TESCO Homegrown Munster Club Championship Round Up

Banner roar to life

 

The Banner 1-13 St Val’s 1-12

 

When Caoimhe Creedon stood, up to take a last minute free from the 35 Metre line it looked as if St. Val’s were going to take another late victory but cruelly for Creedon her effort dropped short and was cleared by the Banner. A minute later Katie Cahill scored a point that will be long remembered in Clare as it was going to be the difference between two sides who really just went for it all day.

The Banner made the better start and were 1-4 to 0-0 to the good by the eighth minute, before St. Val’s even woke from their slumber. In truth, it could have been more were it not for a terrific save by the Val’s custodian Jean O’Sullivan. Val’s finally got back on top of affairs and with a vital Jean Lucey goal in the 12^th minute; they began to close the gap. However, this was to become a Niamh O’Dea and Caoimhe Creedon battle as both carried their teams largely for scores. O’Dea would finish the day with 1-6 while Creedon would have a personal tally of 0-8.

The sides went to the break with the Banner just two ahead 1-7 to 1-5. Val’s needed to kick on early in the second half and while they managed to disrupt a lot of ball heading to the Banner forward line they were unable to close the gap. With 8 minutes to go, there was still two points between them. It was in the last ten minutes that Val’s found the gear they needed and Creedon kicked the equaliser on the 60^th minute it looked as if both sides would have another day. However, Creedon’s final free did not have the distance and Katie Cahill ensured that the Michael Ryan Cup would head back to the Banner for the first time since 1996 winners ironically defeated a Michael Ryan trained Ballymacarby of Waterford.

Niamh O’Dea collected both cup and player of the game award on the day of her birthday.

This was possibly one of the greatest finals in recent years at this grade. The Banner had stars all over the field. Laura Ryan and Louise Woods were immense in the backline while veterans Louise Hency and Niamh Keane battled all day. In the forward line, it would be easy to talk about the wonderful Niamh O’Dea but a lot of the good work was done by her forward teammates whose off the ball running and support play opened a lot of space when it was needed.

It was cruel on St Val’s who after a slow start got back to level right on full time. Jean O’Sullivan made a number of telling saves in the Val’s goal and after a shaky start, Eva Dunne and Claire Ambrose got on top of things. Breige Corkery’s normal rampaging was curtailed somewhat as she ended up marking O’Dea but Fiona Crowley caught the eye when introduced with Jean Lucey and Louise Cohalan always dangerous.

 

The Banner: E O’Driscoll, E O’Dea, L Ryan, N Cavanagh, L Woods, S Quinn, O Lynch 0-2, L Hencey, N Keane, G Nolan 0-1, A Malone 0-1, N Carroll, K Cahill 0-1, N O’Dea 1-6 (2F) S Higgins. Subs: A Keane 0-1 for S Higgins (32M), K Roche 0-1 for N Carroll (45M)

St. Val’s: J O’Sullivan, S Cotter, M Ambrose, Liz Coholan, E Dunne, C Ambrosse, V Foley, Louise Coholan 0-1, N Canty, C Byrne, J Lucey 1-1, B Corkery, M Corkery 0-1, C Creedon 0-8 (4F), A Plunkett 0-1, Subs: F Crowley for N Canty (35M), B Hennigan for C Byrne (35M)

 

 

Referee: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary)

 

 

 

Munster Intermediate Club Final

Boher see off Hanley inspired Aherlow

 

Boherbue 3-6 Aherlow 0-12

 

Boher put back-to-back Munster Junior and intermediate titles together after a hard fought contest in Kilmalock last Sunday. However, they were put to the pin of their collar when Aherlow who successfully chased down an 8-point lead to get back level just ran out of steam and failed to score in the last ten minutes of the game to leave the Cork side out of sight again.

Julie Dennehy and Claire O’Connor’s early brace of goals put Boher on the road to a 2-2 to 0-2 lead after 12 minutes. When Julie Dennehy crashed another to the net on the 22^nd minute, it looked as if the mountain was too high to climb for the Tipp girls. However almost single handed Edel led the line for Aherlow and slowly began to reel off points, mostly frees that she won herself to leave a better reflection on the half time score board 3-2 to 0-6 in favour of the Cork girls.

