Development Shield Final
St. John’s Carnlough 3-9 Lamh Dhearg 2-8
An inspirational performance from Sian McNeill paved the way for a St. John’s Carnlough victory over Lamh Dhearg in this entertaining Development Shield final in bright sunshine at Kelly Park, Portglenone on Sunday.
Lamh Dhearg had recorded a win over Sunday’s opponents in the group stages of this competition and looked like repeating that victory when they led 2-8 to 1-5, nine minutes into the second half, thanks to a goal and a point from their star performer, Dervla McAufield.
Amazingly it would be their final score as St. John’s, Carnlough upped the ante for the remainder of the half, holding their opponents scoreless and adding 2-4 without reply.
Sara Kennedy for lamh Dhearg and Sian McNeill for Carnlough exchanged early points before Sara Kennedy got a flick to a an Aoideann Boyle shot to finish to the net for a Lamh Dhearg goal in the 8th minute.
Dervla McAufield added a point and then exchanged another with Cora Magee in the 18th minute as the Hannastown side enjoyed the better of the exchanges.
The Lamh Dhearg number 11 was having quite an impact on the game but it was Carnlough who would strike a significant blow when their own number 11, Sian McNeill saw her long range free end in the Lamh Dhearg net in the 19th minute.
McNeill, who was having an increasing influence on the game, then pointed a long range free and added another from play and when she followed from a converted ‘45’ in the 24th minute, the girls from the Antrim coast were ahead for the first time.
Lamh Dhearg regrouped however and added the final three points of the half through Sara Kennedy and a Dervla McAufield double to lead by two at the break.
Dervla McAufield was creating plenty of problems for the Carnlough defence and she struck another blow on the restart with a goal in the 3d minute and Sara Kennedy added a point with four minutes gone to move the Hannastown side six in front.
Sian McNeill replied with St. John’s first point of the half from a ‘45’ in the 6th minute but when the impressive McAufield replied from a long range effort in the 9th minute it wasn’t looking good for the girls from the North Antrim coast.
Amazingly it would be Lamh Dhearg’s final score as the Carnlough girls dug deep into their reserves of injury with McNeill starting the comeback from a long range free.
Saoirse Campbell added another before substitute Teresa McAllister finished to the net in the 18th minute and suddenly there was just one between the sides and the momentum was all with St. John’s
They continued to surge forward and Sian McNeill fired over the equaliser before Saoirse Campbell got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble to finish to the Lamh Dhearg net with four minutes remaining.
Sian McNeill made victory secure as the impressive centre three quarters converted another ‘45’ to the loudest cheer of the evening and the silverware was on its way to Carnlough.
St. John’s Carnlough: 1 Margaret Quinn, 2 Aisling Campbell, 3 Hollie Hamilton, 4 Pauline O’Loan, 5 Rhianna McAuley, 6 Eva Lee, 7 Carrie Burleigh, 8 Katie Black, 9 Jamie Abram, 10 Cora Magee, 11 Sian McNeill, 12 Katie McMullan, 13 Saoirse Campbell, 14 Lindsay McQuillan, 15 Brooke Taggart
Lamh Dhearg: 1 Shannon McCann, 2 Louise Finnegan, 3 Aedin O’Neill, 4 Kathy Finn, 5 Fiona Christie, 6 Ciara Maguire, 7 Rhianna McKenna, 8 Isla Annett, 9 Meidhbhin Megraw, 10 Sorcha Healey, 11 Dervla McAufield, 12 Aoideann Boyle, 13 Rebecca McCrory, 14 Sara Kennedy, 15 Maura Butler
