Report Div 8 Feile Final

  • Apr 22,2024

Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football Féile Division 8 Final


Beann Eadair 3-03

St Annes 1-03


Report by Nigel McCarthy


Beann Eadair are Dublin LGFA Fèile Division 8 champions thanks to a hat-trick of second half goals that turned the tide in a thrilling final in St Peregrines GAA club this morning.  


This was a classic tale of a game of two halves, St Annes had the better of the first half and a goal just before the break gave  the Bohernabreena side a three point advantage at the break.


Beann Eadair struggled to trouble the scoreboard in the first half with a converted free all they had to show for their efforts.


But that all changed seconds into the second half with the Howth sides first goal of the final. That lit the spark and Beann Eadair dominated the rest of the half adding two more goals thanks to two exquisite passes inside by one of the standout players of the game Hayley Walsh and despite a late scare Beann Eadair held on to claim the title. 

St Annes started the game brightly and created two good goals chances in the opening six minutes. A shot from midfielder Ellie Mahon narrowly missed the target, from a free kick Isabelle Lawlor picked out Lucie Doran whose shot was saved superbly by Beann Eadair goalkeeper Ailbhe Hanway Wills.


The first score of the game arrived in the 9th minute, Emma Kavanagh made an incisive run down the left wing and picked out midfielder Laragh Fogarty centrally between the twenty one and forty five metre lines and Fogarty swung the ball over the bar.


St Annes dominated the possession but failed to add to their tally till a minute before the break. Beann Eadair gave away a free about twenty five yards out, up stepped Eimear Holmes and the forward hit a clean strike to the top left hand corner of the net.  


Despite all their efforts Beann Eadair just had a single point scored from a free by Hayley Walsh to take with them to the break with the half-time score 1-01 to 0-01 in St Annes favour.


The game though turned on its head seconds into the second half, Beann Eadair won the throw-in, Kate Hogan made a brilliant run through the centre and played the ball to Lara Giblin who buried the ball to the net and it was game on.


That goal sparked the Howth outfit into life and they dominated the rest of the half driving forward in waves towards the St Annes goal.


A pointed free from Hayley Walsh put Beann Eadair in front for the first time in the final. Walsh was involved a minute later and hit a superb pass from the right to pick out an unmarked Lara Giblin in front of goal and she grabbed her second goal with a clinical finish.


A third goal arrived with nine minutes left on the clock, again it was a sublime pass from Hayley Walsh that did the damage this time finding Lily Kate Gould who made no mistake with a fine finish to the net.


Another pointed free from Walsh stretched the lead but St Annes pulled a point back from the boot of Alyson Kelly.


With three minutes left in the contest St Anne’s thought they had got themselves back in the game, an incisive run and shot from Amy Byrne hit the bottom of the upright and was scrambled clear, the St Annes players were convinced it had crossed the line but neither umpire agreed and play went on.


In the final minute Byrne had another shot deflected for a 45’ which was worked into Alyson Kelly who clipped the ball over the bar for the final score of the game.


Beann Eadair Scorers: Lara Giblin 2-01, Kate Gould 1-00, Hayley Walsh 0-02 (2f).


St Annes Scorers: Eimear Holmes 1-00, Alyson Kelly 0-02, Iaragh Fogarty 0-01.  


Beann Eadair: Ailbhe Hanway Wills, Charlotte Wright, Clara Eason, Kate Hearnden, Millie Kenny, Hayley Walsh, Aoibhean Morton, Kate Hogan, Piper Swan, Daisy McLoughlin, Beth Gilroy, Roisin Barrett, Kaylin Quilligan, Doireann O’Sullivan, Mia Dowling, Cashel O’Connel, Emily Wallace, Sophie Gahan, Lily Kate Gould, Lara Giblin, Gaby Rowe, Tara Nugent, Rachel Quinn, Lucy O’Donnel, Rhosyn Darkin, Zoe Conway.


St Annes: Grace Moody, Enya O’Donoghue, Kelly Tobin, Lucy Sherratt, Roisin Dunne, Isabelle Lawlor, Emma Kavanagh, Alyson Kelly, Ellie Mahon, Eimear Swaine, Alannah Browne, Amy Byrne, Alex Callery Maisie Curran, Abby Devlin, Lucie Doran, Iaragh Fogarty, Eimear Holmes, Briona Joyce.


Referee: Philip Bourke (Castleknock)