St Attracta’s fittingly are first winners of Lisa Niland Cup
ST Attracta’s Community School became the first winners of the Lisa Niland Memorial Cup following this eight point victory over outgoing holders, The Ursuline College on Wednesday in sun soaked Markievicz Park. The Cup presented in memory of Curry native Lisa Niland who passed away in January 2017.
The sun shone, the football flowed – two teams committed to the cause of taking honour to their schools. In the end it boiled down to a seven minute purple patch in the first quarter of the game that more or less decided that the Cup would spend its first winter in the school where Lisa spent 6 years of her education.
From the moment Dina Lee Gorman put them ahead, St Attracta’s were never headed or in fact level through out the 60 odd minutes of this epic. In scores terms it was 18 – 18, on the scorers front, Sarah Kiernan from the Ursuline matched Ciara Henry from St Attracta’s. All over the pitch, both sides cancelled each other out and while the Ursuline midfield pair of Casey Cox and Caoimhe Connor probably shaded this area, St Attracta’s had in Ellen Kelleher a playmaker the losers couldn’t match. One wonders how such a player didn’t catch the eye of the Co U14 management in 2018.
Let no one get carried away that all parties didn’t play their part in this amazing final. T
he winners marshalled by centre back and captain Eimear Gallagher held firmed when it mattered as the Ursuline came looking for scores to narrow the gap.
Up front the winners attack was in flying form, Laoise Gannon found herself back playing as sweeper on a number of occasions. Eimear Hunt and Ciara Henry threaded the goals, with Dina Lee Gorman causing havoc when required, while Kate Hosey must have covered every blade of grass in Markievicz Park. Indeed on another day Hosey would have collected the player of the game award given the performance.
While they did suffer defeat, the Ursuline can hold their heads high, had it not been for keeper Grace McGovern, there could have been a few more goals added to the winners list.
Despite being overworked at times, the backs put in a solid hour. As already mentioned, the midfield pair of Cox & Connor shaded their space against Amy Connolly and Aoibhe O’Brien.
The one thing the Ursuline definitely came out on top in, was that their start- ing 6 forwards all scored. The subs too played their part with the pick of them Lauren Finnegan and Rebecca Doddy. How can anyone forget their involvement seconds after coming on the pitch. Finnegan was barely on the pitch when she reached for the skies to take down a sky scraper.
Had this happened in the GAA Championship or a line out in Rugby at any time, both codes would still be talking about it such was the fetch while Doddy was a matter of seconds on the pitch when she bagged an important goal for the winners.
An opening quarter that produced 4 goals and 4 points (4 – 3 to St Attracta’s) set the tone that was to follow. Goals from Ciara Henry (2), Eimear Hunt and Kate Hosey provided the ground work for the success with Hosey, Henry and Gorman adding the points to give them their comfortable start. Ursuline didn’t worry as they reeled off the next 1 – 5 to narrow the gap.
Sarah Kiernan hit a rasper to the net while Eimear McIntyre picked off points for fun. It was Hosey that stopped the rot with a brace for St Attracta’s but once again the losers hit back with points from Mc Intyre, Kiernan, Chloe O’Beirne and Keala Scanlon to keep the scoreboard ticking over. A goal and a point from Henry and Hosey respectively left the scoreline at 5 – 7 to 1 – 10 at half time. If the Ursuline needed a perfect start to the second half, they got it one way but failed to add to their tally during the opening six minutes.
A goal on 7 minutes from Ciara Henry started a goal feast in the game over the next 5 or 6 minutes. Eimear Hunt and Rebecca Doddy scored for the winners with Sarah Kiernan and Maeve Casserly doing likewise for the losers, while Kiernan & Tara Casserly also added points.
The final quarter became very much a Kiernan & Henry show in the scoring stakes as they added 2 – 0 and 1 – 2 respectively to the scoreboard with Eimear McIntyre hitting the final score of the game with minutes left to play. After the game, the Lisa Niland Memorial Perputal Cup was presented by Gerry Niland to the St Attracta’s captain.
Referee John Niland was presented with his award while in a move not before used a Joint Player of the game was presented with Sarah Kiernan and Ellen Kelleher receiving the awards.
The previous day, 3 finals were contested with the Mercy College defeating Colaiste Mhuire, Ballymote to take the U14 PPS Shield title. The Mercy College were on the wrong end of the scoreline against Coola PPS in the Reserve Final. Jesus & Mary, Enniscrone were triumphant against Coola PPS in the A2 Final having trailed at one stage by 13 points early in the second half. ST ATTRACTA’S COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Aisling Feely, Aoife Severs, Orla Fleming, Aoife Gillespie, Macayla Burke, Eimear Gallagher, Jane Corcoran, Amy Connolly, Aoibhe O’Brien, Ellen Kelleher, Kate Hosey (1 – 4), Laoise Gannon, Eimear Hunt (2 – 1), Ciara Henry (5 – 3), Dina Lee Gorman (0 – 1). Subs: Ella Finan, Ella Durkin, Rebecca Doddy (1 – 0), Jenny Cregg, Sorcha Ross, Zoe Buckley, Tara Walsh, Emily Figg, Giselle Gallagher, Ciara McDonagh, Orla Croke, Alannah Finan, Erin Deehan, Jade Walsh, Nisha McDonagh, Amy Kennedy, Ruth Weever, Eryn Lavin, Cora Gilligan, Ciara Lee, Leah Walsh, Sarah Walsh, Kacey Wright, Blaíthín Scully, Charlene Mitchell, Cría Flanagan, Holly Gannon, Katie Durkin, Lauren Durcan, Kevina Walsh, Patrice Conboy, Rachael Hopkins, Sarah Gannon.
URSULINE COLLEGE: Grace McGovern, Jamie Costigan, Holly Gilligan, Mary Kate McPartland, Orla Devlin, Cianna Ruddy, Beibhinn Harte, Casey Cox, Caoimhe Connor, Chloe O’Beirne (0 – 1), Tara Casserly (0 – 2), Sarah Kiernan (4 – 4), Eimear McIntyre (0 – 4), Maeve Casserly (1 – 1), Keala Scanlon (0 – 1). Subs: Kate Nugent, Lauren Finnegan, Ciara O’Carroll, Emer Messenger, Luna Simeoni, Rachel Cawley, Amy Hampson, Cliodhna Davitt, Alannah Donohoe, Eabhaoinn Conneally, Andrea Lindsay, Grace Mulholland, Rachel Kelly.