The Saints go marching on

Leinster Ladies’ Junior Club Football Championship quarter-final: St Joseph’s 2-12, Naomh Fionnbarra/St Anne’s (Louth) 0-10

Paul Doolin reports

In Ballymore on Saturday afternoon last the young ladies from St Joseph’s kept their amazing season going with this well-merited if hard-fought victory against Louth intermediate champions Naomh Fionnbarra/St Anne’s.

From the outset and with a slight wind advantage, St Joseph’s took the game to their opponents and had the first nine points of the game, while restricting their opponents to a single score in the opening half.

That laid the foundation for the win, and although Naomh Fionnbarra put up a spirited second half fight, they simply could not penetrate a resolute Joseph’s defence or get the goals that they needed to make a real game of this.

In the end it was the Westmeath champions who raised the all-important green flags, and it more than held their momentum on a day where they managed the game far better and ran out comfortable winners.

St Joseph’s, as stated at the outset, had the wind advantage in the opening half and used it well, scoring after 90 seconds through Sinead Robbins and then adding the next eight in a row from Karen Keegan (a free and two super scores from play), Aoife Keegan (a marvellous solo effort), Robbins (again from distance), Síle Kearney (after some patient build up) and two wonderful team scores finished by the impressive Caoilinn Elliffe.

Even at that stage, the contest looked over, but to their credit Naomh Fionnbarra never threw in the towel. Indeed, they could have had two goals of their own in the first half, but had to settle for their only score of the half after 34 minutes from their best player by far Marie Doyle, and after a dominant first half St Joseph’s led 0-9 to 0-1.

Immediately on the restart, Naomh Fionnbarra upped the ante, but they simply could not turn that superiority into scores and Sinead Robbins increased the St Joseph’s lead after a fine team move.

Naomh Fionnbarra then had their best patch of the game with points from Leanne Sharkey (two frees) and sub Ciara Lavin. But just when they looked to be building up a head of steam, Aoife Keegan burst through their defence, shipped to Sinead Robbins and she netted a brilliant goal for the hosts.

Sharkey pulled back two more from placed balls, Elliffe replied with a beauty for Joseph’s and then Naomh Fionnbarra’s Marie Doyle was very unlucky to see her shot go over the bar when a goal beckoned. This seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Lauryn McDonnell kept eight between the sides with a superb team point, but again Naomh Fionnbarra replied with a Sharkey free and their best score of the game from another sub Maya McCabe.

But just when we thought we had a grandstand finish on our hands, a defensive mistake from Síle Kearney’s long range effort saw the ball nestle in the net for a second Joseph’s goal to seal the deal.

Naomh Fionnbarra did have the last say with a lovely score from another sub, Grace Dunne, but it was mere window dressing on a day when it was the Westmeath Saints who prevailed.

Scorers – St Joseph’s: S Robbins 1-3, S Kearney 1-1, C Elliffe and K Keegan (1f) 0-3 each, A Keegan and L McDonnell 0-1 each. Naomh Fionnbarra: L Sharkey 0-5f, M Doyle 0-2, M McCabe, C Lavin and G Dunne 0-1 each

St Joseph’s: Áine Maxwell; Clíona McCormack, Orla Robbins, Eleanor Conway; Joyce Conway, Róisín Killian, Kayla McDonnell; Claire Conlon, Aoife Keegan; Lauryn McDonnell, Sinead Robbins, Karen Keegan; Síle Kearney, Caoilinn Elliffe, Niamh Kearney. Subs used: Emer Killian for S Robbins (60), Ciara Daly for K McDonnell (60), Róisín Daly for L McDonnell (65).

Naomh Fionnbarra/St Anne’s: Becky Woods; Leah Cassidy, Niamh Devlin, Katie McArdle; Áine Murray, Heather Rogers, Amy Grant; Leah Kennedy, Marie Claire Rogers; Hannah Hanratty, Grace Rogers, Ellen Butterly; Anne Marie Breen, Marie Doyle, Leanne Sharkey. Subs used: Ciara Lavin for Hanratty (h-t), Shauna Markey for McArdle (41), Maya McCabe for Grant (48), Grace Dunne for Breen (53), Frances Rogers for Doyle (64).

Ref: Finbarr Shanahan (Dublin).