Gaeltec U14 C Championship Final – Emeralds V St Lachtains 011023

Sunday 1st October 1pm

Emeralds V St Lachtains

By Mark Flynn, Assistant PRO

 

 

On an overcast Sunday afternoon, the final got underway and both teams went straight to action on the blow of the whistle, with plenty of frees being given all over the pitch but at this early stage nothing had been converted.

 

Emeralds were the first to find their target with a point from play for Leyla Ahern and Emeralds captain Aoibhe Bourke followed with a point from a free.

St Lachtains got a free of their own which Emeralds dealt with and managed to turn it into their own score at the other end, point from play for Alanna Russell.

 

St Lachtains puck out put them on a run up the pitch only to get driven backwards by Emeralds who were looking for the next score, this came in the form of another free taken by Aoibhe Bourke straight over the black spot for an Emeralds point.

 

The few early points from Emeralds didn’t really worry the St Lachtains girls as they kept fighting for every ball. But things changed very quickly as Emeralds fired in two goals in quick succession, Jayda Lawlor and Leyla Ahern both hit the back of the net.

 

The pure determination of St Lachtains to keep fighting for everything unfortunately resulted in giving another free, and Leyla Ahern was on hand to put the point over.

St Lachtains backs were working hard trying to clear the lines but nearly every time they got the ball away Ciara Joyce in centre half for Emeralds just kept hitting the ball back in around the goal mouth for one of her team to finish and Alanna Russell on this occasion obliged with another point from play.

 

Half time seemed to be looming closer and St Lachtains were in need of something and with a run from midfield after some tussling for the ball Mia Phelan managed to break clear, and with the determination that St Lachtains were showing there was only one place for the sliotar, back of the net goal to St Lachtains.

 

The ref checked the watch but there were more goals to be got, Emeralds responded with a goal by Kitty Cleere and St Lachtains finished the first half with another goal, this one by Olivia Marnell.

Half Time

Emeralds 3-6 St Lachtains 2-0

 

Second half got underway with Emeralds getting on the scoreboard quickly and the next four points were to come from Aoibhe Bourke, three of those points were from frees and the fourth came from play. Emeralds had seemed to find another gear and kept the pressure on St Lachtains who in fairness never stopped playing.

 

St Lachtains had won a couple of frees of their own but couldn’t make them count against the Emeralds, but the green and white took all their chances. Somehow Aoibhe Bourke seemed to be heading away from the St Lachtains goal with the ball when she struck it backwards overhead and managed to find Leyla Ahern who in turn stuck it in the net on the run, Goal.

 

Clara Joyce showed why she had the centre back jersey for Emeralds, a great long striker of the ball who made opportunities for her teammates to capitalise on, another lovely ball into the danger zone and a free given, Aoibhe Bourke added another point.

 

St Lachtains started to drive the ball long and tried to pressure the Emeralds backline but they held strong and were able to send the ball back the other end.

Aoibhe Bourke wasn’t finished so it seemed and struck a point over on the run when she took off from the half way line. Soon followed by a free from a 45.

 

Play was back at the Emeralds end and St Lachtains were able to get a point from Nessa Gibbons, Emeralds gave away a free on the edge of the 21 Isabel Carroll for St Lachtains popped the ball in they looked for the white flag but got green goal to St Lachtains.

And there was only one player to finish the scoring before the whistle blew, Aoibhe Bourke point on the run for Emeralds.

 

Full time

Emeralds 4-14(26) St Lachtains 3-1(10)

 

 

Scores – Emeralds – Aoibhe Bourke 0-10, Leyla Ahern 2-2, Jayda Lawlor 1-0, Kitty Cleere 1-0, Alanna Russell 0-2

St Lachtain’s – Olivia Marnell, Mia Phelan, Isabel Carroll 1-0 each, Nessa Gibbons 0-1

 

 

Emeralds – Clodagh O’Shea, Roisin O’Reilly, Freya Broderick, Aobha Minogue, Roisin Walsh, Ciara Joyce, Fiona Hickey, Laura O’Flynn, Aoibhe Bourke (C), Alanna Russell, Roisin Gibbons, Jayda Lawlor, Kitty Cleere, Leyla Ahern, Ruth Lyng

 

Subs – Grace Harrington, Ruth Hickey, Aine O’Connor, Aishling O’Reilly, Emma Fogarty, Ellie Ahern, Aoife Kavanagh, Brona Keane, Erin Greene, Emma Carroll, Meabh O’Shea, Ellen Harrington, Aoife Gibbons

 

St Lachtains – Hollie Hughes, Hayley McCabe, Sarah Hickey(C), Cara Bergin, Emer Murphy, Saoirse Hickey, Lucy Dalton, Nessa Gibbons, Isabel Carroll, Abigail O’Kane, Kate Dalton, Keelin Walsh, Charlotte Hussey, Mia Phelan, Chloe Gleeson.

 

Subs – Kate Walsh, Caoimhe Butler, Faith Long, Olivia Marnell