Spa/Rathmore are Kerry Senior Champions

Spa /Rathmore  0 15 Castleisland Desmonds 0 13 .

 

Spa /Rathmore are the 2015 Kerry Senior ladies Football champions following their 2 point victory over reigning champions Castleisland Desmonds in a trilling final played in perfect conditions in Cordal on Saturday .

This game  which was in the melting pot right up to the final minutes proved the perfect finale to the Randals Brothers Nissan Sponsored County Championship. Desmonds were first to raise the white flag as Lorraine Scanlon put over from 30 meters out for the first score of the game after a minute of play. Rachel Cronin followed up with another a minute later point. However as Spa /Rathmore settled they soon established a  grip on midfield and with a good supply going forward Noreen Murphy found the range after nine minutes for their first point . Caroline Reen quickly followed with a second point and it was all square after eleven minutes of play .Leanne Mangan and young Aoife O’Callaghan exchanged scores. Lorraine Scanlon began to come into the game around the centre of the field and with the Desmonds forwards getting a good supply Rachel Cronin and Kayla O’Connor put Desmond’s two points in front .Eileen Murphy pointed for Spa /Rathmore to cut the lead to the minimum. Marian Shine replaced Elaine Guiney & Jennifer Drumm replaced Ide Mangan for Desmonds. Leanne Mangan and Noreen Murphy again exchanged points as the last five minutes was hectic to say the least as both teams were in full flight. Lorraine Scanlon put over two delightful long range points but Spa/Rathmore answered with a point each from Katie O Mahoney and Caroline Reen as the clocked ticked down. Desmonds Andrea Murphy was then sin binned as both teams finished the half level on eight points each .

Spa/Rathmore were first to score after two minutes of the restart and went ahead for the first time in the game as Noreen Murphy got the point from thirty meters out .Two points one a free from Lorraine Scanlon and a Leanne Mangan free gave Desmonds the lead again as Mags Cronin came in for Sinead Cronin for Spa /Rathmore. Two points from Noreen Murphy one from a 45 had them all square again a Leanne Mangan free put Desmonds ahead again on the 13th minute but the lead was short lived as Noreen Murphy had them all square with 10 minutes to go. Jane Lynch sent over a massive point from forty meters out but that was the last score for Desmonds. Again Noreen Murphy levelled the game with five minutes on the clock with a superb point. As the clock ticked down Spa /Rathmore piled on the pressure and again it fell to corner forward Noreen Murphy to score and she did in style putting her team two points up .Desmonds laid siege on the Spa./Rathmore goal in the final few minutes but they held firm as Aislinn Desmond lead the defensive charge playing a captains role ensuring they would not cough up the lead. Cait Lynch, Rachel Cronin and Leanne Mangan were wide as Spa/Rathmore held out for  a deserved win. The Caroline Broderick memorial county championship trophy was presented to winning Captain Aislinn Desmond  by Julliane Broderick on behalf of the Broderick family .Well done to Cordal GAA club on providing superb facilities and also well done to referee Stephen Mulvihill .

Teams .

Spa /Rathmore

Linda Bruggenner, Aileen Sheehan,  Aislinn Desmond  Capt, Sinead Cronin, Karol Fleming, Sarah Murphy Laoise Coughlan, Cassandra Buckley,  Norma O’Mahoney, Mags Cronin, Caroline Reen, Katie O’Mahoney Eileen Murphy, Aoife O’Callaghan, Noreen Murphy

Catriona Desmond, Sinead Warren, Amy Murphy, Michelle Knee, Elaine O’Leary, Catherine Daly, Marie O’Callaghan, Shannon O’Leary, Caroline Moynihan, Michaela O’Connor, Laura Hickey

Management: Tim Sheehan Tom O Doherty Katie Gleeson

 

Castleisland Desmonds

Melissa Holland, Mariah  Curtin, Aisling Leonard Capt, Jane Lynch,  Andrea Murphy, Cait Lynch, Laobhaise Walmsley, Lorraine Scanlon,  Eilish Lynch,  Kayla O’Connor,  Rachel Cronin, Aine O’Connor, Eda Mangan, Leanne Mangan, Elaine Guiney, Karen Mangan, Jennifer Drumm,  Marian Shine, Shauna O’Connor,  Alisha O’Sullivan, Nicole Downey,  Niamh Walshe,  Anita McCarthy, Ciara Griffin, Lauren Nolan, Anna Lynch, Saoirse Murphy, Deirdre Guiney, Moya Sheehan, Kayla Whooley, Tina Mangan

Management

Billy Mangan, Dan Kearney, Steve Murphy, Pa White, George O’Connor.

 

 

Mixed results for clubs in the Munster Club Championship on Saturday in Ballydesmond, Corca Dhuibhne in the Junior Club Championship were defeated by 2 points by Castlemahon Limerick, final score Castlemahon 2-11 Corca Dhuibhne 0-15. However in the Intermediate grade Na Gaeil fared better & earned a home semi final defeating their Limerick opposition Ballylanders on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-05. They now face Fermoy of Cork on the weekend of the 3rd/4th October