A hat-trick for Ava as Gainstown girls dominate
St. Colmcille's NS 5-10 St. Etchen's NS 0-1
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Orla Nohilly and Isabelle McDonnell, captains of St Colmcille’s NS Gainstown girls side, raise the Div 1 cup following their success.Image 2 of 3
St Etchen’s NS, Kinnegad, finalists in the girls football Div 1 competition.Image 3 of 3
St Colmcille’s, Gainstown girls team, winners of the Div 1 football title.Ava Sheahan pounced for three goals as St Colmcille’s Gainstown emerged as emphatic winners against St Etchen’s NS Kinnegad in the girls football Division 1 final at TEG Cusack Park on Wednesday.
Eleven points separated the teams at the break (3-3 to 0-1) and it was that powerful opening 20 minutes that laid the platform for the Gainstown girls.
St Colmcille’s were always in control, their superior movement and attacking style giving the Kinnegad side very little chance in what was a one-sided final. The victors took control early on and swooped for three early goals to put their opponents on the backfoot. The Kinnegad side battled on but the scores they needed to turn this game around never materialised as St Colmcille's kept a tight grip on the game.
A terrific start gave Gainstown early control of this final: Muireann Caffrey, Emily Collentine and Ava Sheahan each pounced for Gainstown goals and with just seven minutes played, St Etchen's were scrambling. Orla Nohilly and Caffrey soon notched Gainstown points adding to their lead. St Etchen’s were overpowered, but showed grit to respond with a lovely Lucy Lovett minor after a number of players combined in the build-up.
St Colmcille’s were not flinched and Clodagh Keane pointed when Nohilly did the spade work, leaving the Kinnegad side facing the proverbial mountain at the half-time whistle.
There was little in the way of respite as Caffrey set up Ava Sheahan for Gainstown's fourth goal on the restart. Points from Caffrey, Collentine, Isabelle McDonnell and Eireann MacNamee soon followed before Sheahan pounced for the fifth goal, forcing the ball home at the second time of asking. Isabelle McDonnell then converted a free and scored a great point after a fine solo run before Muireann Caffrey added the final score. Impressive St Etchen's goalkeeper Ester Akerelea did her utmost, making some good saves but Gainstown were relentless and there was no stopping their charge to glory.
Orla Nohilly and Isabelle McDonnell accepted the cup from Derek Butler, chairman of Cumann na mBunscol Iarmhí, after the final whistle.
Scorers - St Colmcille’s NS Gainstown: Ava Sheahan 3-0, Muireann Caffrey 1-3, Emily Collentine 1-1, Isabelle McDonnell 0-3 (0-1 from a ’25), Orla Nohilly 0-1, Clodagh Keane 0-1, Eireann MacNamee 0-1. St Etchen’s Kinnegad: Lucy Lovett 0-1.
St Colmcille’s NS Gainstown: Siún McDonnell, Kayla Finneran, Mary Kate Gilbert, Claire Murtagh, Isabelle Wright, Ellen Sharry, Orla Nohilly, Clodagh Keane, Muireann Caffrey, Isabelle McDonnell, Emily Collentine, Ava Sheahan, Anna Earley, Eireann MacNamee, Rosie Smullen, April Corroon, Neasa Kennedy, Grace Fitzgerald, Shauna Keating, Kate O’Donoghue, Katie Bohan, Penny Bohan, Emily McDonnell, Éilis Nohilly, Lily McDonald, Róisín Gavin, Róisín Cornally, Aoife Cleary, Aifric MacDonagh Cave, Alex Vambeck, Zoe Vambeck, Carla Flood, Anna Flood.
St Etchen’s Kinnegad: Ester Akerele, Lola Adewale, Lauren Ryan, Phoebe Burbridge, Vakare Jureviciute, Caoimhe O’Grady, Lucy Lovett, Fearne Kiernan, Lauren Murphy, Evie McCabe, Victory Oviahon, Sophia Clynes, Maya Mazilu, Alanna Dardis, Orla Pelly, Caoimhe Giles, Leah Moore, Katie O’Leary, Ava Ryan, Grace Waldron, Zoe Burbridge, Sarah Murphy, Cuileann Giles, Abigail Murphy, Faye Ryan, Mia Fabijonaviciute.
Referee: Paul O’Malley (Killucan).