St Sylvesters advance to setup All Fingal Junior final
St Sylvesters advance to setup All Fingal Junior final.
Thomas Davis 1-8 St Sylvesters 2-9
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On what started out to be a very wet, miserable, windy evening at 7 OClock, when it came to the throw in at 7:30, the sun was shining & the conditions where great in Thomas Daviss for what everyone had anticipated would be a close, exciting & nail biting semi-final. With both clubs reaching the last two County finals, each hungry for success this was sure to be a thrilling encounter!
Unfortunately for Daviss they lined out without their Dublin All-Star Siobhan "hopper" McGrath and of course her talent and leadership would be a great loss but also a motivator for Daviss to win?
Sinead Aherne, one of Dublins top scoring & most talented forwards put Sylvesters on the scoreboard with 1 point from play and 1 from a free in the early stages of the match. This was to be the beginning of a great performance by Aherne and Daviss had their hands full trying to keep her at bay!
Down the other end, Ciara McGuigan got Daviss off to a great start with a point from the half forward line and like with Aherne this was to be the start of an outstanding performance from the young talented footballer from Tallaght who is currently a top scoring forward on the U.16 Dublin panel.
Daviss dominated for a short period with some terrific play from Sinead Deegan playing half forward, herself and McGuigan where a difficult pair for Slyvesters to manage. In the 22nd minute of the first half McGuigan went a run from the half way line, taking on 3 defenders and stuck over a point that pushed Daviss closer to Sylvesters. 2 minutes later Deegan followed suit and put over a well earned point from play.
22 minutes in to the game, Ciara McGuigan went on another great run from midfield passing 3 defenders and in to the full forward line where she took an effortless point from a awkward angle and put it straight over the bar making it a draw . Things where heating up even more between both sides.
Sylvesters tactic in the game was to keep pumping the ball into Aherne and it took 2 defenders at times to stop her from gaining possession. Aherne was the target woman and not only for scoring but for his distribution, she passed off some great balls to the forwards and made life really difficult for the Davis defense.
With some great midfield play by both sides it was difficult to keep possession and then with about 4 minutes to go before half time, Aherne took off like a bat out of hell and went through 5 defenders to score a cracker of a goal that gave Sylvesters a healthy lead going in to half-time, a lead that would prove difficult for Daviss to get back.
Score at half-time - Slyvesters 1-04 v Thomas Davis 0-4
After half time, you could feel the tension between both teams with all but a goal in it; it was there for the taking by either side.
From the outset Sylvesters seem to be hungrier for the ball and dominated for the first few minutes. Deegan upped her game and took on the Sylvesters backs time and time again looking for that much needed goal, would it come?
On came McGinty, a legend in Ladies Football with over 20 years experience playing football at all levels, was she the one that could turn things around for Daviss? She took some great balls out of the air, taking on the Sylvester defense each time and was unlucky not to score but laid off balls to McGuigan & Deegan. McGuigan, Deegan and McGinty went all out at the Sylvester defense for the next 5 minutes but credit to Syls; they defended brilliantly, each time clearing the ball down the wings. It was tit for tat then with Aherne knocking over a point, then McGuigan getting 2 more points and then the goals came!
One from Aherne and one from Deegan, both well earned goals that left nets at both ends rattling. As much as they tried Daviss just couldnt get a head of Sylvesters at any stage of the game and Sylvesters kept calm and kept their lead answering back Daviss scores each time.
With 3 minutes remaining in the game, Sylvesters substitution Carol Hickey the lone Sylvesters player in the Thomas Davis half of the pitch, latched onto a long clearance from the Sylvesters defence. Hickey then went on a great solo run, shaking off 2 defenders and scored the crucial insurance point for Sylvesters when possibly a goal was on the cards.
Amazingly Carol Hickey had only resumed playing Ladies Football a couple of weeks ago with the of Gaelic 4 Mothers initiative in Malahide , never would she have imagined she would be kicking a crucial score in the Tesco Dublin Junior Championship Semi Final in front of her children .
This game lived up to its expectation with some great individual performances from Aherne, Deegan and McGuigan and on the final whistle, Sylvesters won by the 4points.
Player of the games was Ciara McGuigan of Thomas Davis, who kicked some long range scores which was the key to unlock the tight Sylvesters defensive unit.
St Sylvesters are now pitched against Fingal Neighbours St Maurs who had a comfortable passage to the final against St Marks of Tallaght. The Tesco Dublin Junior Championship Final is pencilled in for Wednesday 27th July in Parnell Park as part of a double header with the Tesco Senior Final of Na Fianna v Ballyboden St Endas
Final Score - 2-9 to 1-8
Thomas Davis - Laura Walsh, Pauline Casey, Siobhan Young, Kelly Saul, Linda Payne, Debbie Brennan, Triona Payne, Carol ODonnell, Kate Fitzsimons, Amanda Shiels, Sinead Deegan, Steph Byrne, Ciara McGuigan, Louise Curran & Rachel Newell. Subs - Christina Collins McGinty for Louise Curran and D. Duff for Steph Byrne.
St. Sylvesters - Lisa McIntyre, Niamh Gallagher, Michelle Walls, Emma Lynch, Leah Harold, Ciara Lynch, Niamh Gallagher, Sinead Tracey, Aimee Hazely, Mal Flannagan, Niamh Lawlor, Lucia Hughes, Louise Ryan, Sinead Aherne, Diane McIhagga. Subs - Carol Hickey for Diane Diane McIhagga and Orlaith Harney for Emma Lynch.
Match Report - Maureen King
