Famous first for Taghmon
Three-goal burst seals win
TAGHMON PIERCESTOWN 4-3 1-3
THE ALLIANZ Cumann na mBunscol Rackard League Roinn ‘A’ girls’ football final pitted the 2016 finalists, Piercestown, against 2017’s unbeaten team, Taghmon.
The girls of Piercestown were hoping to offer the perfect start to a Thursday night which would also see their boys take part in the Roinn ‘A’ football final afterwards in Taghmon.
The first-half was a keenly-contested affair with both teams having some good early chances, only to see their efforts go just wide of the mark. Great defending was on display from both sides.
Niamh Dempsey and Ellie O’Mahony made some crucial interceptions for the girls in maroon and white while Ellen Coleman was rock solid in the goal.
For Taghmon there were some very brave blocks by Emily Roche and Hazel O’Keeffe. At half-time they couldn’t be separated, both teams having two points each.
The beginning of the second-half saw a purple patch for the talented Taghmon side with their sustained pressure and excellent forward play rewarded with a hattrick of goals in quick succession.
Lily Sidney-Kinsella, Molly O’Gorman, Ruth Ryan and Hannah Kehoe excelled during this period of the match. This put the Piercestown girls on the back foot and in the end proved to be the difference between these two otherwise evenly-matched teams.
Piercestown, to their credit, never gave up and showed great grit and determination. Aoibhe Ormonde, Orlagh Griffin and Róisín Dempsey showed some great inter-play with the forward line but Piercestown found it difficult to break down the impressive Taghmon defence.
Taghmon sealed their victory with another three-pointer before the girls of Piercestown got some rewards for their efforts with a late goal.
Taghmon ran out as well-deserved winners on a scoreline of 4-4 to 1-3 and brought the first-ever Roinn ‘A’ Rackard League title back to their schools. For the second year in a row the girls of Piercestown and Murrintown have to be content with the runners-up spot.
Taghmon: Caitlin Purcell, Ciara Roche, Emily Roche, Shannon Griffiths-Benton, Andrea O’Keeffe, Hazel O’Keeffe, Gemma Monaghan, Lily Sidney-Kinsella, Molly O’Gorman, Orla Banville, Hannah Kehoe, Caoimhe Breen, Megan Dee, Ruth Ryan, Rebecca Carroll, Louise Nugent, Zoe Cardiff, Becky Cashin, Sarah Codd, Orla Roche-Kelly, Aimee Clarke, Aideen Ryan, Caoimhe Reville, Eimear Doyle, Elena Peiro-Doyle, Caoimhe Murphy, Cora Quigley, Rachel Hussey, Sarah-Louise Codd, Aimee Moore, Brigit Connors, Joan Connors, Agnieszka Michalik.
Piercestown: Ellen Coleman, Leagh Maddock, Melissa Quirke, Róisín Alouf, Niamh Dempsey, Fiona O’Mahony, Mia Quirke, Ellie O’Mahony, Róisín Dempsey, Orla Griffin (capt.), Sinéad Cullen, Aoibhe Ormonde, Grace O’Connor, Mary Roe, Katie Audsley, Chloe Curtin, Kate Stafford, Ella Crotty, Hayley Case, Caoimhe Delahunty, Nicole Goff, Mary Connors, Lucy O’Hanlon, Anna Jeffares.