Allianz Corn Aoife Junior Quarter-Final
St Killian’s Garron Tower 9-10 | St Joseph’s Lucan 2-6
Venue: Pairc Mhuire, Cushendall
St Killian’s captain Clíodhna Thompson produced a scoring masterclass in Cushendall yesterday, tallying an incredible 6-8 to power the Ulster champions past St Joseph’s of Lucan and into the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Thompson, fresh from a Player of the Match performance in the Ulster final, was virtually unplayable in the second half. After posting 1-5 in the opening period, she exploded after the break, bagging five goals and three points in the second half alone to secure the Tower girls a Valentine’s weekend trip to Munster.
Early Resistance
Thompson opened the scoring with a goal and a point within the first minute, but St Joseph’s responded tactically by crowding the midfield and half-back lines. This contained the home side for a quarter of an hour, holding the score at 1-2 to 0-1.
The deadlock broke when Gabrielle McNeill and Georgie Twigg struck for two goals within 40 seconds of each other. However, St Joseph’s rallied before the interval and a goal from a Holly Whelan free, alongside two points, gave the visitors a lifeline as they closed the gap to 3-6 to 1-4 at the break.
The Second Half Blitz
Any hope of a Dublin comeback was extinguished in the third quarter. Following a point from Katie Burns, Thompson seized total control. The team captain, playing on her her home club pitch, fired over two points before finding the net four times in a seven-minute spell (38th, 39th, 44th, and 45th minutes).
St Joseph’s managed a consolation goal through Izzy Lyons-Kennedy, but St Killian’s finished strongest. Thompson added her sixth goal before substitute Lucia Trainor capped the performance with a stunning finish from a tight angle.
The Tower girls now await the result of next Tuesday’s Munster final to determine their semi-final opponents.
Teams and Scorers
St Killian’s Garron Tower
- Scorers: C Thompson 6-8 (0-1f), G McNeill 1-0, G Twigg 1-0, L Trainor 1-0, K Burns 0-2.
- Team: Ellen McAlister, Niamh Higgins, Clodagh McAuley, Dana McKenna, Aoife Campbell, Laoiseach McNaughton, Emily Elliot, Ceolin McKeown, Dervla McMullan, Katie Burns, Anna Birt, Orlaith Quinn, Georgie Twigg, Clíodhna Thompson (C), Gabriella McNeill.
- Subs: Ciara McDonnell, Megan Kelly, Lucia Trainor, Naoisé O’Mullan, Kodi Kerr, Cathryn McCormick, Aoife Molloy, Eimear Black, Hannah Abram.
St Joseph’s Lucan
- Scorers: H Whelan 1-2 (1-1fs), I Lyons-Kennedy 1-1, M Sliney 0-2 (fs), C Buckley 0-1.
- Team: A Costello, A Mullan, A McKenna (C), S Quinn, E O’Beirne, M Daffy, P Lyons-Kennedy, C Buckley, M Lindsay, I Lyons-Kennedy, H Whelan, M Sliney, S Haugh, V Harold, L O’Shea.
Referee – Owen Elliott (All Saints)
TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
https://myalbum.com/album/VVLi2Vch57oxjg/?invite=b1c6b7f4-f160-4838-b1f5-095a1f07e9bb