St Margarets in their Centenery Year win the Junior B Championsh

  • Oct 15,2008

There are those in Dublin County Football who were in sunny climates and there were about 200 of us enjoying an Irish "summer" evening in Ringsend last Friday. "Enjoying" might be too strong a word for the weather as the rain came down in sheets, but the football was good.

It was the last of Dublins Adult Championship games, the Junior B game between Portobello and St Margarets. The pitch was in excellent condition and full marks to Clannagael Fontenoy for letting us have the use of it. The game started on time at 8pm and from the off, Portobello dominated. Rarely did the ball leave the vicinity of the St Margaret sticks. Their defence and keeper were under tremendous pressure. Portobello broke through on at least five occasions to lose the advantage to the wind and rain. It took 10 minutes of solid hard work before they managed to put a score on the board. St Margarets werent going to be pushed over easily and took their chances and when they opened their account it was a wonderful kick fada from about 40yds out that found the back of the net. The game was on. it ebbed and flowed and the Green & Gold of Margarets repeated the long kicks putting in two more goals and totting up the points. As much as they tried, Portobello were thwarted at the other end of the pitch and the first half ended Portobello 0-4 to St Margarets 3-3.

The rain was waiting for the girls as they took the field for the second half. Portobello began to chip away at the score adding a point early on and then another. The game settled into a routine and the scoreline didnt change too much as St Margarts put only 3 more points up in the first two thirds. The Black & Whites from Rathmines had reached 6 points when in a tackle, Anne Donnelly took a nasty tumble which required an Ambulance. When the game got underway again Portobello switched on the big guns and put 3 shots in quick succession into the back of the net. It was all level now. Margarets worked the ball up the pitch, fired and went a point up. Portobello got the ball back into Margarets danger zone and it ran out wide. Back up the pitch again and Margarets shot at the goal. It hit the crossbar, spun in the wind and decided to go over - another point. 3 minutes left. Portobello were playing for Ann and they would not let up. The pace increased. Up and down the pitch and the Margarets keeper pulled off a save. On the return trip Margarets took a chance with a low ball and it slipped quietly into the back of the netting. Time out. The whistle went and St Margarets in their Centenery Year have won the Junior B Cup.

Final Score St Margarets 4-8 v Portobello 3-6

Aidan Fitzsimons [St Josephs OCB] Referee

Player of the Match: St Margarets [No.11] Elaine Garvey

Pictured is Pat Strich (St Margarets) who was presented with a Dublin Ladies Jersey to celebrate their centenery year. St Margarets kindly facilitate the use of the pitches for training and games for Dublin Ladies Senior Football teams. Denise Masterson (Dublin Senior Captain) presented the Jersey on behalf of Dublin Ladies Football.