Mary Jo Curran Cup crown for Na Gaeil

MARY JO CURRAN A FINAL

Na Gaeil 4-9 Southern Gaels 1-8

NA Gaeil started with two early points playing into the wind from Sarah Cunningham after great work from Niamh Plunkett and Clodagh McHugh.

This was quickly followed by a goal after a great run from Nora O’Connell and she blasted past the keeper into the back of the net. Nora scored another point from distance after a turnover from Maebh Barry. Southern Gaels replied with two frees from Rachel Dwyer.

Gaels started to get themselves back into the game with three well worked points from Rachel Dwyer. An early ball into the forwards found Shannon O’Donnell in space after a slip from a Na Gaeil defender and Shannon found the bottom corner. Jadyn Lucey replied with a point before Nora O’Connell scored another two points. Ellie O’Connell scored the last point of the first half to leave it 1-6 apiece.

Na Gaeil came out in the second half with the grit between their teeth. An early free from

Meagan Sheehy put them one up, quickly followed by a goal from Sarah Cunningham. With Na Gaeil defence of Sarah Quigley, Muireann Moriarty, Sarah Barrett, Kate Anne O’Connor, Emma O’Keeffe and Eilis O’Connor, Southern Gaels struggled to get past.

They did get a penalty, but Clodagh McHugh stood big in the goals as the penalty hit the post. Jadyn Lucey scored another point before Meagan Sheehy went on a mazy run, taking on four Gaels defenders and finding the top corner of the net. Southern Gaels kept working hard to get forward, but struggled through Na Gaeils midfield of the sisters Nora and Mary O’Connell.

On another turnover from Na Gaeil, they won a free which Meagan Sheehy found the back of the net. Na Gaeils last score came from a great run from Eilis before Southern Gaels scored 2 frees near the end of the game. Game finished on a scoreline of 4-9 to 1-8.

Scorers

NA GAEIL: Sarah Cunningham 1-2, Meagan Sheehy 2-1, Nora O’Connell 1-3, Jadyn Lucey 0-2, Eilís O’Connor 0-1

SOUTHERN GAELS: Rachel Dwyer 0-7, Shannon O’Donnell 1-0, Ellie O’Connell 0-1

Photo by Joe Hanley The Na Gaeil ladies side which defeated Southern Gaels in the Mary Jo Curran Cup at Strand Road, Tralee on Sunday

Na Gaeil captain Meabh Barry being presented with the Mary Jo Curran Cup from Nora Fealey (KLCB) as her team defeated Southern Gaels in the Mary Jo Curran A Final at Strand Road, Tralee on Sunday Photo by Joe Hanley