Michael Lyng Motors Senior League Championship 3rd Round
Windgap 3-11 St Brigids 1-10
A fine team performance including a player of the match display from former county player Michaela Kenneally saw Windgap defeat St Brigids in a highly competitive final round of the senior championship league in Windgap on Sunday morning 7th September. After a wonderful spell of weather, the overnight rain made for slippery conditions and physical strength became more important than in previous matches – and Windgap slightly edged the match on this front and they made the most of the chances created to get a victory which keeps them clear of possible relegation this year. For St Brigids, they battled well to the end and did miss a number of chances including a number of scoreable frees which could have made this match much closer but they still will feel they can push any side when knockout matches commence in two weeks time.
Backed by their healthy home attendance, Windgap started on the front foot with Michaela Kenneally showing well from the off – she notched two of their opening three scores inside the opening ten minutes to open up an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead. Gradually, St Brigids settled into the match and three scores from Molly Conroy, Leah Brett and Lauren Ronan had the deficit back to the minimum (0-4 (W) to 0-3 (SB) by the 15th minute. Windgap then received a huge boost when a long free from the accurate Ona Kennedy was flicked to the net by Ciara O’Shea to open up a 1-4 to 0-3 lead and both sides traded a further point in the second quarter to leave the half time score at 1-5 to 0-4. St Brigids certainly had chances to be closer at this stage of the match but they did find the Windgap defence lead by Gillian Costello and stand-in keeper Joanne Cody in no mood to yield ground.
The opening ten minutes of the second half belonged to Windgap and Michaela Kenneally – she crashed an unstoppable shot to the St Brigids net within a minute of the restart and three fine points from play showing all of her intercounty experience stretched the lead out to 2-8 to 0-4 by the 44th minute. St Brigids were struggling to make progress in their forwards in this third quarter but they received a boost when Molly Conroy finished smartly to the net from a narrow angle in the 45th minute and two points from frees from substitute Siobhan Kenny reduced the margin to 2-8 to 1-6 with a tight finish now looking likely. Windgap however refused to buckle at this point and added points from Ciara O’Shea and Megan Kenneally to restore a seven point margin. Megan went on to add a fine goal as the match approached stoppage time and although St Brigids replied with points from Lauren Ronan and Molly Conroy, they never looked likely to overhaul Windgap in this closing period. For Windgap, Joanne Cody was impressive in goal deputising for the injured Ali Kennedy while Michaela Kenneally shone brightest in a fine team performance which sets them up for the championship first round in two weeks time.
Windgap: Joanne Cody, Emer Moylan, Margaret Purcell, Moya Egan, Caoimhe Power, Gillian Costello, Orlaith O’Shea, Nathania Jackson, Ona Kennedy (0-4, 4F), Sarah McCarthy, Ciara O’Shea (1-1), Michaela Kenneally (1-5), Rachel O’Meara, Megan Kenneally (1-1), Sontae Jackson. Subs: Cliona O’Shea, Aisling O’Shea, Laura Doyle, Denis Foley, Laura Foley, Emer Smith, Ava Lily O’Neill.
St Brigids: Miriam Walton, Roisin Foley, Moya O’Brien, Ava Brett, Kate McCluskey, Edwina Keane, Chloe Teehan, Kate Purcell, Tara Ronan, Lauren East, Reece Delaney, Lauren Ronan (0-4, 2F), Leah Brett (0-1), Claire Doheny (0-1), Molly Conroy (1-2). Subs: Katie Ronan, Katie Brennan, Tara Cody, Ruth Purcell, Laoise Prenderville, Siobhan Kenny (0-2), Georgina Casey, Margaret Maher, Ella Cody, Eimear Keoghan.
Referee: Paul Cahill
By PRO Wed 10th Sep
