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No Luck For St Ciaran’s Girls.
Saturday 25.03.2017
LIDL ALL IRELAND SENIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
St Ciaran’s Ballygawley 0-8 John The Baptist CS Limerick 2-6
There was no happy ending for the St Ciaran’s journey in the bright sunshine of Cusack Park Mullingar on Friday as the exceptional John the Baptist Community School turned in a disciplined defensive display to seal a remarkable third all Ireland title in three years and a third all Ireland from a possible five this year!
St Ciaran’s worked tirelessly and played some good football but on the day they met a team of the highest quality and they can have little complaint with the Limerick side dominant for much of the tie. Both teams hit twelve wides over the hour although the St Ciaran’s forwards struggled to find space all afternoon.
The Ulster champions found the going tough in the final third of the pitch. They could not find a way through as the Limerick side held out to win by four. However the damage was really done just before the half time whistle with the Munster champions scoring 2-1 in a five minute burst.
With the breeze at their backs St Ciaran’s started well. Maria Canavan landed two excellent long range points inside the opening four minutes while at the other end Darcy Bryne made a stunning save from JTB star Anna Rose Kennedy. Kennedy, Andrea O’Sullivan and the impressive Sara Morrissey were hugely influential throughout for the Munster team as they pressed forward in waves. However the well drilled St Ciaran’s defence coped well with the pressure.
St Ciaran’s moved 0-3 to no score in front after ten minutes with Canavan again on target. It took the Limerick side until the 21st minute before they opened their account with Kennedy the scorer. It was a well deserved score for JTB after they had enjoyed lots of possession and created many chances during that opening period.
McCaffrey had levelled things with an excellent point before Amber O’Sullivan and Kennedy goals pulled the Munster side clear by the break. St Ciaran’s knew they had a mountain to climb against the wind.
There were five points between the teams just after the restart when O’Sullivan pointed but the third quarter belonged to the Tyrone college as they took the game to their opponents. Aishling McAnespie, Meabh Corrigan, Tara O’Hagan, Canavan and McCaffrey carved out a raft of openings but playing against such a disciplined defence there was little room for manoeuvre for the St Ciaran’s
Canavan dropped over a close range free five minutes in and the young Tyrone forward also did well to set up McAnespie as the gap was reduced to three. Ryan scored a good JTB point yet there was just two points in it with Canavan and McCaffrey on target heading into the final quarter.
Unfortunately that was as close as it got with John the Baptist CS closing the door and tagging on a couple of points themselves to ease to a four point win.
SCORERS: St Ciaran’s Maria Canavan 0-5 Chloe McCaffrey 0-2, Aishling Mc Anespie 0-1
John The Baptist: Anna Rose Kennedy 1-3, Andrea O’Sullivan 1-2, Ashling Ryan 0-1
St Ciaran’s: Darcy Byrne, Orla Mulgrew, Cloideach Donaghy, Grainne McKenna, Saorla Mullin, Shannon Stevenson, Meabh Corrigan, Chloe Collins, Aishling McAnespie, Shauna Stevenson, Maria Canavan, Tara O’Hagan, Shauna Stevenson, Maria Canavan, Tara O’Hagan, Michaela Moore, Chloe McCaffrey, Bronagh McAleer. Subs Emma McKenna for Donaghy, Aoife McNelis for Collins.
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