle 0-02
Dublin replacements: Ava Canty, Roisin Kirby, Ellen Joyce, Ciara Brogan, Kate O’Toole, Andrea Walsh, Hannah Galvin, Niamh Bush, Ellie Doyle, Hannah Murphy, Sophia O’Brien, Niadh Murphy, Martha de Brun, Isabelle Coogan, Lile Tully.