Méabh and Eliza star in wonderful St Ciaran's victory

by Gerry Buckley

St Ciaran's NS, Baylin 5-8 St Cremin's NS, Multyfarnham 1-5

St Ciaran’s NS, Baylin recorded a historic first Cumann na mBunscol win last Thursday afternoon in TEG Cusack Park with a decisive victory against a good side from St Cremin’s NS, Multyfarnham.

Eliza Crosbie and Anna Murray traded early points from frees, and further point exchanges ensued between Murray (a free) and Méabh Noone, and Murray and Crosbie (again from frees). Murray edged the Multy girls ahead from yet another free and when the same girl saw her latest free come back off the crossbar, Nia Melligan was on hand to flick the sliotar to the net. Within a minute, Noone responded in kind, but her side still trailed by a point at the interval (1-4 to 1-3).

On the change of ends, a brace from Crosbie – the first of them from a free – and a point from play by Noone put the South Westmeath girls into a lead they never looked likely to relinquish. Murray kicked what proved to be the losers’ last point of the contest in the 24thminute, and it was one-way traffic thereafter with the purple and gold-clad outfit on top. They tagged on a further 4-2 without reply to emerge as comfortable winners. The goals were equally shared by Noone and Crosbie (one of them a fortuitous free), while Noone also raised both white flags.

After the match, Derek Butler, the chairperson of Cumann na mBunscol Iarmhí, presented the trophy to the winning captains, Éabha Hatton and Hollie Buckley.

Scorers – St Ciaran’s NS: M Noone 3-4, E Crosbie 2-4 (1-3f). St Cremin’s NS: A Murray 0-5 (4f), N Melligan 1-0.

St Ciaran’s NS, Baylin panel: Lucy Harney, Éabha Hatton, Hollie Buckley, Amber Keyes, Eliza Crosbie, Robyn Moran, Méabh Noone, Jayla O’Neill, Cara O’Neill, Eden Dunne, Erin Doyle McDermott, Joy Donohoe, Lucia Holly, Grace Shaw, Evie Rigney, Juliette Gavin, Muirne Baker.

St Cremin’s NS, Multyfarnham panel: Ciara Rodgers, Clodagh Rodgers, Meabh Reilly, Anna Murray, Kate Horohoe, Ruth Whelan, Hannah Greene, Nia Melligan, Molly Murphy, Rose Fulham, Amber Mahony, Cara Reynolds, Isobel Whitney, Eleanor McCormack, Aedin Mulvaney.

Ref: Jimmy Weldon (Lough Lene Gaels).