Fairytale stuff in first season
Dream campaign for Minors
DAVIDSTOWN-COURTNACUDDY entered a Minor ladies’ football team for the first time this year, and they crowned a dream campaign with a comprehensive win over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in the Division 4 county final in Clongeen recently.
Their start was perfect, with two quick goals from Sophie McCabe and Grace Mernagh. Strong defending repelled Rathgarogue-Cushinstown before Eimear O’Shea added to the lead with a point.
This was followed by a great solo run from Annalise Crean who set up Carrie Power to put the ball over the bar.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy were on top form and were very strong all over the pitch, with a third goal following from Laura Roche.
They went on to get three more points from Carrie Power, Sophie McCabe and Laura Roche before Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s Gráinne White went on a solo run and kicked the ball over the bar to get her team off the mark (3-5 to 0-1).
This point lifted the team and White added her second. Davidstown-Courtnacuddy replied though with a point from Eimear O’Shea and a cracker of a goal from Katie Roche.
They went on to get four more points from Mairéad Crean, Coley Furlong, Carrie Power and Sophie Mc Cabe, before the latter passed the ball into Grace Mernagh who put it into the back of the net. This left a scoreline of 5-10 to 0-2.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s Sinéad O’Brien went on a solo run and went for a goal but netminder Ava O’Connor made a great save.
Carrie Power was on fire and scored a point before Kelley Doyle and Laura Roche took it in turns in scoring to leave Davidstown-Courtnacuddy ahead at the break by 5-14 to 0-2.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown came out all guns blazing in the second-half, with the leaders forcing them into shooting several wides before Sinéad O’Brien scored their first goal.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy’s Sophie McCabe, who was playing a great game, scored two more points before Rathgarogue-Cushinstown’s Gráinne White kicked the ball into Bernie White who put the ball into the net (5-16 to 2-2).
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy finished with a flourish with further points from Laura Roche, Beth Murphy, Carrie Power, Kelley Doyle and Sophie McCabe to leave a fulltime score of 5-22 to 2-2.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy: Ava Murphy, Beth Murphy (0-1), Amy McGrath, Hollie Kelly, Beth Roche, Coley Furlong (joint capt., 0-1), Mairéad Crean (0-1), Annalise Crean, Sophie McCabe (1-5), Jade Power, Kelly Doyle (0-4), Carrie Power (joint capt., 0-5), Eimear O’Shea (0-2), Grace Mernagh (2-0), Laura Roche (1-3), Jamie Egan, Katie Roche (1-0), Ellie Jevens. Manager: Tommy Kelly. Selectors: Chloe Power, Marea O’Shea.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Kate Hendrick, Sophie Doyle, Kate O’Keeffe, Julie Doyle, Shauna Cowman, Ciara Gaffney, Michaela Gaffney, Rachel Moore (capt.), Kelly O’Rourke, Gráinne White (0-2), Bernie White (1-0), Chloe Byrne, Niamh O’Shea, Rebecca Foley, Róisín Connick, Stacey Whelan, Katelyn Carty, Ella Foley, Sinéad O’Brien (1-0), Orlaith Gaffney. Mentors: Mary Moore, Bernie White, Adeline Foxe.