Killmurray the match winner for super St Loman's side

St Loman's, Mullingar 5-9, Garrycastle 3-6

A physically stronger St Loman’s team proved too good overall for Garrycastle in the Westmeath LGFA Minor Division 1 Championship final at the Caulry GAA grounds last Sunday.

As the rain poured down in the first half, St Loman’s put huge pressure on the Garrycastle goal. They had laid the platform for their win long before the interval.

St Loman’s got off to the better start, they used their physical size to good effect and, in Kate Kilmurray, they had a match winner. Kilmurray scored 2-4 in total and she also assisted in numerous scores.

Garrycastle won the U16 Division 1 championship earlier in the year and they had a number of that team playing in this minor (U18) final. They started Athlone Town player Hazel Donegan and relied heavily on Amelie Henson for scores.

A more physical Loman’s side took command from the off and as the conditions got worse at the Mount Temple venue, the pitch stood up to the wear and tear in excellent fashion.

The Mullingar outfit had 1-1 on the scoreboard before Garrycastle could get to the pace of the game. Evie Kilmurray scored the goal, blasting an unstoppable rasper to the net.

St Loman’s continued to dominate and they scored their second goal when powerful midfielder Jayne Charles blasted the ball past Siobhan Ni Chluaid in the Garrycastle goal.

St Loman’s had 2-2 clocked up and Garrycastle were still to score in the tenth minute. The Mullingar based team had players running in support from every angle and the warning signals were sent out to Garrycastle from an early stage.

Garrycastle got a lift when, after a free was taken short back to Amelie Henson, she blazed over the bar, though she was aiming for a goal. Henson supplied their second score also, this time from a free.

These scores gave Garrycastle some momentum. Hazel Donegan, who has represented the Republic of Ireland at U19 level, then kicked a point. Though St Loman’s led by 2-3 to 0-3, there was still some hope for the Athlone based side.

But St Loman’s were able to power through the Garrycastle defence time and again, with the impressive Shannon Breslin scoring 1-1 in the space of a few minutes.

At this early stage, the game already looked out of reach for Garrycastle. Indeed, it could have been worse. Loman’s missed a number of scoring opportunities as they continued their onslaught on the Garrycastle goalmouth.

Garrycastle typically soldiered on, never giving up the ghost, and scores from Henson and Donegan kept their slim hopes alive.

And just before the interval, they got another boost. After good work from Olivia Collins, Henson and Donegan, Isabelle Kearney collected the ball and evaded her opponent before beating Asha McCormack in the Loman’s goal. That goal would have given them a pep in their step running into the dugout at half-time even if they could have kept Loman's out at the other end.

But Kate Kilmurray was in a ruthless mood and there was still time for her to score her side's fourth goal. First the impressive Grainne Cleary had an attempt blocked and then Evie Kilmurray had another attempt for a goal blocked, before Kate showed the way by finishing the rebound into the net. At half-time, it was St Loman’s 4-4 Garrycastle 1-5.

After the resumption, Garrycastle, helped by playing downhill on a pitch that slightly sloped into one goal, scored a quickfire goal. Just minutes after the restart, Donegan's pass found Henson and the Our Lady's Bower student blasted the ball to the net for the perfect start to the second half.

But although they had numerous chances to add to that goal, they kicked a number of wides and they didn’t score again until close to the end. There was too long of a period without a score for Garrycastle to really challenge the pre-match favourites.

St Loman’s were not as impressive as they had been in the first half, but they didn't need to be and they still did enough to keep plenty of distance between themselves and Garrycastle.

Charles was the standout midfielder for Loman’s and she kicked a brace of almost identical scores, showing good finishing despite a number of Garrycastle players trying to close her down. St Loman’s led 4-7 to 2-5 going into the fourth quarter and Kate Kilmurray ended the contest with her second goal in the 56th minute.

Garrycastle, who were managed by Brian Murphy and Karl Henson, alongside Brian Ganly, Jonathan Sweeney, Ger Griffith and Noelle O'Donnell, did score a consolation goal near the end. Hazel Donegan had made a number of determined runs and she was finally rewarded with a goal in added time, but it was too late to turn things around at that stage.

St Loman’s, managed by an all female backroom in Ciara Blundell, Stephanie Kilmurray and Therese Hogan, justified their billing as favourites. With Kate Kilmurray leading the way, they had plenty of players backing her up in impressive fashion to claim a deserved victory.

Garrycastle fielded a young team, with a number of U16s playing, and it will be next year when they are ready to really compete for the minor title.

Scorers - St Loman’s: K Kilmurray 2-4; J Charles 1-3; S Breslin and E Kilmurray 1-1 each. Garrycastle: A Henson 1-4 (0-3f); H Donegan 1-2; I Kearney 1-0.

St Loman’s - Asha McCormack; Ava Cummins, Eimear Doonan, Anna Sheehy; Eve Scally, Aoibhe Hogan (captain), Norah Garry; Jayne Charles, Eleanor Corcoran; Grainne Cleary, Kate Kilmurray, Kate McDonnell; Maddie Mulderry, Evie Kilmurray, Shannon Breslin. Subs: Megan Charles, Katie McDonnell, Rhianna Shaw Norris, Ruby Higgins, Eva Dowdall, Lucy Kilmurray, Aishling Kilmurray, Evelyn Casey, Maisie Daly.

Garrycastle - Siobhan Ni Chluaid; Rebecca Sleator, Aoife McHugh, Orla Turner; Cadhla Kelly, Libby McHugh, Ellianna McManus; Hazel Donegan, Aislinn Kelly (captain); Eve Murphy, Amelie Henson, Olivia Collins; Sallyann Joyce, Jane Byrne, Isabelle Kearney. Subs: Mandisa Ni Chluaid, Ellen Parker, Ella Sweeney, Rionagh Costello, Hannah Ganly, Amy Carter, Mikaela Greene, Erin McHugh, Rachel Murray, Roisin Ni Chluaid, Wiktoria Wziatek.

Referee - Michael Gordon (Shandonagh).