AGB show strength of Underage

U/12 Championship final Arklow GeraldinesBallymoney 1-11
St Nicholas 0-3.

Arklow Geraldines/Ballymoney u/12’s collected their third championship
title in succession when they had a comfortable win over St. Nicholas
on Sunday last in Shillelagh. This was a rematch of the league
final, played a little over a month ago, where there was only
two goals between the sides in Arklows favour, but the Arklow
side were not going to leave any thing to chance this time round.
However any body watching the first twenty minutes would have
thought that the Arklow forwards had laced up their boots on the
wrong feet, they were unable to get a shot on target, while St
Nicholas seemed to have a magic shield around their goal area
that was sending the ball to the left and the right of the posts
and even the cross bar was called into action to deflect a goal
bound shot from Arklow’s Jessica Hurley, their failure to hit
the target was not just frustrating the Arklow forwards but also
the large number of supporters that had travelled over from the
sea side town.

In Fairness to the St. Nicholas side they lost their full back
Anna Kelly early in the first half when she made a brave block
on Whitney Roche and damaged her left hand and had to leave the
field, and hope fully Anna will be back in action soon. St. Nicholas’s
corner back Sarah Kenny was given the job of shadowing Arklows
Whitney Roche, Roche was top scorer in the league final with four
goals and three points, but Kenny kept the Arklow hot shots tally
for the game to three points. Arklow’s number eleven Emma Marshall
was first to get her name in to the points section of referee’s
Dominic Leech’s score sheet, but despite having the majority of
possession Arklow Gers were unable to register another score until
the end of the first quarter when Calvin Swarte found the back
of Ciara Brooks goals, after latching on to an accurate pass from
Clionadh Byrne, Swarte was on target minutes later when she converted
a free from fifteen metres out on the left of the large square.
St Nicholas’s backs were working extremely hard to keep the Arklow
forwards at bay, while their forwards were trying to breach the
Arklow defence at the other end, but they were unable to notch
up a score in the first half, while Arklow only managed to tag
on a goal and two points for their efforts. During the half time
break both sets of mentors, Cathy Forde for AGB and Vanessa Harney
for St. Nicholas were earning their keep, as they tried to motivate
their players to lift their game in the second half as it was
all to play for, for both teams. As at the start of the first
half Arklows Emma Marshall was first to raise the white flag,
but her second attempt went to the left of Ciara Brooks posts,
Brooks had a great game between the sticks for St. Nicholas and
was the busier of the two keepers denying Arklows Roche and Hurley
certain goals.

With a little more encouragement from their mentor, the Arklow
forwards eventually kicked in to gear, and were six points clear
ten minutes into the third quarter with excellent inter play between
Georgina Canavan, Aine O’Reilly , Paula Maher, Megan Swarte, and
Jessica Hurley. St.Nicholas’s number nine Emma Byrne tagged on
a point and worked tirelessly for the cause, as she covered all
areas of the pitch to get her side a foothold in the game, Samantha
Mills added a second point while their number fourteen Jade Manley
was very unlucky not to notch up a goal as she watched in disbelief
as her goal bound shot was tipped over the bar by the ever alert
Arklow defender Beth Murphy, who, along side Vivienne Walsh, Laura
Moseley, Danielle kaye and Sinead Arthur formed a solid barrier
around Lauren Martins goal, Martin had little to do in this encounter,
but she kept her back line fully focused through out the game.
Going in to the final quarter Arklow were in the groove, finishing
the game with a flurry of points from Jessica Hurley and Whitney
Roche to give the Arklow Gers side their hat trick of championship
titles. Arklow captain Jessica Hurley received the cup from Dominic
Leech, Leech congratulated both teams for a very sporting game,
and wished St. Nicholas’s Anne Kelly a speedy recovery . Jessica
Hurley thanked the St. Nicholas team for a great game, she also
thanked all the parents and supporters who attended, she finished
by thanking the Shillelagh club for the use of their pitch. Before
departing to bring the trophy home and a quick horn blaring tour
around the streets of Arklow.

