Gaeltec U16A County Final
Carrickshock 1-11 Bennettsbridge 0-10
Carrickshock emerged as U16A champions after a strong team performance particularly in defence saw them edge Bennettsbridge in Thomastown last Saturday. This was the fierce contest all had been expecting to wrap up what has been a very competitive U16A championship between seven strong sides and a huge crowd turned up to support both sides on a pleasant afternoon. For Carrickshock, they went into this match as slight underdogs after an indifferent run of results earlier this year but Larry O’Shea’s charges were always viewed as being capable of beating any side on their day and so it proved with three fine championship wins over Piltown, Erins Own and now Bennettsbridge. For the Bridge girls, this was a first defeat for Alan Morrissey’s side in almost three years having won U14B in 2023, Feile A in 2024 and all matches in U16A this year up to this final – and they only succumbed in this contest after giving their all throughout in a very evenly fought contest.
Both sides tore into the action from the off seeking the early advantage and it was Carrickshock who converted their early chances with Amy O’Shea to the fore as they opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead inside the opening five minutes. The excellent Holly Ryan did reduce the margin to the minimum with a pointed free moments later but the Carrickshock girls did continue to shade proceedings and a finish to the net from Amy O’Shea in the 12th minute opened up a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage. In hindsight, this proved to be the key score of the contest. Buoyed by this goal and with Hannah Tennyson playing a ‘stormer’ at centre back, they had pushed out the lead to 1-7 to 0-4 by the 24th minute – a considerable lead given how hard both sides were finding it to get scores. The tactical battle was also intriguing at this time with Carrickshock employing a two-person full forward line and trying to limit the influence of Holly Ryan from Bennettsbridge who in turn were using an extra marker on the dangerous Amy O’Shea although Amy still managed some excellent points from play in this half. Bennettsbridge had a number of half chances for goals during this half which didn’t come off for them but three late Holly Ryan frees reduced the margin to 1-7 (C) to 0-7(BB) at the interval and gave them plenty of hope for the second half.
The second half followed a similar pattern with both sides competing furiously for every ball but defences largely dominated with all scores during this period came from frees. Bennettsbridge looked in real difficulty by the 45th minute as Carrickshock had pushed the lead out to 1-11 to 0-8 with three Amy O’Shea frees to just one reply from Holly Ryan. For Bennettsbridge, Erin Morrissey and Katie Mulcahy were now dominating in defence but they were struggling to make inroads in their attack. They did push Holly Ryan into the forwards in the closing ten minutes and indeed but for a fine save from the excellent Grainne O’Shea in the Carrickshock goal in the 50th minute, this game could have swung in their favour. However, Carrickshock stayed resolute to the end despite two further Holly Ryan points from frees for Bennettsbridge and there were great celebrations amongst their supporters when referee Eoin Hayes called an end to proceedings. Overall, a fine contest between two fine sides in a match which brought an end to an excellent U16A championship.
Carrickshock: Grainne O’Shea, Emer Rossiter, Ena Hickey, Siofra Mason, Ashling Rohan, Moya O’Shea, Alana Lahart, Katie O’Shea, Hannah Tennyson, Colleen Byrne, Ivana Cahill, Megan Carroll, Croia Hickey, Amy O’Shea, Kate Tennyson. Subs: Sarah O’Shea, Orna Murphy, Allison Donnelly, Ella Tennyson.
Bennettsbridge: Leah Croke, Lily Mai Meighan, Katie Mulcahy, Alice Nelson, Eve Byrne, Erin Morrissey, Sadhbh Hennessy, Holly Ryan, Lauren Skehan, Sarah Forde, Amy Hughes, Isabel Nelson, Mia Rusnak, Katie Holden, Lily Dooley. Subs: Hollie Meighan, Alannah Drea, Issy Brennan, Aoibhe Walpole.
Referee: Eoin Hayes
By PRO Thu 16th Oct
