LGFA Northern Property Senior Football Championship

Moneyglass 4-15 St. Paul’s 0-9

Orlath Prenter produced another exhilarating performance to get reigning Senior Champions, St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass off to a winning start in this year’s Northern Property LGFA Senior Football Championship when they defeated old rivals St. Paul’s at Marian Hill on Sunday.

Not for the first time Prenter proved un-markable as she displayed the wide range of skills that has made her so vital to her club and county in recent years.

The St. Ergnat’s number 14 would finish the game with 3-10 of her sides total and proved a constant thorn in the side of her opponents over the hour.

It was visitors St. Paul’s who opened the scoring at Marian Hill with Niamh Ritchie pointing them ahead after three minutes but it would be the only time the Shaw’s Road girls would lead.

Orlath Prenter stamped her first mark on proceedings when she sent over the equaliser in the 10^th minute and she followed with a goal and a point by the 12^th minute to put the home side in control.

Aine Tubridy pulled one back for the visitors in the 18^th minute with Cathy Carey replying immediately at the other end and Prenter and Carey added two more in quick succession to move the home side further ahead.

St. Paul’s were battling hard to gain a foothold in the game but they were rocked with two goals within a minute as Marie O’Neill and Prenter found the net in the 25^th and 26^th minutes.

St. Paul’s replied with Lara Dahunsi kicking two late points but the final score of the half fell to St. Ergnat’s Aine Devlin to leave the Marian Hill side 3-7 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

Orlath Prenter increased the Moneyglass lead with a point on the restart with Lara Dahunsi replying for the Hoops with a point in the 7^th minute but it was the reigning county champions who continued to call the shots.

Prenter hit three on the bounce by the end of the third quarter and then replied to one from Dahunsi who was doing all in her power to get her side going but with limited success.

The mercurial Prenter, Bronagh Devlin and Prenter again added further points but St. Paul’s were still giving it everything and Niamh Ritchie pulled one back with time almost up.

Once again the home side responded as Orlath Prenter pointed before adding her third goal with Lara Dahunsi replying with two points in injury time for the visitors to conclude the scoring.

Next up for the champions is a visit to Glenravel on Monday 11^th September while St. Paul’s will hope to get their first win when they play hosts to St. Brigid’s at Pairc Naomh Pol, a day earlier.

Moneyglass: 1 Anna McCann, 2 Cara McKeefry, 3 Danielle Duffin, 4 Eleanor Mallon, 6 Rebecca Bradley, 7 Cliona Graffin, 8 Laura McCann, 9 Sarah O’Neill, 10 Maire O’Neill, 11 Bronagh Devlin, 12 Cathy Carey, 13 Aine Devlin, 14 Orlath Prenter, 15 Alicia Boyd

St. Paul’s: 1 Shauna Murphy, 2 Cliodhna Phillips, 3 Gemma McGroarty, 4 Aoife O’Sullivan, 5 Enya Daye, 6 Ciara Brown, 7 Stacey McCann, 8 Lara Dahunsi, 9 Seana-Hannah Moyes, 10 Niamh Ritchie, 11 Caoimhe Stewart, 12 Aine Tubridy 13 Aoife Mervyn, 14 Eimile Rogers Duffy, 15 Aisling Hyndman

Referee: Gerard Dougan (Creggan)