Super Second Half earns Loreto the title

Loreto Fermoy 4-11

Presentation Athenry 1-07

 

Loreto Fermoy claimed the TESCO HomeGrown Post Primary School All Ireland Senior A title today in Nenagh with a 4-11 to 1-07 victory over Presentation College, Athenry in Nenagh today. Both teams produced some excellent football during the first half as the momentum swung from one side to the other in an open game of football but the second half went very much in favour of the Fermoy girls as they produced a power packed display to ensure that they left Nenagh with the trophy.

 

Loreto Fermoy began the stronger of the two teams as their scorer-in-chief, Jenny Barry converted a free that she had earned herself after 4 minutes and the Cork girls made their dominance around the middle count as Abbie Scannell cracked the ball to the net to give her side a 4 point lead. Athenry then began to settle and driven on by some excellent performances in their half back line they began to make inroads into the Fermoy lead thanks to points from Michelle Dunleavy and Ciara Campbell. Keara Cormican then put Athenry ahead with a finish from the tightest of angles into the roof of the excellent Anne Brennan’s net. Further scores came from Cormican and Siobhan Gavin for Athenry and were answered by Jenny Barry who proved to be highly reliable from placed balls to see the teams go in level at 1-5 apiece at the break. Athenry can consider themselves unlucky not to be further ahead as a combination of wayward shooting and excellent goalkeeping kept Fermoy in the game despite struggling for posession for long periods.

 

It was a different Loreto Fermoy side that came out for the second half and they immediately set about getting their scores on the board. Jenny Barry again led the way with a great point after a typical run through the heart of the Athenry defence. The game was turned on it’s head 16 minutes into the second half as a lovely move involving Saoirse Moore, Abbie Scannell and finally Jenny Barry resulted in a Fermoy penalty which Barry buried into the roof of the net. Saoirse Moore then scored another goal for her side just a minute later after some excellent work from Susan Gleeson. It was all one way traffic at this stage and Jenny Barry dispatched another penalty over the bar after a foul on Abbie Scannell. With 7 minutes left in the match it was the turn of Grace Culloty, who had come on as a first half substitute, to find the net after she was set free by a lovely pass from Moore to end the game as a contest. Athenry battled away and never gave up but were always struggling to break down the mean Fermoy defense as Loreto soaked up pressure and were devastating on the break.

 

Fermoy were worthy winners and their feat of limiting Athenry to only two second half points was highly impressive on a great day for the Cork school. Player of the match, Jenny Barry finished the game with a personal tally of 1-08 and was well supported by fine performances from the rest of her team including Abbie Scannell, Saoirse Moore, Trisha O’Sullivan, Claire Murphy and captain, Julie Buckley. Speaking after the match the Loreto Fermoy joint manager, Ger Murphy said ’We were nervous in the first half and there were some things that were just not working for us so we got them in at half time and made some technical adjustments that made a great difference.’ When asked about the transformation that came over his side after half time he  said ’There were so many leaders in the changing room at half time, a few of the girls are in leaving cert and they were the ones who stepped up and spoke at half time and motivated the rest of the girls, they nearly broke the door down to get out for the second half.’