Lid All-Ireland PPS Junior A Final
St Catherine’s College (Armagh) 3-4
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir (Galway) 2-3
An unbeaten season was capped off brilliantly by Armagh side St Catherine’s as they captured the Lidl All-Ireland PPS Junior A crown in a sunny Mohill.
After the Armagh side raced into an early lead thanks to goals from Eva Lamb and Hannah Duffy, Coláiste Bhaile Chláir got back on level terms after the break, but it was the Ulster champions that ground out the result in a low scoring second-half.
St Catherine’s were quick out of the blocks, registering an unanswered 2-1 in the opening seven minutes. Lamb and Duffy found the back of the net before Casey Mullan split the posts as the Armagh side led by seven early on. Mullan was a constant threat and her inspired performance deservedly earned her the Player of the Match award.
It was all St Catherine’s in the opening action with pressure from Coláiste Bhaile Chláir dealt with efficiently by the Armagh rearguard. Ciara Hegarty got her side’s scoring underway on eight minutes before a sublime free from the ground from Sara Cogley gave life to their attack.
The sides were evenly matched and Claregalway were given a life line when Cogley found the net midway through the half to put two points between the sides.
The teams traded scores before the break with Ella Reid on target for St Catherine’s from a free. As half time approached, Éabha Brennan split the posts to leave the Armagh girls two points ahead at the interval, 2-2 to 1-3.
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir took the lead for the first time immediately on the resumption when Chellene Trill brilliantly found the net.
Captain Lucy McAlary led the way for St Catherine’s as she levelled the game two minutes later before Casey Mullan sent St Catherine’s into the lead once more. It was a lead they were not to relinquish.
The killer blow came on 44 minutes as Hannah Duffy raised her second green flag with a low shot into the corner of the net, to extend her side’s lead to four.
The final quarter was a tight tussle with the game hanging in the balance. Coláiste Bhaile Chláir were unlucky as they spurned numerous chances to get back into contention but with Casey Mullan in defiant form, the result was not in doubt.
Teams
St Catherine’s College: C Kelly; A Mallon, A Boyle, M Hughes; C Campbell, E Druse, C McCormick; C Creaney, M Ferguson; E Reid, C Mullan, L McAlary (c); E Conroy, H Duffy, E Lambe. Subs: A McGleenan for Campbell (42).
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir: A Griffin; L Tunney, M Flaherty (c), A O’Flynn; S Lawless, C Trill, M McGarry; K Kearney, B Naughton; C Hegarty, L Scanlon, É Brennan; S Cogley, H Walsh, É O’Riordan. Subs: I. Claffey for Hegarty (47).
Scorers
St Catherine’s College: H Duffy 2-0, E Lambe 1-0, C Mullan 0-2, L McAlary 0-1, E Reid 0-1 (1f).
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir: S Cogley 1-1 (1f), C Trill 1-0, C Hegarty 0-1, É Brennan 0-1.
Written by Aisling Clery.
Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Junior B Final
Moate Community School (Westmeath) 6-11
Coláiste Oiriall (Monaghan) 2-10
Moate Community School produced a glittering display that saw them bag six goals and the 2019 Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Junior B crown in Longford on Friday afternoon.
Moate had a player of the match display from corner forward Shannon Mulvhill but this was a tremendous team performance from the newly-crowned champions.
Coláiste Oiriall from Monaghan got off to a brilliant start and led by two points but the concession of goals proved their undoing in an excellent contest.
Mulvhill netted early for Moate and while Coláiste Oiriall drew level, two goals in a minute from the winners rocked the Monaghan girls back on their heels.
Moate, who are the first Westmeath school to win an All-Ireland PPS Junior title, had goals from Megan Clinton and Annie Heavin to hand them a 3-0 to 0-3 lead.
The lead moved out to eight points but Coláiste Oiriall, who had Hollie Nic Uaid in excellent form at centre forward, refused to lie down.
A gallant effort from Coláiste Oiriall at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park saw them fight their way back into contention, as a quick free from Bríd Nic An Fhailí found Emma Ní Mhiacháin, and she scored the first goal for the Ulster champions.
A penalty goal shortly afterwards from Nic An Fhailí had Coláiste Oiriall just a point behind, 2-5 to 3-3, but Moate’s response before half-time was excellent.
They steadied with points before Eva Cornally netted a penalty on the stroke of half-time, handing Moate a 4-7 to 2-6 interval lead, as Coláiste Oiriall lost Abbie Ní Fhionnagáin to the sin-bin.
Moate stretched their lead out to ten points early in the second half and this time, a spirited Coláiste Oiriall couldn’t work their way back into contention.
Just like they had in the first half, Moate struck for two goals in the blink of an eye, with Mulvihill and captain Aoife Dalton, who was excellent at full-forward, on target.
From there until the finish, Moate CS kept their opponents at arm’s length, and not even a late sin-bin for Heavin could dampen their spirits.
