Annie’s on Song

If we are to go on what we have seen in their last seven games come Sunday afternoon next scoring should not prove to be a problem for the Gailltir Players when they take on Saint Rynagh’s in this year’s All-Ireland Intermediate Club Final at Croke.

In games against An Rinn, Saint Anne’s and Cappoquin in the County Championship, followed by games against Newcestown from Cork and Tipperary Champions Toomevara in the Munster Champions and then in beating last year’s All-Ireland Champions Clonduff in the All-Ireland Semi Final earlier this year, the sky blues have hit a massive 18 goals and 109 points, an average of just over 27 points a game, a massive tally at any level, while at the other end of the field it would well be argued despite playing in rules that make it so easy to score goals by where a player can hand pass the ball to an opponent’s net, Gailltir have proven extremely difficult to break down conceding just 7-49 in their last seven competitive games an average of just 10 points per game.

Free taker Annie Fitzgerald not surprisingly is the sides top scorer in the sides last six games hitting a very impressive 3-34 for the sky blues, 0-20 of which have come from frees while one of her scores has come from a ’45.

Her cousin Aoife Fitzgerald is the side’s next highest scorer with an impressive 6-13 all of which have come from play. One has to wonder what is been eaten in the Fitzgerald households but whatever it is, it is working and if the Offaly side are to stop Gailltir from winning on Sunday next they will first have to stop these two players and if they were to bring the veil of form into this game that they have shown up to now, then the Offaly side will be in for a torrid time on Sunday.

But when it comes to scoring the Sky Blues do not over rely on the Fitzgerald Cousins. Áine Lyng one of the longer serving players in this side has hit 2-10 in here side’s last six games. Anne Corcoran a player who has proven to be a very valuable player to the Sky Blues has hit 2-8, Emer Walsh has hit 2-4 and Trish Jackman another long serving player in this panel has hit 0-8 and is a player that will prove to be a valuable tool in the Gailltir box on Sunday afternoon possibly playing in defence and as an accurate shooter from long range frees.

Since they played An Rinn in the County Quarter Final the Sky Blues have also had scores from Kate Lynch (1-3), Ciara O’Sullivan (0-4), Clodagh Carroll (1-1), Shauna Fitzgerald (0-2) and Leah Sheridan (0-1).