Mourneabbey make it five in a row
Mourneabbey 4-11 West Cork 1-10
THE drive for five was successfully navigated by Mourneabbey on Sunday as they won their fifth consecutive Ladies SFC title in Cloughduv on Sunday with 10 points to spare over West Cork in a disappointing replay. Not that Mourneabbey will be concerned about the value of this final to the neutrals; as far as the players and supporters are concerned they came, they saw and tney conquered again.
After a gripping draw the previous week a big crowd descended on Cloughduv in anticipation of another close contest, and though that never really materialised the Mourneabbet contingent will be more than happy with how their team performed. Not that the defending champions had it all theirt own way all through, and a mere one-point lead at half time meant they had to dig deep in the second period to retain their title.
Nearing the end of the first quarter Mourneabbey led by a point before West Work’s Áine Terry O’Sullivan won a penalty, which the Beara woman dispatched past Méabh O’Sullivan. The Beara player scored two points to open up a four-point lead for the combination side.
Doireann O’Sullivan responded with a point for Mourneabbey before Bríd O’Sullivan set up her namesake Niamh for a 25th minute goal to level it up at 1-4 apiece.
An Áine Terry O’Sullivan free edged West Cork ahead - she was then sin-binned for a heavy challenge - and Niamh Cotter point doubled their lead but the champions had the last say of the half, and it was a major one when Ciara O’Sullivan pounced on a rebound off the crossbar to snatch a late goal to give Mourneabbey a one-point half-time lead.
The champions emerged a much better focussed team after the break and points from Doireann and Ciara O’Sullivan, Laura Fitzgerald and Eimear Meaney pushed them six clear after 45 minutes.
As West Cork’s challenge began to fade under the realisation that it wasn’t going to be their day or title Fitzgerald and Doirean O’Sullivan engineered late goals to make it a comfortable fifth title on the trot for Mourneabbey, who will play the winners of Ballymacarbry (Waterford) against Banner Ladies (Clare) in ther Munster Senior Club Championship on Saturday week. MOURNEABBEY: M O’Sullivan: E Meaney (0-1), C A Stack, A O’Sullivan; S Conroy, R O’Sullivan, K Coakley; M O’Callaghan, B O’Sullivan; E Harrington, C O’Sullivan (1-2), N O’Sullivan; E Jack, L Fitzgerald (2-2), D O’Sullivan (1-6; 0-2f). Subs: S O’Callaghan for C A Stack (39), C O’Callaghan for E Jack (54), A Ryan for L Fitzgerald (59), A Cronin for E Harrington (59), A Walsh for B O’Sullivan (62, inj).
M O’Brien (Clonakilty); S Courtney (Castlehaven), M Duggan (Dohenys), S Hayes (Rosscarbery); E Kiely (Valley Rovers), C O’Shea (Beara), D Kiely (Valley Rovers); A Hayes (Rosscarbery), M O’Brien (Rosscarbery); C O’Leary (Clonakilty), Á Terry O’Sullivan (1-6; 1-0 pen, 4f) (Beara), N Cotter (0-2) (Beara); L O’Mahony (0-1) (O’Donovan Rossa), L Coppinger (0-1) ( St Colum’s), N Terry O’Sullivan (Beara). Subs: L Harte (O’Donovan Rossa) for N Terry O’Sullivan (ht), C Maguire (Rosscarbery) for S Courtney (55), M Coppinger (St. Colum’s) for E Kiely (59), A Murphy (Dohenys) for L O’Mahony (60), A Whooley (O’Donovan Rossa) for S Hayes (62, inj).
REFEREE: Kieran Creed (St Finbarrs)