VICTORY FOR KILMORE IN ALLIANZ RACKARD LEAGUE
GIRLS FOOTBALL ROINN A FINAL
Kilmore 2-4 Castlebridge 1-5
Taghmon was the venue for the Roinn A Final of the Allianz sponsored Rackard League Girls Football last Wednesday evening. Castlebridge were once again in the final, having been beaten by Piercestown in last year’s decider. Kilmore and Castlebridge are no strangers to the final having played each other six times in a row in the 90’s.
Having won possession from the throw in, it was Kilmore who were quick to win their first free with a fine passage of play from Emily Bates, Emma Cousins and Kira Bates Crosbie. Rebecca Furlong took the resulting free but was unlucky to put it wide. Castlebridge’s Ailish Neville was next on the attack and won a free which was saved on the line by Abbie Troy. It was 5 minutes into the game when Castlebridge’s Siobhan Doolan opened the scoring with a fine point. Despite great play from both teams, it was 11 mins before the next score which again came from Siobhan Doolan who won a kickout from Emma Bates and put it straight over the bar. Fiona Kinsella and Kelley Scallan for Castlebridge and Kilmore’s Amy Cousins and Abbie Jones also worked hard at this stage.
Immediately the ball was sent to the other end of the field and Castlebridge goalie, Mikaela Lannigan was forced to pull off a fine save. Both teams drove the ball wide at this stage before Eleanor Lacey and Sinead Ronan John scored for Castlebridge. Eleanor Lacey was unlucky not to goal on half time but was denied by the strong Kilmore defence.
It was due to strong defensive play from Jamie Devereux, Julia Halpin, Sarah Harding Kenny, Sadhbh Mc Carthy and Deirdre Byrne that Kilmore were denied a score in the first half.
Again it was Castlebridge who were first off the mark in the second half with a point from Sinead Ronan John. Now Kilmore came into the game and following a wide by Rebecca Furlong, Emma Cousins opened Kilmore’s scoring with a pointed free. Rebecca Furlong once again exerted pressure on the Castlebridge defence and scored a great goal in the 9th minute. This left just one point between the teams. It was Emma Cousins who scored the equaliser and again a further point to give Kilmore the lead. Castlebridge exerted great pressure but were unlucky not to score with Chloe Mythen denied twice by Emma Bates in the Kilmore goal and sub Caitlín Malone also doing well. Kilmore’s Emily Bates who played a great game increased the lead with a point after 20 minutes. At the other end of the field Kilmore’s backs worked tirelessly to prevent Castlebridge from scoring with Rebecca Burke, Orla Fortune, Abbie Troy, Grace Barry and Rebecca Foley playing their hearts out. Sophie Boxwell meanwhile broke through the Castlebridge defence to goal with just 3 minutes remaining. Castlebridge were quick on the attack again and a 45 taken by Julia Halpin was finished to the net by the forwards. This followed outstanding play by Sarah Harding Kenny all over the field. This left just two points between the teams and following a final effort from Castlebridge’s Ailish Neville, the referee blew the final whistle for Kilmore to claim the Allianz Roinn A Cup after a nail biting finish.
Castlebridge: Mikaela Lannigan, Jamie Devereux, Julia Halpin, Sarah Harding Kenny, Sadhbh McCarthy, Deirdre Byrne, Siobhán Doolan, Fiona Kinsella, Kelley Scallan, Sineád Ronan John, Ailish Neville, Chloe Mythen, Eleanor Lacey, Caitlín Malone, Emma Rossiter, Sarah Doyle, Ciara Forde, Áine Fitzgerald, Amy Gainfort, Abbie Gaynor, Aoife Fielding, Catherine Kinsella, Alison Doyle, Caitlín Carroll, Sineád Roland, Shannon Murphy, Ellie Doyle, Kara Doyle.
Kilmore: Emma Bates, Orla Fortune, Rebecca Burke, Abbie Troy, Grace Barry, Rebecca Foley, Emma Cousins, Emily Bates, Amy Cousins, Abbie Jones, Sophie Boxwell, Rebecca Furlong, Kira Bates Crosbie, Olivia McDonnell, Rachel Boxwell, Sarah Kennedy, Imogen Fanning, Saoirse Foley, Louise Corish, Lauran McCormack, Niamh Cassidy, Chloe Murphy Reddy.
