A neat point sealed the Mnr Final for Shannon Gaels.

November 22, 2012

Roscommon Ladies Gaelic
Division 2A Minor Final - 17 November 2012
Shannon Gaels 1 - 12 Kilglass Gaels 2 - 8

The Division 2 A Final between Shannon Gaels and Kilglass Gaels was played in Ballyfarnon on a pitch that was in pristine condition.

It was an excellent sporting game of football with a real championship bite. Much was expected from this final and both sides didn't disappoint the supporters. When the sides met earlier in the competition Kilglass Gales were victorious by four points.

Kilglass had a comfortable win over Oran in the semi final while Shannon Gaels relied on an injury time goal to overcome a strong Castlerea team.

Shannon Gaels won the toss and elected to play with the breeze in the first half, Aine O Dowd got them off the mark after 5 mins with a neat point from play, the same player followed with a pointed free and 2 mins later Aine was through on goal following a pin point pass from Sorcha Bruen, she opted to go for a point when they may have been a goal on. Kilglass Gaels steadied the ship and with Rebecca Coyle and Melissa Kiernan winning more primary possession around midfield and the powerful Louise Cox driving forward from center back they began to open up the Gaels defence.

Melissa Kiernan opened their scoring and followed up with a point from play following good support play from Rebecca Coyle and Katie King. Shannon Gaels replied with a long range point from play from Sorcha Bruen after a good build up down the wing involving Rachel Mc Dermott and Ciara Dowd. Emer Matthews added another point from play following a strong run from defence by Mairead O Dowd, Kilglass broke forward from the kick out with a penetrating run from Louise Cox, linking up with Aisling Mc Guire and Rebecca Coyle to put Chloe Casserly through on goal, her goal bound shot was saved by Aisling Egan in the Shannon Gaels goals. For the next 10 mins it was all Shannon Gaels, Aideen Filan and Tess Murtagh were dominating midfield and the inside forwards had the upper hand of the Kilglass back line, Shannon Gaels hit five points on the trot, three from the boot of county minor Sorcha Bruen and two pointed frees from the accurate Aine O Dowd. With half time approaching Kilglass got back into the game with a super point from play by Melissa Kiernan. They keep up the pressure and Shannon Gaels had to call on Aisling Egan in goals to pull off two top class saves from Chloe Casserly and county minor Rebecca Coyle. Shannon Gaels re grouped and worked the ball up field, Sorcha Bruen fed Aine O Dowd who passed to the in rushing Emer Matthews and the wing forward rifled the ball in the top corner of the net.

Kilglass Gaels came out in the second half a refreshed team and immediately set about reducing the deficit. Aisling McGuire was in top gear on the right wing and scored two excellent points in the opening five min followed by a free from Melissa Kiernan.
Shannon Gaels had a chance to open their account when Aine O Dowd raided down on the Kilglass goals but a brilliant save from Sarah McHugh averted the danger. Kilglass kept plugging with their half back line of Sharon Duffy, Louise Cox and Savanagh McGuire driving forward to support the forwards. Shannon Gaels defence was under pressure with some heroic defending required from Lisa Collins and Aoife Guihen. Kilglass needed a goal to get right back into the game and it soon came. On eighteen minutes a quick move out of defence with good inter passing involving Rebecca Coyle, Katie King, Melissa Kiernan and Louise Cox put Aisling McGuire through on goal and she coolly slotted the ball in the bottom corner of the net. Kilglass were now only four points behind and with Shannon Gaels still to register a score in the second half you could sense an air of confidence among the Kilglass supporters. By now Shannon Gaels had emptied the bench with the introduction of Katie Daly, Emma O Beirne and Christina Beirne. Shannon Gaels didn't panic and began to rally, a move up field by Tess Murtagh, Sorcha Bruen and Rachel Mc Dermott found Katie Daly in space and following a 20 meter run she kicked over a fine point, Sorcha Bruen followed with a long range effort but it dropped short and was safely handled by Sarah Mc Hugh in the Kilglass goals. Melissa Kiernan kicked a long range free straight between the posts for Kilglass and Aine O Dowd pointed for Shannon Gaels on the verge of full time. With normal time up and Shannon Gaels five points ahead it looked like the cup was safely on the way to Croghan but true to their tradition Kilglass weren't finished yet. Aisling McGuire scored a point before Kilglass won a free forty meters from goal, Melissa Kiernan launched a high ball into the square that took a deflection off a Shannon Gaels defender and ended up in the back of the net. Shannon Gaels won the resulting kick out and as they moved up field referee Vivian Hardiman blew the full time whistle.

After the game County Board Treasurer Nicola Lynch presented the cup to the Shannon Gaels Captain Aideen Filan.

Teams -
Shannon Gaels - Aisling Egan, Connie Doyle, Aoife Guihen, Lisa Collins, Ceara Noone, Mairead O Dowd, Catherine Flynn, Aideen Filan, Tess Murtagh, Emer Matthews (1 - 1), Ciara Dowd, Rachel Mc Dermott, Aine O Dowd (0 - 6), Sorcha Bruen (0 - 4), Katie Daly (0 - 1), Emma O Beirne, Sarah Lambert, Christina Beirne, Eimear Mc Garry.

Kilglass Gaels - Sarah McHugh, Patricia Cox, Claire McCormack, Sharon Duffy, Louise Cox, Savannah McGuire, Rebecca Coyle, Melissa Kiernan (1 - 5), Aisling McGuire (1 - 3), Katie King, Chloe Casserly, Chloe Coyle, Natasha Mahady.