Unlucky Bower girls

A blockbusting last ten minutes by St. Mary"s, Abbeyfeale, proved decisive in achieving a highly flattering 6-point victory over an out-of-luck Our Lady"s Bower in this thrilling All-Ireland Schools Ladies Football Junior 'C' Semi-Final at Toomevara, in bright but chilly conditions, on Wednesday of last week. In that last ten minutes - including a liberal eight minutes of injury time added on by referee Keith Delahunty - St Joseph"s scored an astounding 3-2. Superb 16-point winners over St. Mary"s, Naas, in the Leinster final at Kinnegad, the young Athlonians - despite losing two key players to injury early in the second half - looked poised to reach the All-Ireland decider when leading by two points with a like number of normal-time minutes left on the clock. But that late, late hat-trick of goals by the Munster side proved heartbreaking at the denouement for a superb Sky Blues outfit who had played some fabulous football throughout. Undoubtedly, Deirdre McEnery"s charges will look back on the injury time played in both halves, at the home of the famed Greyhounds, as their nemesis in this Semi-Final confrontation. When wind-aided in the opening half, the Bower girls led by 3-3 to 1-4 as the clock ticked over the half hour, but Abbeyfeale struck for 1-1 in the 32nd and 33rd minutes, leaving them only a point in arrears, and with the elements in their favour to boot, as the second half loomed. Worse would follow for the Bower from the 60th to 68th minutes, as the Limerick ladies amassed a further 2-2 to grab a victory which they hardly deserved on the general run of play. Of their 5-13 total, 3-3 was annexed in both periods of injury-time, which made ultimate defeat a bitter pill to swallow for the Shannonsiders. Two players in particular contributed significantly to this Abbeyfeale success - towering midfielder and captain, Lorraine Scanlon (Castleisland), who scored 8 points, and full-forward Shauna McAuliffe, who belted home a resounding 4-2. Midfielder Scanlon, a real star in the making, covered literally every blade of grass on the pitch, back in defence as the occasion warranted, while her forceful runs at the Athlone defence spelled trouble at all times. Along with defenders Georgina Browne and Eilis Dillon, No. 9 Laura Sheerin, and forwards Leanne Mangan, Shauna and Brigid Cahill, the aforenamed 'terrible twins' formed the bedrock of ultimate success for the South Limerick school, but it could all have ended very differently. On the basis of their par-plus display for the greater duration of this semi-final, Our Lady"s Bower richly deserved at least another bite of the cherry. In a forward division, all of whose scores came from play, Jennifer Byrne added to her growing reputation from the Leinster campaign, slotting home a smashing 2-3 on this occasion, the brilliant Ballinahown ace spelling danger whenever in possession. She led the attack with aplomb, her fielding ability especially noteworthy in a sector where Athlone"s Áine McCaul was also in lethal form, achieving an outstanding hat-trick of goals at the North Tipp venue. Vicki McEnery scored a superb, opportunist goal, with Amy Farrell also getting on the scoresheet, while excellent contributions were also made by Aoife Dolan and Áine Harney up front, in a sector which was dealt a severe blow when Amy was forced off injured in the 6th minute of the second half, although her replacement, Orla O"Neill, worked hard when introduced. Although up against the Abbeyfeale midfield powerhouse, the Galway/Mayo pairing in this sector, Mary C Walsh and Lizzie Curran, respectively, always competed strongly and were particularly impressive in the opening half while, in defence, Athlone goalkeeper Laura Dowling made a string of great first-half saves until injury also forced her 37th minute withdrawal, substituted by Deirdre Farrell who performed diligently when brought on. The Garrycastle-dominated defence, inspired by outstanding centre back, Meadhbh Flynn, and which held four of their direct opponents scoreless from play, was also admirably served by the full-back line of Sarah Hughes, Niamh