Arklow Gers/Ballymoney: Lauren Martin, Beth Murphy, Vivienne Walsh,
Laura Moseley, Danielle Kaye, Sinead Arthur, Clionadh Byrne, Calvin
Swarte (1-2), Aine O’Reilly, Jessica Hurley(0-4), Emma Marshall
(0-2), Georgina Canavan, Megan Swarte, Whitney Roche (0-3), Paula
Maher. Subs: Leona Byrne for Megan Swarte, Katie Furlong for Paula
Maher, Grace Fitzgerald for Clionadh Byrne.

St. Nicholas: Ciara Brooks, Sarah Kenny, Anna Kelly, Sinead Keogh,
Niamh Sinnott, Aoife Brophy, Phoebe bullman, Emma Byrne, Laura
Miley, Rebecca O’Neill, Samantha Mills, Aoife Case, Lisa Lawlor,
Jade Manley, Aoife Sinnott.

Referee: Dominic Leech (Newtown).

U/16 Championship semi-Final Arklow Geraldines/Ballymoney 9-9.
Coolkenno 1-3.

Arklow Geraldines/Ballymoney U/16’s have booked their place in
the U/16 championship final with a convincing win over a young
Coolkenno side on Sunday last in Shillelagh. Coolkenno were unable
to get to grips with a very strong Arklow sides that were well
fired up for this encounter and never relented from start to finish
with Kayleigh Crammond firing four out of nine goals past Deirdre
Cahill in the Coolkenno goals. Arklow were camped in the Coolkenno
half of the pitch for most of the game, and like well drilled
snipers they picked off scores when ever the opportunity arose.
Coolkenno did not drop their heads at any time as they tried to
find a way of getting to grips with the Arklow side. As soon as
referee Dominic Leech threw the ball in, Arklow hit the gound
running and were two goals and three points up at the end of the
first quarter with two goals from Kayleigh Crammond and three
points from the boot of Aife Kavanagh.

While Kavanagh was having a good scrap with Danni Callanan in
the forward line, the battle of the game this time round was between
Arklows Sam Kelly and Coolkenno’s Ciara Callanan, both players
battled hard through out to gain control of the midfield area,
with Kelly just about edging it as they game progressed. Goals
seemed to be the order of the day as the Arklow forwards added
a further five goals and just a single point with out reply, before
the ref blew for the half time break with score board reading
Arklow Gers 7-4 Coolkenno 0-0. Coolkenno had Everest to climb
with out oxygen, if they were going to turn this game around,
and in the form that the Arklow side were in, their best bet was
to settle for a damage limitation excerise, and although Arklow
notched up two goals and five points in the second period, the
Coolkenno girls found a couple of openings in the Arklow defence
to pared a goal and three points off the Arklow account, courtesy
of Makaela Flynn who struck the back of Rebecca Condrens net ten
minutes into the third quarter followed by two points from Ciara
Callanan, and their final score from the right boot of Megan Doran
who came on for Suzanne O’Neill.

Arklow have now a week or so to prepare for the championship final
game, against the winners of the Bray Emmets /Carnew semi-final.

Arklow Geraldines/Ballymoney; Rebecca Condren, Claire Kavanagh,
Hanna Tew, Nicole Kavanagh, Orla Byrne, Naomi Roche, Rachel Byrne,
Sam Kelly, Shauna Fleming, Dannie Brauders, Keelin Reily (1-1),
Lucia O’Grady, Sophie Kennedy (1-1), Aife Kavanagh (3-6), Kayleigh
Crammond (4-1). Subs: Megan O’Brien for Sophie Kennedy,Ellen Butler
for Nicole Kavanagh, Niamh Arthur for Dannii Brauders, Melissa
Keane for Hanna Tew.

Coolkenno; Deirdre Cahill, Elaine Keogh, Danni Callanan, CK Smith,
Shannon Lok, Carol Thomkins, Rachel Callaghton, Suzanne O’Neiull,
Ciara Callanan, Ciara Thomkins, Nadin Nolan, Laura Howard, Niamh
Doyle, Mikaela Flynn, Aine Byrne.Subs: Rachel Tallon for Aine
Byrne, cathriona doyle for Rachel Callaghton, Kim Tallon for Elaine
Keogh, Danielle Byrne for Niamh Doyle,Grace Murphy for Kim Tallon,
Megan doran for Suzanne O’Neill.

Referee: Dominic Leech (Newtown).