Genprint - Senior Championship Final Preview 2009

  • Sep 08,2009
There is  always something specialabout County final day or night as it more increasingly becoming known.The sense of hope expectation and confidence amongst supporters, asthey make their way from their Northside bases of Glasnevin andPortmarnock to our County headquarters this Friday evening ,will ofcourse only turn into reality for one set on the return journey.   Itcertainly will be a strange occasion at the start anyway what with noBoden Belles hunting down 10 in a row, instead we have 2 sides who haveover the last number of years threatened to make the elusivebreakthrough to become Queens of Our Fair City and County.
 
The Michael Murphy cup is no doubt well polished and will gleamunder the glare of the wonderful Parnell Park floodlights awaitingpresentation to the successful captain at the end of what should be  athrilling hours battle. The group of death certainly lived up to itsname with 3 teams finishing level on 6 points , Ballyboden St. Endaswere joined by both Naomh Mearnog and Na Fianna which necessitated aplay off situation once Na Fianna had beaten the defending Championsout at Moibhi Road.  WIth that win a place in the final assured for the yellow and blue clad Glasnevin girls the attention turned to thePortmarnock shootout between Mearnog and Ballyboden St. Endas. Itturned out to be an epic battle with the home side squeezing through tobring us to this Friday evening in Doneycarney.
 
 
Tonights contest has the makings of a special night with so muchquality on display in both teams ranks.  Mearnog will look to thebrilliant Sinead Ahearn (surely an All Star for 09) and the likelymidfield pairing of skipper Orla Colreavy and Dublin captain DeniseMasterson to provide the platform for victory while at the other endCounty custodian and former All Star Cliodhna O Connor can be expectedto repel the Na Fianna attack.   The Glasnevin ladies in their forwardline have 2 ladies who on their day and when on song can cause anydefence no end of bother. Mary Nevin still turning it on with thecounty and her former colleague in the blue shirt Bernie Finlay willrequire special watching by their allocated markers. Nadine Doherty isanother lady who will require special attention by the black and amberclad Mearnog defence.
 
 
Both these sides have in the recent past experienced the bitterpill of defeat on County final day to Ballyboden during their recordrun of title success.  Such experiences drive you on and while I dontknow if the old saying you have to loose one to experience winning oneis quite true it will certainly act as a major spur to both sides.  Thetime has come for a new chapter to be written in the history books ofDublin Ladies Club football at the highest level.  This to me is a veryclose call as to who will not only gain the title of county championsbut also the right to represent our great county in the provincial clubcampaign.  After a close contest the vote goes to Mearnog.......
 
By DECLAN DRAKE  FM104