Mixed results for Waterford players in Munster Colleges Ladies Football Finals

Three Munster Senior Ladies Football Colleges Final’s were played last weekend at Clonmel and Glanworth, where there was plenty of Waterford involvement in all three games.

In the ‘A’ Final it was an all South Tipperary affair as Coláiste Dun Iascaigh from Cahir took in Scoil Mhuire from Carrick-on-Suir who in their team contained a number of players that play their club football and live south of the River Suir which flows through the town.

The Cahir side had a strong spine to their team and it looked at the break it looked as victory was going to be theirs with some ease after goals from Aishling Moloney, Caoimhe Condon and Rachel Moloney gave then a healthy lead at the interval, and when Róisín Howard added a fourth after the restart it certainty looked good for the eventual winners as it gave them a twelve point lead.

However, the side down river in the staged a marvelous come back.

Aoife Murray scored a goal for the Carrick-on-Suir College side from close range and with ten minutes to go they pulled closer to the Cahir College when Áine Power beat the impressive Lauren Fitzpatrick from the penalty spot after Kelly-Anne Doyle was fouled which was followed with a Aoife Doyle point to leave four between the sides.  

The Carrick side continues to pile on the pressure in the closing minutes but were unable to tag on the scores that would have got them something from the game.

Coláiste Dun Iascaigh went on to win 4-8 to 2-9 with Lauren Fitzpatrick, Rachel Moloney and Róisín Howard having big performances for the winners, while for the Carrick College side goal scorers Geraldine Power, Emma Murray, Áine Power, Katie Murray, Aoife Doyle, Shauna Power, Aoife Murray, Keeley Cortbett-Barry and Heather Phelan impressed.

The ‘B’ Final also played at Clonmel saw St. Augustine’s College from Abbeyside overcame the challenge of Loreto School Clonmel.

Playing to the final whistle is important for any team and the Abbeyside College side containing a number of players who have won Munster Intermediate Medals with Waterford in 2014 showed why in this game at they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

It was the South Tipperary side that opened the scoring with a point from Megan Shanahan but the Abbeyside college came storming back on five minutes when Bronagh Condon rose highest following a long high ball in and around the Loreto goal and the Na Déise played fisted to the net.

The South Tipperary side hit back with the next five scores on of which was a goal from Lauren Guiry from the Ballymacarbry Club is one of a number of rising stars in Ladies Football within the county to give her side a four point lead.

Three points in a row from Molly Curran cut the Loreto lead to one with seven minutes to play in the first half and with both sides swapping scores in the time that remained in a closely fought game, it was no surprise to see the sides finish the half locked at 1-6 a piece.

The second half proved to be a goal fest as Lauren Guiry hit a second goal for the side looking out onto the River Suir while Sarah Ryan also hit a brace of goals.

For Saint Augustine’s Liz Devine a sister for All-Ireland Minor Hurling and Dr. Harty and Dr. Croke Cup winner Tom put was outstanding throughout and when the pressure was on she produced the goods.

She opened the second half scoring with a point, and in the five minutes to go, she showed why she was called up to the Waterford Intermediate team in 2014 with the South Tipperary side holding a five point lead on the score board she played a part in helping her side reeling off three points in a row to cut the lead to two, and then with the game in injury time she drove forward to find Molly Curran who in a crowded goal was able to hit the Loreto net adding to a goal scored earlier by Kaeisha Tobin.

Loreto School for fifty minutes proved to be the better of the two sides, but St. Augustine’s never say die attitude saw them reap the benefits of their heroics.

The South Tipperary side in the time that remained  attempted to get something from the game attempting to break into the St. Augustine’s half of the field, but while playing the ball out of defence they took the wrong options and St. Augustine’s held on for a 3-13 to 4-9 victory.

For Loreto in addition to goal scorers Lauren Guiry and Sarah Ryan, Niamh Brennan, and Megan Shanahan impressed, while for Saint Augustine’s goal scorers Molly Curran, Kaeisha Tobin, Bronagh Condon all had big parts to play as had Player of the Match – Liz Devine will not go on to contest the All-Ireland semi final against the Leinster Champions in the coming weeks where with the likes of Megan Dunford, Caoimhe McGrath, Megan O’Connor, Katie Duggan-Sullivan and Abbie Dalton they have the players to bring them to the next stage of the competition.

The Munster ‘D’ Final was played at Glanworth in North Cork where Hazelwood College from Dromcollogher in Limerick prove too strong for Méanscoil San Nicolas from Ring.

Hazelwood opened the scoring through Laura Stack but the An Rinn side responded with a point from the impressive Dawn de Paor. 

The Limerick side’s half forward line through the game caused the An Rinn defence a lot of problems throughout the game and the pressure they were exerting paid off when Cliona O’Callaghan struck for a goal and Katie McCarthy hit a brace of points to give their side a 1-3 to 0-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

While under pressure at the back, Mean Scoil San Nicolas continued to try hard and were rewarded with points from Katie Ní Urmholtaigh and Dawn de Paor.

The Limerick side would a further 1-1 before the break the goal coming from Alana Mulcahy and a point from Laura Stack to go in 2-4 to 0-3 in front, but Mean Scoil San Nicolas were unlucky not to be closer and maybe in front at this stage. Hazelwood goalkeeper Rebecca McGuinness made at least two great saves in the first half to deny the An Rinn girls goals while full back Ciara McCarthy also had to show some resolute defending to keep Mean Scoil San Nicolas at bay.

Mean Scoil San Nicolas began the second half brightly as Dawn de Paor kicked 1-1 to edge her side closer to the Co. Limerick side, but they would hit back with points from Katie McCarthy and Laura Stack to leave five between the sides with nine minutes to play.

A brace of missed frees and a great save from Rebecca McGuinness kept the Limerick side five points to the good with just seven minutes to go.

These missed chances spurred on the Limerick side for the closing minutes of the game.

Laura Stack kicked a brace of late goals and one from Katie McCarthy meant the title was heading to Limerick as Hazelwood held out for a 5-8 to 1-4 win.