A masterclass from Dunmore as they take Connacht Final

A MASTERCLASS display from Dunmore Community School on Friday
afternoon scuppered Westport’s hopes of acquiring the Junior
(B) Championship title and adding to their honours list.
A large crowd were in attendance at Gilmartin Park, Kiltimagh,
and they were treated to a high scoring and entertaining
duel between two sides determined for success. Sarah Burke
opened the scoring as early as the first minute for Dunmore,
with a splendid point, which rewarded her team-mates early
endeavour. The Scared Heart Westport though, received an
early boost on three minutes, thanks to a three pointer.
Lisa Tully’s long-range strike appeared to be sailing over
the bar, however the leather came back off the upright and
Ciara McManamon was on hand to gleefully slide the rebounding
ball to the back of the net. Seconds later, the Mayo girls
doubled their goal tally, as Avril Kilkelly took advantage
of a poor kick-out by rifling the O’Neill’s to the back
of Orla Higgins’ net. Those brace of goals should have been
the platform for Westport to build on and lay the foundations
for further improvements. However, the Dunmore response
was to score their opening goal of the day on seven minutes,
thanks to a great individual effort from the busy Lucy Hannon.
Shortly after, a point from Dunmore’s Aine Burke reduced
the gap to the bare minimum and on eight minutes the sides
were level, as Lucy Hannon fired over an impressive white
flag effort, to leave the scoreboard reading 2-0 to 1-3.

Lucy Hannon was proving to be a constant thorn for Westport
and she tapped over a great point on 10 minutes, to give
her team-mates a slender advantage. Dunmore were now beginning
to attack at will, and further points from Helena Cummins
and Lucy Hannon, were the prelude to Dunmore’s second major
of the day on 15 minutes. Some great vision from Lucky Hannon,
resulted in the energetic centre-forward releasing Helena
Cummins and the full-forward made no mistake with a cracking
finish past the beaten Mairead McGowan. Matters were to
worsen for an under-pressure Westport on 17 minutes, as
following a point from Lucy Hannon; Helena Cummins added
her second three pointer of the day, much to the disdain
of the large and vocal contingent of Westport supporters.
Avril Kilkelly tried her best to inspire her Westport team-mates
and she scored a delightful point on 20 minutes. However,
the Dunmore response to Kilkelly’s white flag effort, was
for Helena Cummins to net her third and her team-mates fourth
goal of the day on 22 minutes, and the full-forward wheeled
away in celebration at having notched her splendid hat-trick.
Again, Westport looked to the energetic Avril Kilkelly for
inspiration and she scored an impressive brace of points
on 24 and 25 minutes respectively, to leave the scoreboard
reading 4-7 to 2-3, in favour of the Galway students, during
the half-time deliberations.

The second half was always going to be a struggle for the
Westport students as Dunmore enjoyed an unassailable lead,
but their cause was hardly helped just two minutes into
the second period when Aine Burke acquired the Galway outfit’s
fifth goal of the day thanks to a cracking finish into the
top corner of Mairead McGowan’s net. Following a point from
Westport’s Lisa Tully on 33 minutes, the ‘navy and blue’
were given a great opportunity of further narrowing the
gap, when Referee John Niland, awarded the Mayo girls a
penalty following a foul on a Westport player inside the
Dunmore area. Lisa Tully took the spot-kick but her effort
fizzed inches wide, much to the disdain of the battling
wing-forward. Following Westport’s spot-kick woe, Dunmore
showed a great appetite for destruction and notched three
marvellous three pointers from the 35th to the 42nd minute,
thanks to Lucky Hannon (2-0) and super-sub Nicola Kilgarriff,
to leave the scoreboard reading, 8-8 to 2-4, in favour of
the Galway visitors. The final 17 minutes of this game were
largely dominated by Dunmore and the Galway girls glossed
the score-line even further during that spell.

Scores from ace midfielder Aine Hannon (0-4), Sarah Connelly
0-1 and a goal from Sarah Burke, rendered Caoimhi?n Ni Connaighle
late three pointer for the ‘navy and blue’ as a mere consolation
strike. The players to impress for Westport on the day were,
Mairead McGowan, Catherine McManamon, Marie Ryder, Lisa
Tully and Avril Kilkelly. Whilst for Dunmore, Lisa Maloney,
Louise Reddington, Aine Hannon, Lucy Hannon and Helena Cummins,
were to the fore.

Sacred Heart Westport: Mairead McGowan; Aoibheann Dever,
Maureen Joyce, Shona Geraghty; Catherine McManamon, Lean
Kelly, Marie Ryder; Lorraine Doyle, Leona Ryder; Lisa Tully
(0-1), Clodagh McManamon, Ciara McManamon (1-0); Avril Kilkelly
(1-3), Tara Keane, Emma Kilkelly. Subs used: Caoimhin Ni
Connaighle (1-0), Sinead Hughes, Katie Carroll, Laura Tunney,
Lisa Neary.

Dunmore: Orla Higgins; Aoife Quinn, Lisa Maloney, Elaine
McDermott; Aine Finnegan, Caitriona Haverty, Louise Reddington;
Aine Hannon (0-4), Cliona Gannon; Aine Burke (1-2), Lucy
Hannon (3-4, 0-2f), Siobhan Meehan; Sarah Connelly (0-1),
Helena Cummins (3-1), Sarah Burke (1-1). Subs used: Nicola
Kilgarriff (1-0), Sandra Costello, Aoife Smyth, Caillin
Morgan.

Referee: John Niland (Sligo).