Moortown Make It A Championship Double

Monday 26.09.2022

Championship Football

Moortown made it back to back championship wins with a very convincing display of football at O’Neills Healy Park on Sunday as they saw off the challenge of a gallant Cappagh side to claim the 2022 Murphy’s Gaelic Gloves Intermediate title on a score line of 3-11 to 0-10.

The loughshore girls played into the breeze in the first half but made light of the elements building up an early lead to move 0-6 to 0-1 ahead with scores coming from Caoimhe Mc Nally, Caitlin Crozier and Sarah Devlin. Cappagh looked nervous early on but they settled when Cara O’Neill added to Teri Mc Cusker’s early score.

The hard working Caitlin Kelly, Nina Armstrong and Kerry Quinn hit points to send the teams in at the break with Moortown leading 0-6 to 0-5.

The opening exchanges of the second half were close and competitive with both sides throwing everything at it. Sarah Devlin and Caitlin Kelly swapped points to make it 0-7 to 0-6 before Moortown found their stride. Chrissie Devlin and Emma Murphy wrestled control of the midfield area and as the Cappagh girls tired they began to find spaces in the Cappagh rearguard.

The context of the game changed with a brace of quick points from Caitlin Crozier and Caoimhe Mc Nally followed by Moortown’s first goal from substitute Rachel Tallon whose long range effort deceived the Cappagh keeper Cliodhna Cait Rafferty as it dipped just under the bar.

To their credit Cappagh fought back and added points from Caitlin Kelly and Nena  Armstrong. Pushing forward in search of scores meant there were gaps at the back which Moortown with their pace and ability were able to exploit. Full forward Sarah Devlin pointed and Caoimhe Mc Nally added a second goal before Tracey Swift replied for Cappagh with their ninth point of the game.

With time running out Moortown were awarded a penalty which Emma Murphy converted in spite of the best efforts of keeper Cliodhna Cait Rafferty. A late Caitlin Kelly free for Cappagh concluded the scoring to leave the result 3-11 to 0-10 in favour of the 2022 Murphy’s Gaelic Gloves Intermediate champions Moortown St. Malachy’s.