Rutledge hat-trick propels Crokes to maiden Leinster Senior club title

Leinster LGFA Senior Club Final

Kilmacud Crokes 4-15

Tinahely 0-08

By Aisling Clery

A hat trick from Player of the Match, Éabha Rutledge guided Dublin Champions, Kilmacud Crokes, to their first ever Leinster Senior club title against Tinahely in front of large support in Bray Emmets on Sunday afternoon. Rutledge hit 3-01, all from play, in a devastating display while Amy Conroy hit a fourth Crokes goal to seal their fate late on.

The Kilmacud Crokes outfit hit an unanswered 1-06 in the second quarter which was crucial to victory as it established a seven-point lead (2-07 to 0-05) at the break. It was a lead that Crokes refused to relinquish as the Crokes defence proved unyielding with Molly Lamb enjoying a fine outing at centre back.

The sides were neck and neck in the opening quarter with Éabha Rutledge slotting home the first of her three goals on four minutes. Laura Hogan drew Tinahely level while Lucy Mulhall’s only score came on 12 minutes to push the Wicklow champions into the lead.

Mulhall’s point proved to be Tinahely’s last score of the half as Kilmacud Crokes upped the gears and points from Kate Murray, Rutledge and an in-form Michelle Davoren pulled the Dubs clear. Rutledge found the net for the second time just before the break as Davoren timed her pass to perfection -while Julia Buckley ended the scoring for the half to leave Crokes ahead by seven at half-time.

On the resumption, Mia Jenning and Laura Hogan swapped scores before Davoren hit her third point of the contest. Rutledge hit her hat trick as a Tinahely kickout was won by Cassie Sultan, she found Buckley who in turn offloaded sharply to Rutledge and the Dublin star slotted home. While Tinahely ran at the Crokes defence, they could not find the scores they needed although Wicklow star Laura Hogan hit 0-06 for her side over the course of the contest.

Crokes’ unrelenting pressure on Tinahely yielded a fourth goal through substitute Amy Conroy late on and with Michelle Davoren, Sultan and Kate McDaid all finding their range, the result was never really in doubt.

Kilmacud Crokes will now wait to discover their currentaccount.ie All Ireland Semi-Final opponents from Ulster with the semi-final set for the weekend 26^th/27^th November.

SCORERS: Kilmacud Crokes: E Rutledge 3-01, M Davoren 0-06, K Murray 0-03 (1f), A Conroy 1-00, J Buckley 0-02, M Jennings, K McDaid, C Sultan 0-01 each

Tinahely: L Hogan 0-06 (3f), L Mulhall 0-01, A Maher 0-01

Kilmacud Crokes: D Gower, P Greene, E Sweeney (C), C Regan, L Kane, M Lamb, A Kane, G Kós, K McDaid, C Sultan, E Rutledge, M Jenning, J Buckley, M Davoren, K Murray.

Subs: A Conroy for Murray (44), S O’Donoghue for Sweeney (48), D Duke for Sultan (48), L Bedford for Laura Kane (55), J Timmins for Jennings (57).

Tinahely: S Byrne, E Hadden, S Hogan, R Byrne, S Goetelen, A Byrne, L Mulhall, A Gorman (C), J Nolan Byrne, E Mulhall, A Maher, E O’Brien, C Byrne, J Kinch, L Hogan.

Subs: N Kenny for Roisin Byrne (30), E O’Sullivan for Kinch (35), L J Shannon for O’Brien (43), Rachel Byrne for C Byrne (43), S Byrne for Mulhall (55).

Ref: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).