Above = Ralph the dog joins in the St Colm’s celebrations after their Liatroim Fontenoys Cup final win over St Killian’s in Bellaghy
Liatroim Fontenoys Cup final :
St Colm’s HS, Draperstown v St Killian’s College
A COUPLE of pieces of individual brilliance from Aoife Doyle made the difference in yesterday’s Liatroim Fontenoy’ Cup final in Drumanee, Bellaghy.
Kept well under wraps initially by Orla Donnelly and then Abi McNeill when she moved out to centre-forward, the St Colm’s team captain took two frees that resulted in both goals, and also scored her team’s only point from play four minutes from time to edge St Colm’s ahead and ultimately into the winners’ enclosure.
Conditions were difficult and heavy underfoot following some heavy showers just before throw-in, but both teams worked hard from start to finish and most of the scores at both ends came from placed balls.
Draperstown got off to a quick start with Sinéad McGuigan pointing frees in the 2nd, 4th and 6th minutes, but the Tower girls dominated the rest of the first half and should have been further ahead than 1-5 to 1-3 at the short whistle.
Niamh Graham pointed three frees to bring the teams on a par and then in the 20th minute delivered a long ball into the Draperstown area that wasn’t properly dealt with and Clodagh McPeake kicked to the net.
A minute later Aoife Doyle stepped up to take a free from 25 metres and she went low. Again the sliotar wasn’t cleared and Mary Jo McEldowney stabbed it to the net.
However points from a Graham free and Sine Woodhouse after good work from Monique O’Boyle opened a gap by the break – but other Tower efforts went astray from play and frees.
Then Doyle took a quick free in the third minute of the second half and Grace Kelly swept it to St Killian’s net.
Shortly after, St Killian’s were awarded a penalty, but Niamh Graham’s shot was blocked on the line and cleared and over the next 20 minutes there was just a score each for the teams before Graham flashed a shot over the bar to level the game at 1-7 to 2-4.
However Aoife Doyle played a big part in the last few minutes of play. She picked up a half-clearance in the 56th minute to score a point and then was taken down for Sinéad McGuigan to add a free.
As the game dipped into added time, the Tower broke, but Clodagh McPeake’s hand-pass across the goals was blocked down only for Doyle to pick up and clear.
It was tough on the St Killian’s team who battled hard throughout, but didn’t get the run of the ball at times. Their defence, apart from the concession of a couple of frees, was excellent while Lára Haughey came through with a strong performance at midfield.
Síne Woodhouse and Monique O’Boyle were the best of the forwards but their work was done in the half-forward area.
Cliodhna Hickson, Erin Kelly and Sinéad McGuigan had big games for St Colm’s, but it was the contribution of Aoife Doyle that made the difference.
St Colm’s : R O’Neill, L McCullagh, S Scullion, N Hamill, R McCullagh, C Hickson, C Scullion, E Kelly, C Donnelly, A McDaid, S McGuigan (0-5 frees), MJ Mc Eldowney (1-0), S Burns, A Doyle capt (0-1), G Kelly (1-0)
Subs : R Kelly for C Scullion (HT)
St Killian’s : L Mulholland, R Black, O Donnelly capt, Ú McAllister, EJ Butler, A McNeill, Catherine O’Boyle, A Donnelly, L Haughey, O McAllister, N Graham (0-6, 0-5 frees), S Woodhouse (0-1), M O’Boyle, C McPeake (1-0), A Mulholland.
Sub : Cara O’Boyle for A Donnelly (59)
Referee : Sean McGuigan (Slaughtneil)
