Liatroim Fontenoys Cup final
St Pius X Magherafelt 1-13 St Dominic’s Belfast 2-7
Pics by Bert Trowlen
ST Pius X Magherafelt claimed the Liatroim Fontenoys Cup for the sixth time with a comeback victory over first time finalists St Dominic’s Belfast in Loup yesterday afternoon.
Their ability to respond to each of the Belfast team’s goals was central to the victory as indeed was the performance of their centre-forward Kelly Scullion who accounted for all but four points of the winning tally.
It was far from a single player band with Aoife Doyle, Sophia O’Neill and both midfielders prominent throughout and then the Magherafelt defence as a whole stepping up to the plate during the last quarter.
St Dominic’s also contributed to an entertaining final with Aoibhinn Austin and early contender for Player of the Match and the other two scorers, Caragh Flynn and Aéla Niblock, always dangerous.
The Belfast side had an excellent first half and deservedly led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break. Their team captain Aoibhinn Austin started the scoring from a free and Aéla Niblock hit a second with Scullion responding to each effort with a point. Those were the only scores of the first 20 minutes.
Then the game opened a little just before the break with points each from Caragh Flynn, Austin and Niblock before Scullion scored her first from play. But St Dominic’s went five up with a well-worked goal that involved Niblock with Caragh Flynn hitting the net.
However St Pius X hit back immediately and found the target for four of the last five points in the half with Cammie McMaster and Casey McKinless chipping in with scores around Scullion’s frees.
For the first ten minutes of the second half, there was just a Scullion free. But she then finished off a great team move in the 40th minute with a goal and added a point to put her side three up.
Back came St Dominic’s with a goal from Niamh Keenan and they might have had another only for Sienna Bell brilliantly turning a shot from Caragh Flynn over for a lead point.
However, similar to the first half, the Magherafelt team finished strongly with Scullion to the fore. A fine individual point levelled the game and she landed a 45 for the lead score before setting up Ellie Gilligan for another. Four minutes into added time the QUBGAA Player of the Match brought her tally to 1-9 from a free.
St Pius X: Sienna Bell, Sienna Conway, Avia McCrystal, Sophia O’Neill, Sorcha Conway, Aoife Doyle capt, Caoimhe McIvor, Lucy McIvor, Jessica Wilson, Kylie Bradley, Kelly Scullion 1-9, 0-5fs, Cammie McMaster 0-1, Casey Musgrave 0-1, Ellie Gilligan 0-1 Casey McKinless 0-1.
Sub: Lili Rose McKinless for C McKinless.
St Dominic’s: Cara Garland, Eimear Doherty, Cliodhna McCourt, Niamh Wallace, Sadhbh Drain, Aoibhinn Austin capt 0-2fs, Nina McBride, Seána Fryers, Chloe Irvine, Lucia Murphy,
Caragh Flynn 1-2, Niamh Ní Mhuirigh, Niamh Keenan 1-0, Aéla Niblock 0-3, Cara McAuley.
Sub: Ella Clarke for C McAuley
Referee: Seán McLaron (Antrim)
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