Leitrim Ladies Minor Final

St Josephs 3-06 Glencar Manor 3-04

An incredible last five minutes decided the outcome of this absorbing minor final played in St Marys on Saturday evening when a goal from sub Sinead Cregan in the last seconds of the game broke Glencar Manor hearts to earn St Josephs the minor championship title for 2006. This was the second year in a row that Manor reached the final having lost last year after a replay with Kiltubrid. Both teams gave a great display of both attacking and defending and while each enjoyed periods of dominance, going into the final minutes it looked like Glencar Manor had done enough to add to their growing list of titles this year. However St Josephs great fightback to the final whistle earned them their first ever Minor Championship title with Creegan?s goal.

The early exchanges suggested a tight game in prospect with two evenly matched teams. St Josephs had the first two attacks of the game but Mary Poinard cleared the danger with the first while Phillipa Maguire hit a wide.The game was just four minutes old when Siobhan McCartan stepped up to take a 45. Her well struck shot dipped just under the crossbar for a goal despite the best efforts of Julie Kennedy in the Manor goals to give St Joseph?s the perfect start of a goal. Minutes later Manor had the chance to reply with another 45 but the shot tailed narrowly wide. A minute later Siobhan Feely, so influential in last weeks Junior Championship final scored Glencar Manors first point from play. A minute later Manor took the lead following a good pass from Feely to Lorriane Kelly who hit the back of the net. Manor began to enjoy a good spell of dominance at this stage and Michelle McNulty and Feely again were involved in a move that resulted in a good save by Lisa O Rourke. O Rourke was called into the action two minutes later and saved again from Natasha McEnroy. Midwat through the half Feely scored her second point, a great effort from play. However St Josephs responded immediately with a good Clare Owens pass to Carmel Monaghan but her effort onÓgoal was well saved by Kennedy who cleared the danger. Another wide was to follow by Monaghan before Phillipa Maguire hit a great effort over the bar from play. Clare Cullen and Mary Poinard made two vital interceptions to keep St Josephs from adding to their score before Maguire hit her second point from play to level the game with five minutes remaining. Glencar Manor launched another attack but McCartan dispossed Lorraine Kelly and launched a counter attack involving Maguire and eventually Monaghan who put St Josephs into the lead. Manor had a great opportunity to regain the lead with two minutes remaining following a good move involving Aisling Kerrigan, Natasha McEnroy and finally Siobhan Feely whose shot was again well saved by O?Rourke. The final action of the half resulted in another Monaghan point to leave St Josephs two points clear at the break on a scoreline of 1-04 to 1-02.

Glencar Manor had the first attack of the second half but Michelle McNulty hit her effort wide. McNulty had another opportunity two minutes later but O?Rourke was again alert to the danger. Catriona O?Hara hit another wide as Manor tried to reduce the deficit. With both defences putting severe pressure on the forwards, scores for both teams became difficult as Fionnuala Bohan, Siobhan McCartan and Elaine McGovern for St Josephs and Mary Poinard, Clare Cullen and Aisling Kerrigan for Glencar Manor closed and blocked at every opportunity. Andrea Kelly and Lorraine Moran had efforts for St Josephs wide before Monaghan increased St Jospehs lead with a fine point from play. Manor responded with a great pass from McNulty across the goal but Feely just failed to connect. But from the kickout McNulty hit another pass in to Natasha McEnroy who fisted to the net and it was game on again with fifteen minutes gone an the sides level. A minute later McEnroy was back in the action an hit a second goal with nine minutes remaining. Straight from the kickout Niamh Cleary passed to Feely who pointed from play. Feely was again in the acction a minute later when she beat three defenders to score the point of the game and Manor looked to be on the way to securing the title. However St Josephs were not finished and Clare Owens began to see more of the ball for St Josephs. She initiated a good passing move that almost resulted in a goal but the Manor defence blocked on the line. Phillipa Maguire won the clearance and Louise Maguire finished with a point to leave five between the teams. At the other end Feely was again into the action but O?Rourke saved. With two minutes remaining a great run up the field by centreback Fionnuala Bohan created problems for Manor and her pass to was finished to the net to leave the mininum between the teams. Owens was involved again almost immediately with a great run through the defence but was tackled well and her effort hit the bottom of the post and was cleared. Mary Poinard was called on to make a great catch as St Josephs came in search for an equaliser. Well into injury time now and Glencar Manor had one more attack as they tried to finish the game. A well worked move ended with Feely hitting the crossbar and from the resulting clearance St Josephs moved the ball down the field. Owens attacked down the left wing and her inch perfect pass to sub Sinead Creegan put her clear and she finished to the net with the last action of the game to earn St Joseph?s the title with two points to spare.

St Josephs: Lisa O?Rourke, Marina Gray, Elaine McGovern, Siobhan McCartan, Fionnuala Bohan, Olivia Reynolds, Phillipa Maguire, Nicola Kenny, Clare Owens Louise Maguire, Carmel Monaghan, Andrea Kelly, Danielle Smith Subs: Rachel Bohan, Sinead Creegan, Niamh Brennan, Lisa McDermott, Louise Mollaghan Lorraine Moran, Caroline O Rourke,Michelle McKiernan, Catherine Murray, Katie Moran, Aoife Williams

Glencar Manor: Julie Kennedy, Mary Poniard,Claire Cullen, Karen Connolly,Aisling Kerrigan, Catriona Ohara, Niamh Cleary, Michelle Mc Nulty, Aideen Loughlin, Mary Alice Maguire, Natasha Mc Enroy, Lorraine Kelly ,Siobhan Feely, Klara Mc Grisken Subs Eimear Killilea,Lynda Thompson, Annette Ferguson, Rhona Mc Sharry, Aisling Mitchell, Michelle O?Hagan, Jacinta Meehan.

Referee: Maeve Quinn

15-Aug-06 by Patricia Bohan