AIB Leinster Senior Club Final
Piltown 1-13 St Vincent’s 2-12
Sunday 17 November 2024
By Aoife Lanigan, PRO
It took extra time to separate Kilkenny County Champions Piltown and their Dublin counterparts St Vincent’s, but it was the Dubs who left their rivals singing the Blues in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore
With the game almost up, Piltown were on the brink of adding a first Senior Provincial title to their county crown, but Vincent’s struck a late goal to send the game to extra time. They made full use of their second chance, building a lead which helped them get over the line ahead of their fast-finishing rivals
Aisling Maher played a big part in the win for Vincent’s. Having gone off with an injury after just 12 minutes, she returned to the action with just nine minutes of normal time remaining. Her reintroduction helped alter the game just when it looked like it was getting away from her side
Piltown made a bright start and took the lead when Kellyann Doyle pointed from a free inside two minutes. However, Aisling Maher equalising with another placed ball score
The sides remained deadlocked for the next spell as, despite trying to add to their tallies, they didn’t until Ali Maguire converted a Vincent’s free with 18 minutes on the clock
On the Attack
Piltown weren’t about to let their rivals get too far in front. Within minutes they went on the attack, Alice Talbot playing the sliotar to Katie Power. Running towards the Vincent’s goal, Power lofted the ball over an oncoming defender to Sophie Holden who drilled it to the net
Vincent’s replied with an Ali Maguire free but back came Piltown, Midfielder Aoife Landers striking a great point from midfield. The final score of the half went the way of the Dubliners. Maguire converting another free from her own 65m line to leave the bare minimum at the break (1-2 to 0-4)
Piltown were quick off the mark after the restart, doubling their lead with a Sophie Holden point. Disaster struck when with 39 minutes played, Ali Maguire ran at the Piltown defence and was upended in the square. She took the resulting penalty and made no mistake, driving a bullet-like strike high to the top right corner of the net to push Vincent’s a point ahead (1-4 to 1-3)
Didn’t panic
Piltown didn’t panic and they hit the next four points through Kellyann Doyle, two from frees. Shortly afterwards Aisling Maher made her way back into the game and got on the scoresheet with Ali Maguire also adding a point. Kellyann Doyle slotted over two points for Piltown to put them three points ahead heading towards the full time whistle – but there was a sting in the tail
With the game entering the dying stages, Vincent’s went for broke and piled into attack. A shot on goal was saved, but when the ball wasn’t fully cleared, Tessa Lambe pounced, doubling on the loose sliotar to send it flying into the net (2-6 to 1-9). Extra Time would be needed to find a winner
The opening period of extra time saw a revived Vincent’s go ahead with two Aisling Maher points. Kellyann Doyle converted a free for Piltown but minor scores from Maher and corner back Lora Smith, who had drifted forward unmarked, meant Vincent’s were three ahead at the break (2-10 to 1-10)
Chasing the game with 10 minutes left, Piltown made a positive start when Kellyann Doyle cut out a Vincent’s clearance and fired the sliotar over the Dubliners bar. She added another point, converting a free to narrow the gap to a single point (2-10 to 1-12)
However, Vincent’s were in no mood to let their lead slip. Anna Sullivan doubled the advantage with a point. Kellyann Doyle pulled one back, a final score from Ava Lambe gave Vincent’s the cushion they needed to take the title
Scorers – Piltown – Kellyann Doyle 0-11 (8f), Sophie Holden 1-1, Aoife Landers 0-1
St Vincent’s – Ali Maguire 1-4 (1-0 pen, 3f), Aisling Maher 0-5 (2f), Tessa Lambe 1-0, Anna Sullivan, Lora Smith, Ava Lambe 0-1 each
Piltown – Aoife Norris, Lorraine Long, Emily McCarthy, Alice Talbot, Karen Duggan, Laura Norris, Alanna Gallagher, Lorna O’Shea, Aoife Landers, Ellen O’Keeffe, Kellyann Doyle, Niamh Culleton, Sophie Holden (Vice Captain), Katie Power (Captain), Patsy Kenny
Subs – Leah Cooney for Patsy Kenny inj, Heather Phelan for Ellen O’Keeffe, Aine Doyle for Niamh Culleton, Chloe Blackmore for Sophie Holden, Chloe Power for Lorna O’Shea, Sophie Holden for Chloe Blackmore, Lorna O’Shea for Aoife Landers, Ellen O’Keeffe for Alanna Gallagher
St Vincent’s – Dara Cooke, Aoife Traynor, Deirdre Johnston, Lora Smith, Ciara O’Leary, Aoife Higgins, Abby Farrell, Aine Woods (Capt), Muireann Kelleher, Roisin Drohan, Anna Sullivan, Ava Lambe, Clare Donnelly, Aisling Maher, Ali Maguire
Subs – Ailish Considine for Aisling Maher inj, Tessa Lambe for Aoife Traynor, Aisling Maher for Clare Donnelly
Referee – Justin Heffernan (Wexford)
