Curry ladies win Junior final
CURRY SHAMROCK GAELS
Connacht Gold Junior ladies final
3-11 1-10
SUNDAY was a big day for both the Curry and Shamrock Gaels camps with their ladies and men in final action during the afternoon. First up in Cloonacool was the meeting of the ladies in the Connacht Gold Junior final and the clubs’ men were then contesting the Kennedys Intermediate decider in Bunninadden later that afternoon.
The first half in Cloonacool was a tightly contested affair with both sides ruing a number of missed chances but the second half saw Curry’s experience and accuracy come to the fore with sisters Therese and Aoife Marren heaping increased pressure of the Shamrock Gaels’ defence,
Therese finishing with a tally of 2-4 while corner forward Bernie Connolly was also hugely influential along with Joanne Kennedy.
Shamrock Gaels on the other hand are a very youthful side with many of the players still at minor level and it was Gus Chapman’s side who found themselves ahead by 4 points at the break playing into a strong breeze but the second half belonged to Curry, who outscored their opponents 2-8 to 0-3 in this period and came of the dressing rooms looking hungrier to bring the Bank of Ireland Cup back to Curry for the first time in 11 years.
The first half saw both sides display some free-flowing attacks, Connolly getting Curry off the mark 2 minutes in through a free before Siobhan Brennan fed Roisín Kearns who pointed for Shamrock Gaels a minute later from play.
Therese Marren made her presence felt with a fine score from play on 4 minutes before Curry saw Marren’s goal chance come off the post.
The ball was in the back of the Shamrock Gaels’ net moments later but it was not allowed as referee Colm Gunning signalled a square ball, Therese Marren again the player who fisted into the net.
Kearns got her second from play on 16 minutes, after the excellent Rachel Boyd passed to her and again the sides were level midway through this half.
Another Curry goal chance saw Aoife Marren finding Ailish Sweeney free and her attempt again came off the bar with a free out awarded to Shamrock Gaels.
The Riverstown side then scored two more on the bounce, with Erin Mullaney doing very well to recover after the ball fell from her possession and she managed to point from play 22 minutes in and the half forward added another a minute later as Shamrock Gaels led by 2 points.
Then the game’s first goal arrived on 24 minutes and who else was it only Therese Marren blasting to the net, with Kelly Ann Henry, Ailish Gordon and Joanne Kennedy all instrumental in the build up, Curry back in front by a point.
Shamrock Gaels midfielder Jade Lyons ran from distance and looked threatening the Curry goal but her shot dropped short into the welcoming arms of Aoife Duffy in the Curry goal.
Mullaney from play then brought the sides level once more before Lyons again went on an attacking run and this time she didn’t falter in slamming into the back of the Curry net to put her side in front by 3 with half time approaching.
Curry’s Sharon Towey pulled off a fantastic block on the advancing Kearns before Boyd put Shamrock Gaels ahead by 1-7 to 1-3 at the interval.
The second half saw Curry’s intent right from the resumption and they went on to score 2-2 in eleven minutes before Shamrock Gaels could muster a score, which came from a Simone Kelly free. Curry introduced Tara McIntyre at the break and she had a big impact on the game.
Curry’s Kelly Munnelly and Aoife Marren brought it back to a 2 point game 3 minutes in before Aoife Marren was then pulled down with the referee signalling a penalty, which Connolly sent to the right as Curry led by one.
Shamrock Gaels did have a chance when the excellent Boyd found Kelly free with Curry goalkeeper Duffy doing well to thwart any danger.
On 40 minutes Therese Marren got Curry’s third goal after a brilliant ball from sister Aoife as they led 3-6 to 1-8.
They could have gone even further in front only for Shamrock Gaels’ keeper Meabh McDermott pulling off a fantastic finger tip save to deny who else only Therese Marren once again.
Curry’s Kennedy, Therese Marren (2) and Connolly all adding more scores as Keith Davey’s side ran out comfortable winners, with Shamrock Gaels substitute Mairead Tuohy pointing twice from play but the day belonged to Curry whose experience shone through.
CURRY: A Duffy, S Towey, A Stenson, M O’Donnell, A Gordon, M Brett, K A Henry, A Sweeney, C Fleming, A Marren, A Sweeney, J Kennedy, K Munnelly, T Marren, B Connolly. Subs used: T McIntyre for O’Donnell (h/t), C Cunnie for Kennedy (53), A Loftus for Munnelly (59), E Fox for Towey (63). SCORERS: T Marren (2-4), B Connolly (1-2, pen 1f), A Marren (0-2), K Munnelly (0-2), J Kennedy (0-1). SHAMROCK GAELS: M McDermott, E O’Connor, A Boyd, C Tuohy, R Drury, A Morrisroe, N Quinn, J Lyons, S Brennan, R Boyd, E Mullaney, R Kearns, L Merrick, S Kelly, A O’Connor. Subs used: I Clark for E O’Connor (43), M Tuohy for A O’Connor (45), M McLoughlin for Brennan (26), F Baker for Kelly (59), L Callaghan for A Boyd (63).
SCORERS: J Lyons (1-0), E Mullaney (0-3), R Kearns (0-2), S Kelly (0-2, 2f), M Tuohy (0-2), R Boyd (0-1). REFEREE: C Gunning. CURRY manager Keith Davey said after his side’s win that it was a brilliant overall team performance. He said: “In fairness Shamrock Gaels put it up to us and it was nice to come out the right side of the result but we got lucky we got a penalty and took our scores in the second half. In the first half we didn’t really take our scores and I felt in the first half we were kind of leaving it behind us and I told the girls that at half time and in fairness they came out in the second half and put in a good performance.
“We felt we were a bit slow getting the ball from our back to our forwards and in fairness to Tara (McIntyre) when she came on, she pushed us on up the field. In terms of our forwards, we knew Therese, Aoife and Bernie and Kelly Munnelly, they were all very good but when you have someone like Therese, she has the experience and Bernie has the experience too and they are well able to pop the ball over the bar,” Keith added.
He said this young Shamrock Gaels team has a very bright future too. “They won the Minor A title and have been there or thereabouts no more than ourselves the last few year. Myself and Gus have had many a battle and I think they are a very good team and they will be there next year.” Keith said he was very proud of the Curry team overall. “I am here four or five years and James (Walsh) and Gary (Walsh) and Rita (Brett) have been here the last 2 or 3 years and without them beside me we wouldn’t have done it. So it was all of us together we worked hard and the girls and they deserve it,” he added.