Castletown attack on fire in impressive Minor win
CASTLETOWN’S INCREDIBLE array of firepower proved to be too much for Adamstown to contain as they took the ladies’ football Minor Division 2 championship title in Clonee on Saturday.
The Gorey District side didn’t just rely on their inter-county starlet Amy Wilson. In fact, they were much more than talented foil and Wexford Youths Under-17 player Niamhie Taylor-Hughes, they had a myriad of other options too.
Take Alex Young, for example, playing in the full-forward line with Wilson and Taylor-Hughes in the first-half; not only did she contribute, but Young was her side’s most consistent weapon inside.
Throw into the mix the incredible workrate in the middle third of the field, and the unwillingness of the full-back line to be breached again after Méadbh Wickham’s early goal, and the victors had the whole team in tip-top form.
That was tough for Adamstown to face, as the New Ross District side have talented operators themselves but this was a step too far.
To their credit, they kept pushing to the end and had more of the ball than the score suggests, but it wasn’t enough against this Castletown side.
Adamstown probably knew they needed a fast start and they managed to produce one. Julie Furlong opened the scoring with a nice point and then saw her free fall for Wickham to fire into the excellent Doireann Cullen’s net.
Castletown scored 5-1 before their opponents registered again. Taylor-Hughes got their opening point and quickly levelled the contest with her first major, after Wilson’s initial shot was repelled by Caitlin Mernagh.
Wilson took on two defenders and was fouled for a tenth-minute penalty, which she coolly converted herself.
Taylor-Hughes was heavily involved as both Eimear O’Hagan and Young netted, and when Wilson added a fifth from a rebound it was 5-1 to 1-1.
Quick points by Jasmine Martin and Furlong left ten between the sides at the interval, and they looked lively after the re-start with Róisín O’Neill kicking a classy point.
However, Castletown survived the storm and, with the talented Wilson playing deeper, they start- ed to take more points.
O’Hagan finished low from an acute angle for her side’s sixth goal in the 46th minute (6-4 to 1-5), before another Wilson assist gave Taylor-Hughes her second major.
Grace Marshall kicked an injury-time point, and so too did Sarah Gleeson, as Castletown ended their championship-winning victory in style.
Castletown: Doireann Cullen; Eimear Wildes, Niamh Kavanagh, Julie Condren; Megan Cullen, Sarah Whelan (capt.), Rosie McGuckin; Susan Boyle, Muireann Fitzpatrick; Eimear O’Hagan (2-0), Grace Marshall (0-1), Bethany Renwick; Niamhie Taylor-Hughes (2-2), Amy Wilson (2-2, 1-0 pen.), Alex Young (1-1, 0-1 free). Subs. - Ava Pierce for Condren (44), Sarah Gleeson (0-1) for M. Cullen (59), Jean Condren for M. Fitzpatrick (59), also Lucia Merrigan, Teighlour Fegan, Joanne Fleming.
Adamstown: Caitlin Mernagh; Jane Doyle, Marguerite Furlong, Ella English; Leah Bradley-O’Connor, Emeir Mernagh, Oonagh Barden; Róisín Dillon (capt.), Grace Cloney; Jasmine Martin (0-2), Julie Furlong (0-2, 1 free), Rachel Power; Róisín O’Neill (0-1), Eadaoin Stafford, Méadbh Wickham (1-0). Subs. - Ellie Cloney for O’Neill (49), also Zara Power, Muireann Stafford, Faye Codd.
Referee: Paul Browne (Clonee).