Feile Div 2 Final Report
- Apr 23,2012
Division 2 final
Na Fianna A 1-11
Clontarf A 2-04
After extra-time
Na Fianna lasted the distance the better as they blitzed Clontarf in extra-time with a four-point salvo to claim the Division 2 title.
In doing so, they managed to over-turn a deficit of seven points in brilliant fashion after Tarf had bossed much of the proceedings. Isobel Finnegan and Rachel Brennan got them off to flying start and the latter put them five clear when she burst onto an excellent Aiobhe Bell lay-off and duly slotted home.
Ali Horan responded with the first of her half-dozen but her side were continually pegged back with Finnegan adding another couple of frees while Caoimhe O'Connor's high shot rippled the netting for the second goal of the half, building an imposing 2-3 to 0-2 lead at the break.
But the change of ends precipitated a change in fortunes as Na Fianna kept their north Dublin opponents scoreless until just two minutes from time, notching up 1-5 in the process.
Horan's pair of frees started the run before Megan Dunne tacked on another score to lift the spirits of the big Na Fianna support in the stands. And that feeling grew even further when Eimear Nolan launched in a long free into the danger zone which took a defensive leg to give goalkeeper Maebh Mullins no chance, raising the green flag.
Four minutes to go, there was still a point to make up but the pressure was incessant and Amy Sheehan obliged to get on terms for the first time since the third minute. Caoimhe O'Gorman then put her side in front only for Clontarf to respond moments later with a great point from the right of the posts to level at the full-time whistle at 1-7 to 2-4.
But extra-time belonged to Na Fianna as Amy Fay's effort ricocheted off the inside of the post before falling invitingly for Caoimhe O'Gorman to raise the white flag. Three more Horan scores stretched the lead out to four points with no way back available for Clontarf at the end of this epic final.
Na Fianna A: N O'Connor, S Brophy, H Carty, E Connolly, C Dempsey, M Dunne (0-1), A Fay (0-1), L Fay, M Ferguson, I Flaherty, E Hardiman (0-1), A Horan (0-6, 0-4 frees), A Kennedy, M McDonagh, K Aughney, C O'Gorman (0-1), S O'Sullivan, A Sheehan (0-1), E Nolan (1-0, free), R O'Donoghue
Management team: RóisÃn O Sullivan, Liam Connolly
Clontarf A: Z Power, S O'Sullivan, A Shannon, H Byrne, H O'Connor, S Fagan, J Clohissey, R Troy, H Bolger, S Quigley, R Brennan (capt) (1-1), I Finnegan (0-3, 0-2 frees), C Cronin, K Giles, A Kelly, M Mullins, A Horne, C Dunlea, C O'Connor (1-0), A Bell, E Fitzpatrick
Management Team: Karen Cronin, Michael Cronin
Report by Stephen Findlater