Dooley and Edel Ryan, with Co. Clare"s Rachel Bleach and Garrycastle"s Gráinne Elliott completing an excellent outer-line of resistance. All in all, a thoroughly prepared squad who contributed hugely to a game which contained spells of sheer class football, and where the oft-frustrating short-passing emphasis was almost totally absent, with "catch and kick" football to the fore. Proceedings were barely underway at Toomevara when Bower goalie Laura Dowling brought off a wonder-save from Abbeyfeale"s Eabhnait Scanlon, but Lorraine Scanlon put over the first of her eight points in the third minute. Aoife Dolan sublimely passed to Áine Harney but, despite her rocket being blocked by goalie Caroline Scanlon, Vicki McEnery brilliantly found the net in ensuing play (fifth minute). Quick as a flash, "Feale responded when Lorraine found Shauna McAuliffe - goal! Another Laura Dowling save preceded an Athlone golden spell. An Amy Farrell point was precursor to 1-1 from Jennifer Byrne, the goal following from good Aoife Dolan build-up play. Custodian Laura again came to Athlone"s rescue when denying Shauna McAuliffe a certain goal (15th min.), but Shauna Cahill placed Lorraine Scanlon for her side"s second point (18th minute). More glad tidings were imminent for the Bower girls (22nd minute) when Áine McCaul took a pass from Jennifer Byrne to unleash an unstoppable shot to the "Feale net, putting them a clear two goals ahead. But the Limerick side"s 'terrible twins' lofted over a brace of points (one free) before Jennifer Byrne pointed at the other end. Still 3-3 to 1-4 ahead as injury time dawned, the Bower were then hit for 1-1, skipper Scanlon pointing and corner-forward Brigid Cahill getting in for a goal just as the short whistle sounded. Now having to face the wind and only a point in it, the Athlone girls suffered cruel luck when losing both goalie Laura Dowling and wing-forward Amy Farrell through injury, 36th and 37th minutes, but they rose to the challenge heroically with Jennifer Byrne rifling home 1-1, placed by Vicki McEnery and Lizzie Curran respectively. However, the pendulum then swung in a southerly direction with six unanswered Abbeyfeale points - Lorraine Scanlon (2), Leanne Mangan (2 frees), Brigid Cahill and Shauna McAuliffe - to take a slender lead (2-11 to 4-4). Excitement was a fever pitch as the Bower staged a terrific recovery in the form of two brilliant goals - Áine McCaul on target on both occasions (49th and 58th minutes). The second of these goals had been barely flagged when Abbeyfeale stormed upfield for lethal full-forward McAuliffe to goal and cut the leeway again to two points. Athlone continued to defend heroically against mounting pressure as the clock struck over the hour. They had an outstanding chance of a 7th goal but somehow the ball was scrambled away. What followed in the 8 minutes of added-on time was 2-2 for Abbeyfeale - two goals courtesy of Shauna McAuliffe and two points from Lorraine Scanlon - and late southern comfort by a flattering margin. SCORERS - St. Joseph"s: S McAuliffe (4-2), L Scanlon (0-8, 2f); B Cahill (1-1); L Mangan (0-2, 2f). Our Lady"s Bower: J Byrne (2-3); Á McCaul (3-0); V McEnery (1-0); A Farrell (0-1). St. Joseph"s, Abbeyfeale: Caroline Scanlon, Shauna Riordan, Sinéad Guiney, Georgina Browne, Katie Mangan, Éilis Dillon, Meabh Roche, Lorraine Scanlon (capt), Laura Sheerin, Eabhnait Scanlon, Leanne Mangan, Shauna Cahill, Brigid Cahill, Shauna McAuliffe, Katie McAuliffe. Our Lady"s Bower, Athlone: Laura Dowling, Sarah Hughes, Niamh Dooley, Edel Ryan, Rachel Bleach, Meadhbh Flynn, Gráinne Elliott, Mary C. Walsh, Lizzie Curran, Vicki McEnery (capt.), Aoife Dolan, Amy Farrell, Áine Harney, Jennifer Byrne, Áine McCaul. Subs: Órla O"Neill for Amy Farrell (inj., 36), Deirdre Farrell for Laura Dowling (inj., 37). Also on panel: Sarah McGann, Jennifer McCormack, Jessica Butler, Lorna Mulvihill, Lisa McHugh-Dolan, Leidh Beirne, Ciara Kelly, Emma Johnson, Rebecca Frayne, Amy Duignan, Dearbhla Casey, Breda McMahon, Emma King, Lynn Fitzsimons, Caoimhe Lawlor. Referee: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary).