Junior championship for Éire Óg

Éire Óg  5-12  St Joseph’s  2-10

Éire Óg were crowned Junior B football champions when they proved too strong for St Joseph’s at Corofin on Sunday.
Éire Óg were the quicker to settle and two goals, one each from Shauna Keane and Orla Devitt, had them six points up within two minutes of the throw-in. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, the Ennis girls capitalised on this advantage, notching up 3-6 with another goal from Shauna Keane and points from Orla Devitt, Shaunagh O’Brien, Shauna Keane and Tara Sheehan, before St Joseph’s Rebecca Devine found the net with a well-taken strike in the 20th minute. The kick-out ended up in the arms of Éire Óg’s Orla McMahon, whose excellent layoff to Shauna Keane ended up splitting the posts. Rebecca Devine pointed for the Parish but Éire Óg finished the half strongly with points from Shauna Keane and Shaunagh O’Brien to leave the half-time score at 3-9 to 1-1.
St Joseph’s came out all guns blazing in the second half, with a great Rebecca Devine point getting them off the mark in the first minute. Against the run of play, Shaunagh O’Brien found the net for Éire Óg. In spite of this blow, St Joseph’s continued to dominate the opening quarter with a further point from Rebecca Devine. Devine’s shot on goal seemed destined for the net but an outstanding save from Aoife O’Neill deflected the ball over the bar. Sarah O’Keeffe and Orla Devitt traded points before St Joseph’s notched up three points in a row through Mary Sweeney, Rebecca Devine and Niamh Willis.
Again, the hardworking Orla Devitt, who gave an outstanding performance at midfield, scored a point for the winners and Shaunagh O’Brien followed up with a well-taken goal. The next five minutes belonged to St Joseph’s who notched up 1-2. Time ran out, however, for St Joseph’s, with the last score of the match, a pointed free from Orla Devitt, giving the Townies a 5-12 to 2-10 win.
Éire Óg captain Louise Kirwan accepted the Junior B cup from Johnny Hayes. The Ennis girls add this trophy to their minor title, captured last week, and the U-16 title won earlier in the year.

Éire Óg: Aoife O’Neill; Sophie Hanna, Sinead Darcy, Orla Chaplin; Rae Wall, Aida Griffey, Edel Griffey; Louise Kirwan (capt), Orla Devitt (1-6 3f); Joanne Walsh, Alana O’Brien, Orla McMahon; Tara Sheehan (0-1), Shauna Keane (2-3), Shaunagh O’Brien (2-2).
Subs: Edel Griffin for Edel Griffey, Sarah Cullinan for Louise Kirwan, Rebecca Crowe for Tara Sheehan, Katie Malone for Shauna Keane, Deirbhile Ryan for Rae Wall. Aoife Sheehan (inj), Niamh Baker, Kate Cullinan, Ciara Normoyle.
St Joseph’s: Niamh O’Loughlin (capt); Sarah Nugent, Michelle McMahon, Catriona Davenport; Eimear Casey, Kelly-Anne Hassett, Karen O’Brien; Amanda Hassett, Molly Brannock; Sorcha McCormack, Rebecca Devine, Niamh Willis; Aoife Murphy, Sarah O’Keeffe, Mary Sweeney.
Subs: Ciara Willis for Molly Brannock (inj), Anne Marie McGann for Sorcha McCormack, Alyson Courtney, Aoife Guilfoyle, Áine Meehan, Martina deLoughrey, Michelle Hennessy, Sarah O’Brien, Fiona Tuohy, Rachel Lyons.
Referee: Michael Fitzgerald, Clondegad