Straight dozen for mighty St Macs Girls

St Macartan’s 1-16  Killeeshil 1-8

STRONG second half power play from holders St Macartan’s enabled them to repel a resolute test posed by Killeeshil in Sunday’s senior ladies league final at Galbally.

The match was moved from Aghaloo to Galbally due to weather conditions as St Macartan’s emerged victorious to claim a remarkable 12th senior league crown on the trot. They had missed out narrowly to Errigal Ciaran in an epic championship final just over two weeks earlier but St Macartan’s went back to the well successfully here.

Sunday’s closing scoreline, though, should not mask a sterling effort on behalf of the St Mary’s. The compelling play in that opening 30 minutes moved from end to end at shutter speed pace plus excellent score taking rounded off several intricately constructed moves by the two teams. St Macartan’s led 0-8 to 1-4 over the interval.

Play began with St Macartan’s sharpest into forward stride as Chloe McCaffrey fired over two points from play inside as many minutes. Shannon McQuaid combined with Slaine McCarroll for their third point soon after.

Killeeshil settled down and Grainne Rafferty got the St Mary’s on the scoresheet through a 5th minute free. Cara McRory then sent over the side’s first point in open play.

Grainne Rafferty was a driving force for the St Mary’s and she ran through from midfield to land an equalising point. Rafferty followed up from a free two minutes later as Killeeshil led for the first time.

The industrious Tara O’Hagan and Chloe McCaffrey, however, drilled over two points in quick succession for St Macartan’s. The St Mary’s, though, struck for the game’s opening goal on 17 minutes after St Macartan’s keeper Rhianne Monaghan had saved well in denying the hard-working Zoe Loughran. Loughran, though, managed to finish home via second phase possession.

The influential duo of Joline Donaghy(free) and Chloe McCaffrey supplied scores to bring St Macartan’s level at 0-7 to 1-4 by the 22nd minute. St Mary’s full-back Alanah Donnelly incurred a ten-minute card plus there were a couple of near misses at either end. St McCartan’s Cathy Maguire wasn’t involved for the second half due to injury.

Chloe McCaffrey chipped over her fourth point of the first half to send St Macartan’s into the break ahead by a single score and the same player converted a 37th minute free to start the second half scoring. Marie Treanor, Slaine McCarroll, Shannon McQuaid and the St Macartan’s defence plus midfielders Maura McMenamin and Tara-Meabh McCarroll among others were now in stricter control of the contest.

Zoey Loughran went close for the St Mary’s and Cadhla McCarroll sent over as St Macartan’s counter-attacked. Chloe McCaffrey added a free and St Macartan’s worked the ball through well for Slaine McCarroll to knock home a 42nd minute major that left the holders seven clear.

St Macartan’s kept up the pressure as Joline Donaghy and Paula Donnelly claimed points. Killeeshil, to their great credit, had no notion of giving up the chase and three Grainne Rafferty scores in succession underlined this.

Slaine McCarroll and Cadhla McCarroll provided replies for St Macartan’s, with Colleen McQuaid landing a free prior to a Zoe Loughran point of behalf of the St Mary’s as the game drew to a conclusion.

SCORERS…

St Macartan’s: Chloe McCaffrey 0-7(2f), Slaine McCarroll 1-2, Joline Donaghy 0-2(1f), Cadha McCarroll 0-1, Tara O’Hagan 0-1, Paula Donnelly 0-1, Shannon McQuaid 0-1, Colleen McQuaid 0-1(1f)

Killeeshil: Grainne Rafferty 0-6(3f), Zoe Loughran 1-1, Cara McRory 0-1

TEAMS…

St Macartan’s: Rhianne Monaghan, Elisia Treanor, Marie Treanor, Grainne McKenna, Slaine McCarroll, Shannon McQuaid, Shauna McGirr, Maura McMenamin, Tara-Meabh McCarroll, Tara O’Hagan, Paula Donnelly, Chloe McCaffrey, Joline Donaghy, Colleen McQuaid, Cathy Maguire. Subs: Micheala Woods, Cadha McCarroll, Sorcha McGinn, Niamh Quinlivan, Shannen Keenan

Killeeshil: Cathy Donaghy, Mairead McCann, Alanah Donnelly, Rachel Nugent, Cara McCoubrey, Emma Mulgrew, Michelle Grugan, Caitlin Campbell, Grainne Rafferty, Cara McRory, Zoe Loughran, Orla Mulgrew, Bronagh McKenna, Louise Kelly, Aine McRory

Referee: Brian McGinn