It was left to Dalton to pick up the trophy from Leinster LGFA President Dominic Leech after the game, amid jubilant scenes.
Teams
Moate CS: E Quigley; C McCormack, R Martin, C Moran; M Farrell, R Killian, H Keenan; Á Gaynor, M Clinton; A Heavin, A Cornally, K Burslem Rotheroe; S Mulvihill, A Dalton (capt.), H Kelly. Subs: E Pettitt for Kelly (38), A Sheerin for Moran (56), J Conway for Killian (58).
Coláiste Oiriall: Ó Ní Cheallaigh; A Ní Fhionnagáin, S Ní Earáin, A Ní Chearrulláin; U Ní Chongaile, M Ní Raghallaigh, J Nic Fhinn; B Nic An Fhailí (capt.), L Ní Chuinneagáin; A Ní Chorragáin, H Nic Uaid, C Ní Mhaolchalann; D Ní Ghallchóir, É Ní Shearraigh, E Ní Mhiacháin. Subs: D Ní Chianáin for Ní Ghallchóir (35), K.A. Breathnach for Ní Chuinneagáin (60+4), J Ní Chuinneagáin for Ní Raghallaigh (60+7), B Ní Mhaoileoin for Ní Earáin (60+7), D Nic Cearáin for Ní Mhiacháin 60+7).
Scorers
Moate CS: S Mulvihill 2-2 (0-1f), A Dalton 1-3, A Heavin 1-2, A Cornally 1-1 (1-0 pen), M Clinton 1-0, Á Gaynor 0-3 (2f).
Coláiste Oiriall: H Nic Uaid 0-7 (2f), B Nic An Fhailí 1-0 (pen), E Ní Mhiacháin 1-0, M Ní Raghallaigh, A Ní Chorragáin & C Ní Mhaolchalann 0-1 each.
Lidl All-Ireland PPS Junior C Final
Cashel CS (Tipperary) 3-8
FCJ Bunclody (Wexford) 3-6
A stunning second-half comeback saw Cashel CS claim the Lidl All-Ireland PPS Junior C title against a brave FCJ Bunclody at St Molleran’s, Carrickbeg.
Playing with the aid of the wind in the opening half FCJ Bunclody raced into a seven-point interval lead thanks to goals from Caoimhe Jordan, Aoife Mahon and Katie Bates, but it wasn’t enough to wrap up the win.
Cashel CS stormed back into contention when Alessia Mazzola fired her second goal shortly after the restart, while six unanswered points and Cashel’s third goal scored by Anna Fahie gave the Tipperary girls the lead for the first time.
Orlagh Kehoe pointed for Bunclody in the closing stages as they sought to reel in their opponents, but in the end the clock beat them and the title win was confirmed for the Munster school.
It was a very impressive start to the game from the Wexford side, who were 2-2 to 0-1 ahead by the 20th minute. The goals came early when Mahon converted a penalty and Jordan scored minutes later and they were fully deserving of that lead.
But crucially Cashel CS finished the opening half strongly, which gave them the platform to work from in the second period.
Mazzola hit the net after 24 minutes and captain Leah Baskin added a point, which meant FCJ Bunclody’s half-time lead was down to 3-3 to 1-2.
It appeared as if Bunclody were destined to be champions when they opened the second half with the first two points from Lauren Roban and Mahon, but Mazzola’s second goal kick-started Cashel’s strong finish.
Midfield duo Aoibhe Gayson Molloy and Emer McCarthy began to take control and added points for their side, while Anna Fahie’s strike 12 minutes from time gave the Tipperary side the lead.
Cashel were worthy winners in the end, and it brings the curtain down on a fantastic season for the school, who had already won an All-Ireland camogie title as well as the Munster Senior B championship.
Teams
Cashel CS: C Casey; E O’Dwyer, L Kavanagh, F McEniry; L Fogarty, K Downey, G Moloney; A Gayson Molloy, E McCarthy; R Farrell, L Baskin (c), A Mazzola; A Fahie, F Tuohy, L Fahie. Subs: L O’Connor for McEniry (32).
FCJ Bunclody: A Dunne; A Tobin Cosgrave, E Mimnagh, A Dreelan; K Nolan, S Nolan, Y Kelly; K Breen-Sherlock, E O’Rourke; L Kelly (c), L Roban, O Kehoe; K Bates, A Mahon, C Jordan. Subs: L Conroy for K Nolan (47), E Fitzgerald for Dreelan (48).
Scorers
Cashel CS: E Mazzola 2-1, A Fahie 1-2, E McCarthy 0-2, L Fogarty 0-1, L Baskin 0-1, A Gayson Molloy 0-1.
FCJ Bunclody: A Mahon 1-2 (1-0pen), L Roban 0-3, K Bates 1-0, C Jordan 1-0, O Kehoe 0-1.
Match reports courtesy of Ladies Gaelic Football
