Match Report St Vincent’s vs St Brendan’s

  • Sep 21,2024

*** MATCH REPORT ***


Go Ahead Ireland Dublin LGFA Junior B Club Championship Final


St Vincents 3-10 St Brendans 1-07


By Nigel McCarthy


St Vincents claimed the Go Ahead Ireland Dublin LGFA Junior B club championship title with nine points to spare against St Brendans on Friday evening in Clann Mhuire GAA club.


A goal seconds into the game, from the impressive Grace Gilroy, put the side from Marino immediately on the front foot and by the ninth minute of the contest St Vincents had built up an eight point advantage thanks to a second goal from Ciara Naughton who was the only change to the starting side named in the programme.


St Brendans got themselves back into the final courtesy of a well worked goal finished to the net by Alison McGearty and by the break were very much in the game.


In what was a very competitive second half and with both defences remaining solid and difficult to break down, scores were at a premium.


But two pivotal moments, the forty seventh minute yellow carding of St Brendans Christine Dilworth and a well worked third goal for St Vincents all but decided the outcome of the game.


St Brendans pushed right to the final whistle, but the Vinnies rearguard offered them very little in terms of the goal chances that they desperately needed and St Vincenrs ran out deserving winners.


St Vincents got off to the perfect start, after winning the throw-in, the ball was worked down the right, Grace Gilroy cut inside at pace towards goal and buried the ball to the back of the net. Points from Eimear Adamson and Isabelle Dunne extended the lead further to five.


In the ninth minute St Vincents were awarded a free midway inside the St Brendans half to the right of the goal, the Grangegorman sides defence momentarily switched off leaving Ciara Naughton completely unmarked about twenty one yards out from the goal, Vinnies took a quick free to Naughton who drove straight down the centre and made no mistake finishing to the net.


After finding it difficult to break through a stubborn Vincent’s defence despite the best efforts of the powerful running of the likes of Jane O’Donoghue, Alison McGearty and Faye Kearney, St Brendans finally got off the mark with a pointed free from Sinead Morrisey. Vincents responded with a pointed free of their own from player of the match Ava Lambe.


But in the next attack St Brendans got themselves right back in the game, the ball was worked out to the right to Faye Kearney, she went on a penetrating run through the Vincents defence, offloaded the ball to Alison McGearty who’s shot flew past the despairing dive of Louise Hennessey and into the goal off the right hand upright.  


Sinead Morrisey further reduced the deficit from a free, but Vincents broke back down the pitch, Hannah Murphy and Dearbhla Parker exchanged passes before releasing Ciara Naughton who’s shot spilt the post for a fine point.


Another successful free attempt from Morrisey kept St Brendans very much in the hunt, but a point from play from Roisin Gilmore and a free from Ava Lambe insured St Vincents would lead by double scores at the break on a scoreline of 2-06 to 1-03.


As they had done at the start of the game St Vincents won the throw-in for the second half, midfielder Dearbhla Parker collected the ball, drove forward, hand passed to Ciara Naughton who was fouled and Ava Lambe converted the subsequent free kick.  

Sinead Morrisey did the same trick for St Brendans down the other end with a well taken free attempt.


With both defences on top, the game entered an eleven minute scoring drought, that was ended with a fine point for St Vincents from second half substitute Robin Fitzpatrick.


St Brendans grabbed the next two scores, another Morrisey converted free and a superb point from midfielder Jane O’Donoghue after some excellent build up play to leave five between the teams.


But in the forty seventh minute the Grangegorman side were dealt a blow when Christine Dilworth was yellow carded and they were reduced to fourteen players for the next ten minutes.


Despite being a player down St Brendans dominated the next couple of minutes and had three opportunities to reduce the deficit, but unfortunately only converted one from the boot of Morrisey.


But St Vincents numerical advantage finally told, Dearbhla Parker went on powerful run through the Brendans defence, offloaded to Ciara Naughton who then released the ever lively Grace Gilroy who left her marker for dead and hit a rocket to the net for her second goal of the game to leave seven points between the teams going down the home stretch.


The Marino side rounded off the contest with further points from an Ava Lambe free and a fine effort from Parker to run out deserving nine point winners.


ST VINCENTS SCORERS: Grace Gilroy 2-00, Ciara Naughton 1-01, Ava Lambe 0-04 (4F), Dearbhla Parker 0-01, Eimear Adamson 0-01, Roisin Gilmore 0-01, Isabelle Dunne 0-01, Robin Fitzpatrick 0-01.


ST BRENDANS SCORERS: Sinead Morrisey 0-06 (5F), Alison McGearty 1-00, Jane O’Donoghue 0-01.


ST VINCENTS: Louise Hennessey, Tessa Lamb, Aoife Lambe, Clodagh O'Gorman (C), Riona Fennelly, Isabel Fitzpatrick, Hannah Murphy , Dearbhla Parker, Eimear Adamson, Roisin Gilmore, Ava Lambe, Isabelle Dunne, Caitlin McKenna, Grace Gilroy, Ciara Naughton.


ST VINCENTS SUBS: Robin Fitzpatrick for Caitlin McKenna (38).


ST BRENDANS: Karen O'Connell, Sophie Freeman, Erin Fadian, Muireann Breathnach , Mary Carpenter, Tracy McCarthy, Aoife Kelleher, Cara Nic Aonghusa, Jane O'Donoghue, Niamh Willis, Alison McGearty, Christine Dilworth, Vivienne Bond, Faye Kearney, Sinead Morrisey (C). 


ST BRENDANS SUBS: Sinead Reilly for Sophie Freeman (37), Emma Young for Vivienne Bond (37), Eimear Kelly for Muireann Breathnach (55).


PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Ava Lambe (St Vincents)


REFEREE: Reg Harbron (St Anne’s)