First underage title win for Clarecastle girls

Clarecastle 4-6   Miltown Malbay 2-8

CLARECASTLE Ladies’ Football Club, formed only last year, have won their first county underage title. The U-14s took the Division 4 Cup with a win over Miltown Malbay. Miltown staged a determined third-quarter comeback to come within a point of the Magpies but Doireann Murphy kicked her team into the honours list with a flurry of scores to finish.

Miltown were the first on the board with an Eimear Keane point. However, the Magpies, captained by Clare Commons, started with style, having a seven-point half-time lead thanks to an opening from goal from Sandra Wierrchowska on eight minutes and Alana Blake followed suit three minutes later.

Notable performances from Aisling Para Haren and Emma Burke yielded a point and a goal by Aisling Para Haren for Miltown to reduce the gap to a point 2-0 to 1-2. An Alanna Blake shot bounced in the square but with Miltown goalie, Michelle Curtin distracted by an industrious Aoibheann Donnelly, the ball eluded the custodian to go into the net. Player of the final Doireann Murphy then tacked on another 1-1 in the remaining minutes for Clarecastle. Then a good last-kick goal from Eimear Keane before the half-time whistle to make it 1-3 to 4-1 in favour of Clarecastle would spur Miltown into a third-quarter revival for a mighty comeback. 

Aisling Para Haren dominated the proceedings on the restart and Miltown had reduced the gap to a bare point as she pointed twice, Sinéad McMahon took a point and a timely goal from Emma Burke to reduce the margin to a single point at 4-1 to 2-6 for Miltown. However, the Magpies recovered to apply major pressure and Doireann Murphy kicked five points, including two frees, in the last quarter to pull away. Miltown resisted all the way with points from Róisín Flynn in the same period and Eimear Keane came close to netting but the Magpies made off with the silverware in the end.

Credit must go to both goalies for good performances under pressure, Hannah Wallace for Clarecastle and Michelle Curtin for Miltown. Aisling Para Haren stood out for Miltown and she was ably assisted by Róisín Flynn, Megan Crowley and the impressive Áine and Eimear Keane. Clarecastle’s backs Ellen Barry, vice-captain Ally Fleming and Sinéad Cullinan were steadfast under pressure. Captain Clare Commons and Rebecca Breene McDonnell played well as did Alanna Blake and Doireann Murphy who both have a keen eye for a score and covered acres of ground in outstanding performances.   

Clarecastle: Hannah Wallace, Ellen Barry, Ally Fleming, Sinéad Cullinan, Rachel Collins, Claire Commons, Erin Walshe, Doireann Murphy, Hannah Dinan, Liadh Hanrahan, Rebecca Breene-McDonnell, Alanna Blake, Sandra Wierzchowska, Aoibheann Donnelly.
Subs: Róisín Spriggs, Katie McEldowney, Jamie Lee Toft, Yasmin Slattery and Kelsey Farmer. Management: Liz Murphy, Kevin Commons and Carmel Eustace.
Miltown Malbay: Michelle Curtin, Áine Keane, Ciara O’Sullivan, Aideen Burke, Sinéad Lynch, Bríd Hayes, Natasha Maloney, Aisling Para Haren, Emma Canavan, Emma Burke, Róisín Flynn, Eimear Keane, Megan Crowley, Niamh O’Neill, Sinéad McMahon.
Subs: Aoife Hehir, Rachel Harvey, Laura Keane, Niamh Malone, Lucy Haran, Anna Lineen, Ciara Malone, Róisín Fines.