Both sides swapped early points in the second half before Aherlow got to grips with the Boher challenge. In the next fifteen minutes, they raised five white flags all from the boot of Hanley who at times had lines of black and amber jerseys to break through.

The biggest roar of the day came when Aherlow got back to level terms by the 48^th minute. However, the effort they used in getting back was to tell in the final ten minutes as Boher with points from Dennehy (2) and Rosie Twohig put sufficient day light between the teams again.

Boherbue’s Shelly Twohig accepted the Cup and Edel Hanley was player of the game with a personal haul of 0-11 out of her sides 0-12.

 

 

Aherlow:

L Grogan, L Ivory, G Wade, B Condon, A Meaney, R Kenneally, G Ryan, S Condon, B Watters, C Mullins, A Staunton 0-1, AM Fahey, K Crowe, E Hanley 0-11(8F), M Condon

Subs: M O’Gorman for L Grogan (Inj- 16M), G Blackburn for L Ivory (27M)

 

BoherBue

M Murphy, A Clifford, E Casey, H O’Connor, O McAuliffe, U Twohig, B Casey, S Twohig, L Dineen, Caroline O’Connor, S Kelly, R Twohig 0-1, Claire O’Connor 1-0, J Dennehy 2-4 (2F), S Heelan

Referee: Jason Mullins (Kerry)

 

 

Munster Ladies Plate Final

Five Goal Doireann kills off Southern Challenge

Mourneabbey 7-8 Southern Gaels 1-8

 

The sheer individual class of Cork senior Doireann O’Sullivan with five goals was the difference as Southern Gaels learned a harsh lesson in the reality of Munster club football when they suffered their worst defeat ever in Munster competitions last Sunday.

The South Kerry girls went into the game as outsiders but with the loss of Inter County star Deirdre Corridan (travelling) and regular corner back Sinead Clifford( Injured), they were to have a mountain to climb.

The game as a contest was as good as over by the 13^th minute when Doireann O’Sullivan had hit her third goal and with another from Emma Coakley putting the Cork side 4-3 to no score in front.

Southern Gaels open their account on the 16^th when Anna Galvin pointed a 30 Metre free and Lisa O’Sullivan added another shortly after. However, this good work was washed away quickly as Mourneabbey hit them for two further goals prior to the break including a penalty, which cost the Kerry side a yellow card as their day was going from bad to worse. Mourneabbey lead 6-4 to 0-2 at the break.

Southern Gaels did salvage some pride in the second half as Linda Cronin had a brace of good early points as they managed to steadily build the score board and despite being hit for O’Sullivans fifth goal in the 33^rd minute they continued to attack at every opportunity. Lisa O’Sullivan was certainly showing the way in the full forward line and was always a real threat. Linda Cronin, Caroline Kelly and Anna Galvin were more prominent in the second half and while Lisa O’Sullivan’s late goal was a consolation it was exceptionally well taken by the only shining light on an otherwise dark day for Southern Gaels.

Mourneabbey may have reduced the gears somewhat in the second half but the wonderful open play of their forwards was a joy to watch as the Cork side gained some consolation after a disappointing early exit in the Cork championship.

 

Southern Gaels: M Daly, F Keating, C O’Sullivan, O Donovan, C Quinlan, C Kelly, E Kissane, A Galvin 0-2(1F), M O’ Connell, S Fitzgerald, L Cronin 0-2, R Galvin, A Fitzgerald, J O’Connell, L O’Sullivan 1-4(1F)

Subs: E O’Driscoll for R Galvin (H/T), C O’Sullivan for F Keating (37M), S O’Shea for J O’Connell(49M) L Galvin for S Fitzgerald (53M)

Mournabbey: M O’Sullivan, A Walsh, C Stack, E Forde, Miriam O’Callaghan, Maire O’Callaghan, A O’ Sullivan, C O’Sullivan, E Meaney, R O’Sullivan, B O’Sullivan, E Coakley 1-1, L Fitzgerald 1-5 (2F), D O’Sullivan 5-1, N O’Sullivan. Subs L Crowley 0-1 for Miriam O’Callaghan(H/T), R Harrington for A Walsh (45M) J Forde for D O’Sullivan (48M)

Referee K Martin (Waterford)