Antrim LGFA U14 B Final
All Saints 6-5 Glenavy 3-6
Four first half goals from flying corner-forward, Caitlin Kelly paved the way for this excellent victory for All Saints, Ballymena over St. Joseph’s Glenavy in a great U14B final at Dunsilly last night. Last weekend the Ballymena girls suffered a heavy defeat in the U16 final against St. John’s and the U14’s were determined that they would not suffer a similar fate.
They took the game to their opponents right from the start with the elusive Kelly pointing in the 4th minute before firing home the opening goal of the game with 8 minutes gone.
Glenavy looked shocked but replied with a point of their own when Aoibh O’Hare pointed a 12th minute free but it provided only temporary respite as the superb Caitlin Kelly came racing back with goals in the 13th and 15th minute to put her side in a strong position at the end of the first quarter.
For a time the Glenavy defence appeared to be getting on top of the All Saints threat and the Chapel Hill girls recorded their second score of the half and their first from play when Aoibheann Monaghan split the posts but it brought another response from the Ballymena side.
Caitlin Kelly brought her personal tally to 4-1 with a goal in the 25th minute and a well worked point involving several individuals in the build-up and finished by Cedhla Crawford, brought the first half scoring to a conclusion with the Slemish Park girls holding a commanding 4-2 to 0-2 lead.
If St. Joseph’s were to get back into this game they needed a strong start to the second half and when Aoibheann Monaghan pointed in the opening minute it must have given their good support some hope but Kelly O’Mullan, who had a great game in the middle of the field replied immediately with a point for the Ballymena girls.
The Chapel Hill side were faring a lot better than in the opening half and Aoibh O’Hare pointed a 9th minute free to bring their total to 0-4 but All Saints continued to hold the upper hand and replied with a good goal from Kara Dillon and a point from Caitlin Kelly.
It looked as good as over at this stage but to their credit St. Joseph’s kept battling away and were rewarded for their efforts when Olivia Mulholland finally breeched a solid Ballymena defence to finish to the net in the 13th minute to give her side a glimmer of hope.
This score seemed to give Glenavy a bit of impetuous and belief and they added another superb individual goal through the impressive Aoibheann Monaghan as they enjoyed their best spell of the game but it still looked a long way back.
All Saints regrouped and replied with a point from Orla Lemon and a goal from Kelly O’Mullan in the 25th minute to end the game as a contest but it was St. Joseph’s Glenavy who would have the final scores of the game as they kept going right to the full-time whistle.
Aoibheann Monaghan fired over a 27th minute point and Anna Rice got in for a great goal two minutes later before Niamh McDowell concluded the scoring with a point in injury time but the damage had already been done at this stage.
A great game of football and both sides deserve massive credit for the commitment, skill and sportsmanship they showed but in the end it was All Saints who had the greater scoring power and strength all over the field. Aimee Kerr was rock solid at full-back with Aoife McCrory another who caught the eye in a strong All Saints defence.
Kelly O’Mullan was a real driving force at mid-field and in Caitlin Kelly they had the outstanding forward on view and her personal contribution over the hour was spectacular.
Glenavy deserve massive credit in the manner in which they kept battling right to the end and they certainly matched the opposition during the second half but by that time the damage had already been done.
Lydia Grant, Jessica Morgan, Aoibheann Monaghan, Anna Rice, Aoibh O’Hare and Olivia Mulholland were their best performers on the night.
All Saints: 1 Meabh O’Kane, 2 Abigail McLarnon, 3 Aimee Kerr, 4 Ursula O’Loan, 5 Aoife MacRory, 6 Ella McLaughlin, 7 Amelia Gallagher, 8 Kelly O’Mullan, 9 Maria Mitchell, 10 Kara Dillon, 11 Orla Lemon, 12 Jessica Spurgeon, 14 Cedhla Crawford, 15 Caitlin Kelly, 16 Ciara Connon, 17 Abi Innes, 18 Freya McGreevey, 19 Aoife O’Kane, 20 Iseult O’Loan, 20 Caoimhe Thompson, 22 Aimee Watt, 23 Cora Clerkin
Glenavy: 1 Aoife Mooney, 2 Aife McCrory, 3 Lydia Grant, 4 Meabh Culliton, 5 Enya Agnew, 6 Jessica Morgan, 7 Caoimhe McCartan, 8 Jessica Hotchkiss, 9 Anne Rice, 10 Katie Cassidy, 11 Aoibheann Monaghan, 12 Aoibh O’Hare, 13 Cara McNama, 23 Olivia Mulholland, 15 Summer McCallin. Niamh McDowell.
