Triumphant ‘Town take the title

Thomastown 2-13

St Lactain’s/Lisdowney 0-12

It was celebration time in Thomastown as they regained their county senior title, but it was only in the final quarter that the Grennan girls got the upper hand after a close encounter with St Lactain’s/Lisdowney

The Northerners were first to raise a flag when Anne Dalton pointed a 30 metre free in the 3^rd minute. Dalton added a point from a similar free 2 minutes later

The girls in blue got off the mark in the 7^th minute when Niamh Donnelly pointed a 21 metre, Lactain’s/Lisdowney hit back with two more points from their sharpshooter Anne Dalton to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after 11 minutes

Anna Farrell reduced the arrears when she pointed from a 45 metre free, only to see her score negated when Anne Dalton fired over 2 points from frees by the end of the first quarter

Thomastown were in need of a big score and approaching the water break, they got it. Roisin O’Keeffe collected a pass from Sarah Walsh in front of goal and hand passed to the net. That put a different complexion on the scoreboard, which read 0-6 to 1-2 in favour of St Lactain’s/Lisdowney

When play resumed Anna Farrell levelled matters when she slotted over 35m free and Niamh Donnelly added a point from play soon after. Anne Dalton added to her tally when she pointed from 25 metres to level the scores once again

Thomastown had the last two scores of the first half when Sarah Walsh and Eva Hynes slotted over a point a piece. That left them two points clear (Thomastown 1-6 St Lactain’s/Lisdowney 0-7)

It wasn’t until the opening minutes of the second half that the stripey girls had their first score from play. Following fine passing interplay between Claire Phelan, Lydia Fitzpatrick and Chloe Dooley notched up a point when she slotted the sliotar over the bar. Anne Dalton levelled matters again in the 35^th minute, but it was advantage Thomastown once more when Lisa Donnelly and Eva Hynes struck a point from play to put their side two ahead

Laura Hegarty replied with similar score for St Lactain’s/Lisdowney to leave the minimum between the sides. Eimear Farrell from play and a Anne Dalton free traded points

With the water break approaching the game took a twist when Eimear Farrell shot towards the St Lactain’s/Lisdowney goal from 21metres. The ball was doubled on by Therese Donnelly, who was sited on the edge of the square – she sent a screamer to the back of the net. This was the defining moment of the game as up to this stage there was never more than a point or two between the sides

With the wind in their sails, Thomastown kicked on. The girls in blue added a wonderful point through Therese Donnelly from a very acute angle before Anna Farrell’s 50metre free and Niamh Donnelly from play pushed them further ahead with little over five minutes left

St Lactain’s/Lisdowney needed something fast if they were to stay in the game. Awarded a 21metre free in the 56^th minute and Anne Dalton sent a low hard shot towards goal, but it was deflected out for a 45. Dalton converted that for their last score despite putting heavy pressure over the remainder of the game on the Thomastown defence

At that stage Thomastown were in no mood to let the title slip from their grasp. Holding firm, Niamh Donnelly put the icing on the cake when she slotted over the bar in the dying seconds, winning back the title the Grennan girls had lost the previous year

Thomastown have a bye straight into the Leinster Club Senior Final against either St Jude’s (Dublin) or Oulart the Ballagh (Wexford). The game will be played on February 7, 2021

Scorers – Thomastown – Niamh Donnelly (0-4, 3f), Therese Donnelly (1-1), Anna Farrell (0-3, 3f), Roisin O’Keeffe (1-0), Eva Hynes (0-2), Sarah Walsh, Lisa Donnelly, Eimear Farrell (0-1 each)

St Lactain’s/Lisdowney – Anne Dalton (0-10, 10f), Chloe Dooley, Laura Hegarty (0-1 each)

Thomastown – Kate McDonald (Joint Captain), Eimear Corr, Ailish Butler, Sally Teehan (Joint Captain), Sinead O’Keeffe, Meighan, Farrell, Joanne Fitzpatrick, Anna Farrell, Lisa Donnelly, Niamh Donnelly, Sarah Walsh, Eva Hynes, Eimear Donnelly, Therese Donnelly, Roisin O’Keeffe

Subs – Eimear Farrell for Eimear Donnelly, Niamh Bolger, Sarah Barcoe, Blathnaid Galway, Aine Lannon, Aine Kirwan, Sarah Walsh, Lisa Carey, Nicole Corway, Chloe Corway, Laura Tennyson, Sinead Brennan, Ruth Ryan, Ailish O’Shea, Niamh O’Shea

St Lactain’s/Lisdowney – Sinead Farrell, Tara Hickey, Maria Brennan, Annie Maher, Laura Hegarty, Claire Phelan, Emma Bergin, Aoife O’Carroll (Joint Captain), Chloe Dooley, Laura O’Sullivan, Lydia Fitzpatrick (Joint Captain), Anne Dalton, Chloe Delaney, Saoirse Davis,  Julianne Bergin

Subs – Clodagh Ryan for Chloe Delaney, Holly Moore for Chloe Dooley, Aoife Jordan for Laura O’Sullivan, Claire O’Carroll, Caoimhe Bergin, Aoibheann Murphy, Michelle Hickey, Kathleen Dowling, Mairead Kennedy, Aisling Phelan, Sarah Phelan, Blathnaid Bergin, Sinead Dalton, Chloe Tiernan, Sarah Staunton, Siobhan Holland, Kara Phelan, Kate Keoghan