Marble City Travel Junior County Final

O’Loughlin Gaels 1-9
St Claires 2-5

O’Loughlin Gaels defeated St Claires in the Marble City Travel Junior County Final held in John Lockes Park, Callan last Sunday

O’Loughlin Gaels opened the scoring with a point from Laura Greene in the 2nd Minute. Six minutes later, Aisling Butler scored a goal direct from a 45, to put the Gaels 1-1 to 0-0 ahead

The match ebbed & flowed for the next nine minutes before Afton Grace scored St Claires first point from a 45’. Both sides found scores hard to come by as the defences held firm with Rebecca Cleere especially standing out for the Johns Park outfit over the following 10 minutes

The southern broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Afton Grace added a point but the city side finished out the half with two pointed frees through Sarah Burke and Aisling Butler to leave the half time score 1-3 to 0-2 in favour of the Gaels

After the resumption, the city side applied pressure on the St Claires defence and Laura Murphy added a point from the middle of the pitch and the other from the 21 metre line in quick succession to push the leaders further ahead by the 36th minute

However the girls from the south started to get on top as the sides free taker A Grace shot over a point two minutes later and Caroline Kennedy added a further point from play

In the 47th minute, the fore mentioned Kennedy shot to the net to put the girls from down south just a point behind. Sarah Burke replied with a point from play on the 50th minute, but there was a quick response from the St Claires side as Afton Grace set up Cliona Murphy for a goal to see the southern girls take the lead for the first time on a score 2-4 to 1-6 by the 51st minute

Afton Grace added a further pointed free but alas it was their final score three minutes later

The Gaels had the last say as Kate Lawless tacked on a point and Aisling Butler drew the match level on the 59th minute. In additional time Sarah Burke fired over the winning point for the city side to give them their first Junior County Title with final score O’Loughlin Gaels 1-9 St Claires 2-5

Scorers – O’Loughlin Gaels – Aisling Butler (1-2, 1-0 45, f), Sarah Burke (0-3), Laura Murphy (0-2), Laura Greene, Kate Lawless (0-1 each)

St Claires – Afton Grace (0-4, 1 45, 2f), Caroline Kennedy (1-1), Cliona Murphy (1-0)

O’Loughlin Gaels – Elizabeth Kavanagh, Ciara Murphy, Kate Nolan (Captain), Ena Kearns, Shauna Brennan, Rebecca Cleere, Ailbhe Galwey, Laura Murphy, Laura Greene, Sarah Burke, Aisling Butler, Danielle Quigley, Ella Richardson, Nyah Egan, Amy Bryan

Subs – Kate Lawless for Amy Bryan, Nessa Galwey for Ella Richardson, Karen Noonan, Kate Walsh, Jennifer O’Keeffe, Samantha Mguni, Bronagh Cleere, Sarah Holohan, Jennifer Holohan, Patrice Ryan

St Claires – Aoife Slattery, Eve Lacey, Heather Doyle (Captain), Aisling Flynn, Jane Rochford, Aine Phelan, Kate Sheridan, Laura Mulcair, Mairead Kennedy, Eimear Dolan, Caroline Kennedy, Alannah Dolan, Afton Grace, Cliona Murphy, Orla Phelan

Referee: John McCormack (James Stephens)