Kelleher helps Real Tubber to a Shield victory over Ballymote
first-half but with nothing to show for it, Gurteen were sickened when they conceded a scrappy goal following a 56th minute corner. Dahanna Feeney took the set-piece and Sarah O’Boyle showed her striker’s intincts when getting a shot away in a crowded goalmouth.
Gurteen, shaken, regained their resolve and Megan McCormack’s defending was vital along with that of Sarah Gallagher.
A succession of corners proved fruitless but then they came so close to drawing level from open play. Grainne Phillips ferried possession to Katie Walsh who advanced with menance before unleashing a piledrive that had goal written all over it. But the ball pinged off the upright and Glenview survived.
The pressure was still being applied by Gurteen – a dangerous ball into the box from Angela Brett required a piece of smart goalkeeping from Karin Roddy, as a number of Gurteen crosses came to nothing.
Glenview had an opportunity in stoppage time to double their lead but Dahanna Feeney’s effort was saved by Catherine Gallagher.
Given their class all season it was unusual to see Glenview hanging on, but champions sometimes have to dig out results. The match referee last Saturday was Mark Irwin.
Laura McGuinn
Karin Roddy, Mollie Costello, Donna O’Boyle, Laura McGuinn, Chloe McManus, Shannon McGwynne, Gemma McDonagh (c), Michaela Gaffney, Tammy McGwynne, Sarah O’Boyle, Dahanna Feeney, Rachel Scanlon, Shanarah Burns, Courtney Downes, Laura Conlon, Karen McDonagh, Kathlyn Feeney, Lisa McMoreland Gurteen Celtic squad: Catherine Gallagher, Helen Mulligan, Megan McCormack, Sarah Gallagher (c), Grainne Phillips, Claudia McGovern, Leanne McGowan, Angela Brett, Tara Phillips, Katie Hannon, Katie Walsh, Crea McLoughlin, Ciara Higgins, Leyla O’Toole, Aisling O’Gara, Catherine Cryan, Kate Lyons, Lucy
Sharkey 3 1
INSPIRED by skilful midfielder Ellen Kelleher, who scored twice in this final, Real Tubber took the spoils in last Friday night’s Sligo Bay Lobsters Women’s Shield decider thanks to a 3-1 defeat of Ballymote Celtic.
It was blustery and there was rain at MacSharry Park but both teams served up a competitive contest on the Sligo town venue’s all-weather pitch.
First-half goals from team captain Laura Surlis and Ellen Kelleher gave Real a deserved 2-0 advantage in a game overseen by referee Cian Kilcoyne.
Ballymote threatened an upset when Shannon O’Callaghan goaled after 82 minutes but Player of the Match Ellen Kelleher’s second goal of the night completed a fantastic result for Tubber.
Tubber were the better side and the outcome overturned the finalists’ respective form in the inaugural Sligo Bay Lobsters Women’s League – Ballymote Celtic finished seventh, with five wins and six defeats from 11 games, and Real Tubber were 11th (three wins and eight losses).
The Tubbercurry outfit certainly raised their game with a Shield at stake. They made the early running, with Laura Surlis busy, and Ellen Kelleher was denied a 13th minute goal when her wonderfully curled free-kick was brilliantly kept out by Ballymote Celtic netminder Niamh Murtagh.
Ballymote’s first attack of note was a fine 17th minute shot from Sarah Jane Loughlin, who impressed on the wing as did Maeve Donohoe on the other flank. Tubber goalkeeper Macayla Burke made the save, however, and her presence would prove a reassuring one for Tubber’s defence.
Tubber broke the deadlock three minutes later. Shona Mahon, who kept Ballymote’s defence on their toes all game, swept the ball in from the right and Laura Surlis applied the finish. 1-0.
Ballymote responded and Sarah Jane Loughlin’s mazy run into the Tubber box had to be snuffed out by a vigilant Lean
Gannon. Ellen Kelleher’s setpiece expertise was troubling Ballymote and she went close with another free-kick, this time just flighting the ball over. Tubber, for whom Leoni Gaughan was also doing well, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time. Ellen Kelleher scored direct from a corner as her swirling delivery from the right went all the way to the net.
The second-half began with Laura Surlis attempting to send Shona Mahon through on goal but Ballymote tidied up. The beaten finalists had a number of good performers, including Deirdre Connolly, who captained the side, and Sorcha Tonry. There was also excellent work from Clara Corcoran in defence. Tubber were getting close to a third goal, however. Ellen Kelleher whipped in another free-kick – it was on target this time but held by goalkeeper Niamh Murtagh – and there were two goal attempts, both saved, from Laura Surlis.
Ballymote were holding on – just – but they needed Shannon O’Callaghan’s 75th minute shot to find the goal rather than go narrowly wide following Sarah
Jane Loughlin’s superb cross. Ballymote hopes and hearts were lifted when Shannon O’Callaghan found the net with a lovely lob after 82 minutes. But this was the start – and end – of a potentially dramatic revival from Ballymote. Tubber added a third goal to make the result safe with four minutes of normal time left. Ellen Kelleher’s first effort was blocked but she latched onto the rebound and scored. It was fitting that the player who made Tubber tick throughout at midfield would have the final, decisive say.
Player of the Match: Ellen Kelleher Ballymote Celtic squad: Niamh Murtagh, Niamh Kerins, Roisin Currid, Molly Hunt, Sorcha Tonry, Emma Casey, Maeve Donohoe, Deirdre Connolly (c), Shannon O’Callaghan, Cora Murtagh, Sarah Jane Loughlin, Aisling Lyons, Kate Brehony, Clara Corcoran, Sarah Oragano, Holly McLoughlin, Shannon Collis, Sheila Gilhooley
Real Tubber squad: Macayla Burke, Kate McCarthy, Tara Carty, Leah Gannon, Nicole Cretaro, Rachel Kelleher, Leonie Gaughan, Ellen Kelleher, Rebecca McHugh, Shona Mahon, Laura Surlis (c), Rebecca Davey, Dianne Pospiech, Ellen Bailey, Lisa Keane, Iona Fergusson, Ciara McDonagh, Laura McGowan