Abbott Intermediate Championship Quarter Final
Conahy Shamrocks 1-13 St. Lachtains 1-13 (after extra time)
St Lachtains win 2-0 on penalties
After a torrential morning of rain, Conahy Shamrocks grounds had held up well for this highly anticipated match up between near neighbours St. Lachtains and Conahy Shamrocks. A slight wind favoured the home team in the opening half and they took advantage of it. Amy Brennan, at full forward for Conahy, opened the scoring with a point in the first minute. This was quickly followed up with a goal from Molly O’Dornan, who confused St. Lachtains defence to put a low ball into the back of the net. It was an ideal start for Conahy Shamrocks, but St. Lachtains settled with Michelle Killeen scoring a point from a free in the 4th minute. Shortly after, St. Lachtain’s Caoimhe Bergin won a difficult ball in defence and sent it into Kate Dalton at corner forward, Dalton placed the ball into Julieanne Bergin who made sure it sailed over the crossbar. Conahy quickly responded as Grainne Comerford sent an excellent ball up to Amy Brennan and she took her point quickly. The next ten minutes saw brilliant play from both teams with Aoife Ryan and Isabel Carroll doing tremendous work at mid field for St. Lachtains and Ellen Gunner and Emma Mulhall equally as hardworking for Conahy Shamrocks. Gunner scored two points (one from a free) but St. Lachtains’ full back, Ciara Hickey was immense in defence and brought out several balls to send up to her forwards. Lydia Fitzpatrick won a free from one of these Hickey deliveries and Julieanne Bergin stood up to slot it over the bar. The final eight minutes of the half were highly entertaining, with both defences doing super work to clear ball and keep the score low.
Half time score: Conahy Shamrocks: 1-4 St. Lachtains: 0-3.
The opening five minutes of the second half were equally as exciting as the closing minutes of the first half and it was St. Lachtains who opened the scoring with a point taken by Lydia Fitzpatrick from a placed ball. Conahy quickly followed this up with a superb delivery from Sofia Kerr to Emma Mulhall and Mulhall sailed it over the bar. St. Lachtains’ Emma Bergin stepped up the intensity and put two excellent points over the bar to narrow the margin. St. Lachtains then introduced Emma O’Connor to the full forward line and she immediately made a huge impact; Ciara Hickey at full back launched a huge ball towards her full forward line, Chloe Dooley gained possession, picked out O’Connor who blasted it into the back of the Conahy net. However, Conahy Shamrocks were not put off and the highly accurate Ellen Gunner put two frees over the bar. The final ten minutes of the second half were very tense with both teams serving up an entertaining encounter. St. Lachtains’ Abi Whitty and Emma O’Connor scored one point each and Conahy Shamrock’s Katie Brennan added a point for her team. St. Lachtains managed to edge ahead through a point from Michelle Killeen (free) but it was Conahy Shamrocks who never gave up and Ellen Gunner slotted another free over the bar in the 60th minute to secure the draw at full time and to force this game to extra time.
Full time score: Conahy Shamrocks 1-9 St. Lachtains: 1-9
Extra time: Both teams started the first half of extra time with intensity and immediately Ellen Gunner scored a point from centre forward for Conahy Shamrocks. St. Lachtains’ Aoife Ryan, who was having a superb game at mid field, won the ball from the next puck out and took her first point of the match. For the next 8 minutes both teams played a very physical game with Ava Dermody and Caoimhe Hickey doing well for St. Lachtains defence and Conahy Shamrock’s Sofia Kerr and Grainne Comerford also defending hard. The first ten minutes finished up with a Conahy free which Ellen Gunner placed over the bar. The final ten minutes of extra time saw St. Lachtains begin with more intensity with points from Lydia Fitzpatrick, Abi Whitty and an excellently taken point from Emma O’Connor. But Conahy Shamrocks were not finished and they showed true grit to level the game with two points from Emma Mulhall and Ellen Gunner. This enthralling encounter was going to be settled with penalties! It was St. Lachtains sharp shooters and excellent goalkeeping from Katelyn O’Connor who progress to the Abbott Intermediate Championship semi-final having outscored Conahy Shamrocks 2-0 in the penalty shootout.
Conahy: Siofraidh Kennedy, Hollie Brennan, Grainne Comerford, Amy Morrissey, Eva Kennedy, Amy Lawless, Sofia Kerr, Emma Mulhall, Caoimhe Hennessy, Naomi Kerr, Ellen Gunner, Katie Brennan, Sarah Dooley, Amy Brennan, Molly O’Dornan.
St. Lachtains: Katelyn O’Connor, Carmel Maher, Ciara Hickey, Caoimhe Hickey, Ava Dermody, Lydia Fitzpatrick, Caoimhe Bergin, Aoife Ryan, Isabel Carroll, Michelle Kileen, Emma Bergin, Julieanne Bergin, Abi Whitty, Chloe Dooley, Kate Dalton.
Referee: Peter Burke
By PRO Fri 2nd Oct
