Wicklow Club Junior B Match Reports

St Pats 2-10 Tinahely 0-5

St. Pats collected their first piece of silverware of the season
when they lifted the junior ‘B’ championship trophy on Saturday
last, when they had a convincing win over Tinahely in the county
grounds in Aughrim. However the Wicklow town side did not have
it all their own way, particularly in the first half, going in
at the break with only a two point lead over the newly formed
Tinahely side. After a few brief words from their manager Robert
Hollingsworth during the half time interval, pats piled on the
pressure in the second period adding two goals and five points
to Tinahely’s two points. St Pats captain Ruth Byrne accepted
the trophy on behalf of the jubilant St. Pats team and it is reported
that the cup is still on tour in Wicklow town. St. Pats went straight
in to cruise control from the throw in, firing over four points,
three from their sharp shooter Orla Redmond and one from the boot
of Leona Franey with out reply.

Tinahely were caught cold and were working hard to get a grip
on the game, especially their midfield pairing of Fiona Byrne
and Linda Murphy, and it was their number fifteen Erin Dixon that
was first to raise the white flag in Tinahely favour, while her
team mate and Tinahely’s top scorer Lorraine Kenny added two well
worked points to close the gap to a single score. St. Pat midfielder
Lilian Kavanagh tapped over the final score of the half , before
referee Dominic Leech called for the ball, with the favourites,
St Pats going in to the break with just a two point margin.

Through out the second half St. Pats experience was the difference
between the sides, while both sides had a number of young players
on their respective team sheets, St Pats, now in their second
season, were the more battled hardened side, and it showed as
the game progressed. An early goal from St Pats number fourteen
Patrice O’Gorman, rocked the Tinahely side, and when O’Gorman
found the net for the second time in the final quarter, there
was no way back for the Tinahely side, in fairness to Tinahely
they never threw in the towel, they battled right up to the final
whistle, this was a valuable learning experience for Tinahely,
and they have the potential to make great strides in next seasons
championship under the stewardship of Colm Kenny and Trish Cushe
but the day belonged to St. Pats and their hard working mentors
Siobhan and Robert Hollingsworth, along with Aine Fitzpatrick.

St Pats: Martina Wynne, Caroline Ryan, Ruth Byrne (Capt.) Carol
Smullen , Sorcha Doyle, Fiana Carragher, Patrice O’Gorman (2-0),
Frankie Doyle, Catriona Kavanagh, Lillian Kavanagh (0-2), Margaret
Cullbert, Orla Redmond (0-7), Amy Jane Sheehy, Liz Malone, Leona
Franey (0-1).Subs:Louise Duffy, Claire Jameson, Aoife Tyrell,
Edwia Sayer, Rhona Murphy. Ciara Nother,Linda Conway, Hayley Doyle,
Caoimhe Hosey.

Tinahely: Celine Dillon, Clodagh Kelly, Deirdre Healy, Rebecca
Kelly, Deirdre O’Toole, Veronica Carty, Deirdre Whelan, Fiona
Byrne, Linda Murphy, Emily Mulhall, Lorraine Kenny (0-3), Siobhan
Doyle, Sinead Dixon, Lorraine Dunne, Erin Dixon (0-2).Subs: caroline
Dunne, Cathriona Healy, Sarah carty, Donna Corbett, Elaine McGlynn,
Eimear McGlynn, Gillian Keogh, Ruth Hedderman, Lucia Carty, Aoife
Murphy, Lisa O’Rourke, Ellen Kinch, Jean O’Connor, Grace O’Connor.

Referee: Dominic Leech (Newtown).

Junior ‘B’ League Final. Newtownmountkennedy 9-24 Kilmacanogue
0-0.

They say that Magpies have a liking for anything silver, and on
Sunday last the girls from Newtown , better known as the ‘Magpies’
had their sights fixed on the junior ‘B’ trophy, as they lifted
the Ann McGillycuddy cup for the first time in the history of
the ladies section of the club. For the Newtown girls it was well
worth the wait, they were in unstoppable form, and apart from
the goals scored, it was their point taking that stood out, almost
all of their points were taken from distance, and they only registered
four wides through out the game, they have obviously worked extremely
hard on this element of their game, and it’s a lesson to all clubs,
that’s its points that win games.

Kilmac on the other hand, in their first season were unlucky,
for a couple of reasons, firstly they played against a very strong
wind in the first half and were unable to get the ball out of
their own half, and by the time they had a favourable wind, Newtown
were well out of reach, however the gap between the sides could
have been greater but for numerous excellent saves from Kilmac’s
busy keeper Sandra Rowe and brave defending from Naomi kirnean,
Sonia McCurtain and Ann Marie Fisher. Newtown have been the whipping
girls of the junior divison over the past couple of seasons and
their busiest player was probably their keeper Sharon Mooney,
but on Sunday last Mooney was the least exercised of the team,
Newtown came out of the shadows and into the spot light on Sunday
last, and Any body watching this side last season, would never
have believed the tranformation in this panel, great credit must
go to all involved especially their manager Pat Synnott, who have
turned Newtown in to a more organised side that play as a unit
than a kick and hope outfit. Newtowns number ten Louise Murphy
was their top scorer with a personal tally of three goals and
five points followed by the talented Janet Nolan who notch up
a total of two goals and six points, of coarse to take scores
you need the ball, and playing support to the Newtown hotshots
were Laura Kenny, Kim Mooney, Louise Murphy, and Nicki Fitzsimons,
Kirsty Mooney travelled up from defence to tag on two points,
while Mary Synnott and Mary Doyle also ventured forward from their
midfield positions to notch up a point a piece, while April McKenna,
and Gemma Kiely in the half forward line, were not to be out done,
they both tagged on scores of 2-3 and 2-1 respectively for the
champions in waiting. When referee Con O’Ceadaigh called for the
ball at the break the score board read Newtown 9-19 to no score
for Kilmac.

Gillian Synnott, Sarah Nolan, Hayley Mooney,Dawn McKenna and Vicki
O’Toole all contributed to the Newtown score line after they were
all called off the bench and into action for the magpies in the
second half of the game, to ensure that that there will be more
than the carpet cleaned in the Newtown trophy room this year,
and hopefully the Newtown girls can build on this performance
and go on to greater things in the coming seasons. Kilmac are
in the same position now as Newtown and a couple of other teams
were a number of years ago, they have made a start and with perseverance
they will also improve as they gain experience in the years to
come. Newtown captain Veronica O’Toole received the Ann McGillycuddy
trophy from county board representative Dominic Leech, the trophy
was then brought on a twenty four tour of Newtown with a couple
of stops along the way.

Newtown: Sharon Mooney, Laura Kenny, Kim Mooney, Veronica O’Toole
(Capt),Kirsty Mooney (0-2), Margaret Synnott (0-1), Mary Doyle
(0-1), Louise Murphy (3-5), Gemma Kiely (2-1), Janet Nolan (2-6),
April McKenna(2-3), Nicki Fitzsimons, Vicky O’Toole (0-2), Sarah
Nolan (0-2), Hayley Mooney (0-1), Megan Lynch (0-1), Gillian Synnott,
Dawn McKenna.

Kilmac: Sandra Rowe, Jennifer Connolly, Alice Connolly, Ann Marie
Fisher, Naomi Kerean, Emma Clery, Emma Duffy, Kelly Hipwell, Siobhan
White, Sonia McCurtain, Lindsey O’Neill, A. Ellis.

Referee: Con O’Ceadaigh. (Kilcoole).