Scoil Mhuire complete junior-senior double

Scoil Mhuire 4-10
St Joseph’s 1-4

Lahinch was the venue last Friday for the Clare Secondary Schools Junior Ladies’ football final. Local schools Spanish Point and Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon booked their place in the decider by beating St Pat’s, Shannon, Kildysart Community College and St Caimin’s, Shannon.
Local rivalry ensured that this was an eagerly awaited contest with a large number of parents and supporters in attendance. At the end of play, Scoil Mhuire had retained the title, which meant that they had completed the senior-junior double as, earlier this season, they won the senior title at the expense of St Caimin’s, Shannon.
Scoil Mhuire got off to a good start when Emer Hillery goaled in the fifth minute. Shortly after this, Scoil Mhuire lost their corner-back Therese Shannon with an ankle injury. Young Munster player of 2009, Niamh O’Dea, added a point for the Ennistymon side. Spanish Point then registered their first score of the half with a point from the boot of Laura Rynne.
In the ninth minute a Niamh O’Dea free dropped short of the target and fell nicely into the hands of Aisling Torpey, who easily pointed. Spanish Point’s Sharon Sexton kept her side in touch when she kicked her side’s second point. Emer Hillery cancelled out this score after a great delivery by captain Fiona Considine. Scoil Mhuire had the last score before the half-time whistle when Emer Hillery connected with a Niamh O’Dea free and palmed the ball into the net. The title-holders Scoil Mhuire went in at half time ahead by 2-3 to 0-2, with the points coming from Tara Comber and Laura Rynne.
Spanish Point had several good attacking chances in the opening quarter of the second half but some excellent defending by the Scoil Mhuire backs saw these efforts thwarted time after time. It was the holders who again opened the scoring when Aisling Torpey pointed a free after the Spanish Point backs had fouled Niamh O’Dea. Scoil Mhuire’s dominance continued, with a hat-trick of points from Róisín Howley, Aisling Torpey and Fiona Considine. Caoimhe McMahon then got the Spanish Point supporters to their feet when she rattled the Scoil Mhuire net. Despite persistent efforts by the Spanish Point forwards, they were unable to penetrate a solid Scoil Mhuire defence. Two more Scoil Mhuire goals from Emer Hillery and Aisling Torpey and two points from Róisín Howley and Aisling Torpey ensured that Scoil Mhuire retained their junior title.
Spanish Point had good displays from Orla Kenneally, Marian Curtin, Sharon Sexton and Niamh Pender. Scoil Mhuire’s Fiona Considine, Niamh O’Dea, Kayleigh Murrihy, Martina Scales and Róisín Howley contributed well to their side’s victory.

Scoil Mhuire: Aoife Shannon; Megan O’Donnell, Sinéad Considine, Therese Shannon; Róisín Rouine, Fiona Considine, capt (0-1), Kayleigh Murrihy; Niamh O’Dea (0-1), Martina Scales; Emer Hillery (3-1), Clionadh Considine, Aisling Torpey (1-5); Eva O’Dea, Shannon Murrihy, Róisín Howley (0-2).
Subs: Moira Donohue, Sarah Clair, Alice Hayes, Sharon Roche, Molly Walsh, Marie Garvey, Amy Commane, Sarah Leigh, Ellie McGlennon, Sinéad Shannon, Clionadh Egan and Lynn O’Doherty.
St Joseph’s: Orla Kenneally; Aoife Griffin, Aedin Comber, Niamh Sexton; Orla Flannagan, Marian Curtin, Megal O’Neill; Niamh Pender, Karen Coughlan; Sharon Sexton, Shauna Healy, Elaine Clancy; Tara Comber, Laura Rynne, Sara Cunningham.
Subs: Caoimhe McMahon, Tara Lernihan, Orla Griffin.
Referee: Michael Talty, Kilmurry Ibrickane.