Dream dies for Finuge / St Senans after quick Aghada start

MUNSTER JUNIOR LADIES CLUB FINAL Finuge / St Senans 0-5 Aghada 3-4

THE dream is over for Finuge / St Senans as Cork side Aghada proved to be too strong for the Kerry champions in the Munster Junior Final in Mallow last Saturday.

The north Kerry side had hit Na Deise and St Bridgets for early goals in previous rounds of the competition, but this time it was Finuge / St Senans who were on the receiving end of such treatment.

Aileen McGrath got Aghada off to a great start with just one minute gone in the game and 60 seconds later Cristine Moran did likewise. Finuge / St Senans were shaken, but Miriam O’Keeffe settled them in the eighth minute with a good point.

It was to be Finuge/St Senans only score of the first half, however, as the Aghada defence was strong and resolute. Poor decision making was proving costly for Finuge / St Senans as time and again the wrong option was taken in good positions.

Cork inter-county star Emma Farmer helped herself to two points before the half-time break and, with Hannah Looney adding another, Aghada took a 2-3 to 0-1 lead in at the break.

Finuge / St Senans came out for the second half in determined fashion and two points from centre half-forward Jackie Horgan and a pointed free kick from Miriam O’Keeffe brought them to within five points of their opponents.

Emma Farmer pointed an Aghada free kick, but then disaster struck for Finuge / St Senans when Farmer was pulled down for a penalty, which she expertly dispatched herself into the bottom corner of the net.

Finuge / St Senans did enjoy plenty of possession thereafter, but wayward shooting once again left them down. They did have a good chance of a goal, but a super block from Aghada defender Roisin Phelan saved the Cork side.

Finuge / St Senans did add another point towards the finish from Niamh Carmody, but it was too little too late as Aghada claimed the Munster Junior title. FINUGE /ST SENANS: Kate Quilter, Niamh Leen, Sara Murphy,Karen Stack Cathriona Dillon, Patrice Diggin, Aoife Behan, Niamh Carmody (0-1), Niamh McKena, Ann Marie Leen, Jackie Horgan (0-2),Caoimhe Shanahan, Miriam O’Keeffe (0-2, 1f), Emma McCarthy, Martina Guiney