Classy Clonee display quality
Spirited Kilanerin lose out
CLONEE OVERCAME a spirited Kilanerin challenge to take the ladies’ football Under-14 Division 1 title in Craanford.
The newly-crowned champions were given a real battle by their District rivals, especially in a tight, tense first-half, but the quality throughout the Clonee side really shone through the longer the game wore on.
It all started between the sticks where Aoife Kinsella was excellent, just three days after making a critical save in the Under-16 final.
Amy Tobin-Cosgrave was another involved in both games and she, along with the gutsy Abbie Walsh, led the way in defence.
The hard-working duo of Aoibhe MacSweeney and Karen Tomkins got though plenty of work in midfield, while Sarah Doyle and the superb Orlaith Byrne were the pick of a set of forwards that took their chances well.
Aisling Fitzpatrick had an early point on the board for Kilanerin but they were left to feast on a succession of points from the excellent Róisín Hughes as the half wore on.
At the other end Aoibhe O’Connor was excelling in defence but Clonee were playing with a loaded deck.
Aoibhean Hayden and Orlaith Byrne netted in the first 30 minutes, while Zoe Tobin-Cosgrave and Sarah Doyle added points, as Clonee went in at the interval with just a couple in hand (2-2 to 0-6).
They probably needed a fast start to the second-half, but Kilanerin didn’t manage to get it.
Caoimhe Kinsella came up but fired a 47th-minute penalty wide, but her side did get their goal, an absolute rocket by Aisling Fitzpatrick to the roof of the net with nine minutes left.
However, it was too little, too late by that stage and Clonee had been confidently building their lead through the second-half. Hayden netted her second goal before Marie Byrne also raised a green flag for the champions.
The points kept coming too with Zoe Tobin-Cosgrave, Aoibhe MacSweeney, Orlaith Byrne and Hayden all on target as the half wore on.
Róisín Hughes grabbed her sixth point late on but further goals from Rebecca Kavanagh and Tobin-Cosgrave ensured Clonee took the crown in style.
Clonee: Aoife Kinsella; Melissa Doran, Niamh O’Rourke, Sorcha O’Rourke; Kate Doyle, Amy Tobin-Cosgrave (capt.), Amy Doyle; Karen Tomkins, Aoibhe MacSweeney (0-1); Orlaith Byrne (1-1), Sarah Doyle (01), Eimear Byrne; Marie Byrne (1-0), Zoe Tobin-Cosgrave (1-2), Aoibhean Hayden (2-1). Subs. - Abbie Walsh for K. Doyle, Ella Mulcahy for E. Byrne, Rebecca Kavanagh (0-1) for Mulcahy, Amy Kehoe for Hayden, Catherine Tully for A. Doyle, also Erin Doyle, Leanne Kehoe, Kate Butler, Nicole Guinan, Kerrie McDonald, Keila Smyth, Holly Bolger, Grace Byrne, Emily Brennan.
Kilanerin: Kiva Kinsella; Eva O’Connor, Riadh Murphy, Ruth Redmond; Róisín McGonigle, Anna Hughes, Cloina McCarthy; Tara O’Connor, Niamh Murphy; Caoimhe Fleming, Adi Mihalache, Saidhbhe Byrne; Aisling Fitzpatrick (1-1), Róisín Hughes (0-6 frees), Saoirse McDonald. Subs. - Robyn Cousins, Faith O’Connor, Katie Kealy, Hannah Redmond.