Ryan and McManus mastermind win for Ballinahown

Cumann na mBunscol Westmeath girls' football Division 4 final: St Colmcille’s NS, Ballinahown 7-7, Clonmellon NS 3-9

A better-balanced St Colmcille’s NS, Ballinahown side defeated Clonmellon NS in a ten-goal thriller in the Division 4 girls’ football final during last Monday week’s five-game schedule in TEG Cusack Park.

There were six goals scored in the opening 13 minutes, four of them to Ballinahown via Anna Ryan, Elianna McManus (two), and Ríona Foley, while Clonmellon found the net twice courtesy of Aimee Coughlan and Melissa Clarke.

Ryan got the game’s first point to extend their advantage to seven points, but the girls in white with a blue trim responded with an unanswered 1-2 (Coughlan 0-1, Amy Beggan 1-1 – the point from a free). McManus completed her hat-trick, and a point at the other end from Coughlan completed the scoring for the first half with a neat point. The winners led by 5-1 to 3-3 at the interval.

The blue and white-clad outfit scored two more goals in the second half, ironically the first and last score respectively of the 20-minute period – Ryan (within 20 seconds of the resumption of play) and Leah Concannon (who had moved outfield from her original goalkeeping slot).

Ballinahown’s six points in the second moiety were scored by Ryan (three, including one free), Concannon (two, also including a free), and Foley. Clonmellon also added a half-dozen points to their tally, four of them from the outstanding Coughlan and the other two from Keelin Conlon. After the match, Cumann na mBunscol chairman, Derek Butler presented the trophy to the winning captains, Ríona Foley and Lorna Colclough.

Scorers – Ballinahown NS: A Ryan 2-3 (0-1f), E McManus 3-0, L Concannon 1-2 (0-1f), R Foley 1-1. Clonmellon NS: A Coughlan 1-6, A Beggan 1-1 (0-1f), M Clarke 1-0, K Conlon 0-2.

St Colmcille’s NS, Ballinahown panel: Leah Concannon, Lorna Colclough (joint capt.), Saoirse Trainor, Ríona Foley (joint capt.), Olivia Collins, Anna Ryan, Ellianna McManus, Zoe Hennessy, Holly Larkin, Caoimhe Larkin, Amelie Dullea, Brooke Monaghan, Mary Ellen Spain, Linda Neeson, Lillie Anders O’Brien, Matilda Moore Lewy, Megan Killian, Nicole Gaffey, Rebecca Concannon, Ella Healy, Kayla Duffy.

Clonmellon NS panel: Laura Duffy (joint capt.), Anna Reilly (joint capt.), Olivia Clarke, Katie Rennicks, Róisín Clarke, Keelin Conlon, Aimee Coughlan, Caitlin O’Reilly, Rhían Bartley, Simone Erestain, Amy Beggan, Mylah-Masie Carolan, Melissa Clarke, Daisy Mulvaney, Maisie Reilly, Aoibheann Craig, Kelsie O’Reilly, Teah May Morrissey, Ellen Bray, Ally Crichton, Madison Henry, Caoilfhinn Bray, Emer Casserly.

Ref: Mick McAdden (St Loman’s, Mullingar).

Player of the match: Anna Ryan (St Colmcille’s NS, Ballinahown).