Senior title for St Flannan’s ladies

St Flannan’s 7-15   Coláiste Colm 4-9

St Flannan’s College were crowned Munster Senior B Ladies’ Football champions at Effin on Tuesday afternoon when they scored a convincing win over Coláiste Colm from Ballincollig.
As a result of the victory, the Ennis school side is now through to the All-Ireland semi-final, where they will play the Leinster winners at the beginning of March.
St Flannan’s led from the outset in this week’s final and were 3-8 to 0-4 in front when the half-time whistle sounded.
Midfield dominance ensured they had a firm grip on proceedings throughout with Alana O’Brien and Niamh Markham ruling matters in this department. Niamh Markham was named as the player of the match.
The winners took the lead in the opening minute with a point from Alana O’Brien and they had their first goal from Eleanor Carey shortly after. Further goals from Aoife Keane and one from Nikki Kaiser just before the half-time whistle put them 13 points clear at the mid-point.
On the resumption, St Flannan’s took up where they left off and quickly added 1-2, with the goal coming from Aoibheann Malone. Two more goals from Newmarket’s Nikki Kaiser and another from Aoibheann Malone helped St Flannan’s seal a comprehensive victory and the provincial title.
Meanwhile, St Augustine’s from Dungarvan will play the Ennis school in the Munster junior final and this fixture is likely to be played on Wednesday, February 8 at a venue to be confirmed.
Fifteen of the panel who helped St Flannan’s to the senior B title are part of the junior squad.
Kilrush Community School, who are managed by Galway camogie player Orla Kilkenny, will contest the junior C final. This game was due to go ahead on Friday against Loretta School from Clonmel but has been called off due to a bereavement.
This will be the second time in the history of Kilrush Community School that they will contest a post-primary schools final. Back in 1993, they defeated Cahirciveen Community School in the senior final before suffering a four-point defeat to Ballinrobe Community School in the All Ireland semi-final.

St Flannan’s: Aoife O’Neill (Éire Óg); Clodagh Lawlor (Newmarket), Aishling Corbett (Clooney-Quin), Sinead Quinn (Banner); Sinéad O’Keeffe (Banner, capt), Sophie Hanna (Éire Óg), Rae Wall (Éire Óg); Alana O’Brien (Éire Óg), Niamh Markham (Shannon Gaels); Orla Devitt (Éire Óg), Aoife Keane (Banner), Molly Brannock (Doora-Barefield); Nikki Kaiser (Newmarket), Eleanor Carey (Banner), Aoibheann Malone (Banner).
Scorers: Nikki Kaiser (3-1); Aoibheann Malone (2-2); Aoife Keane (1-5); Eleanor Carey (1-0); Niamh Markham (0-3); Alana O’Brien (0-2); Orla Devitt, Sophie Hanna (0-1) each.

Camogie quarter-final v Loughrea
This week, attention switches to camogie as St Flannan’s play Loughrea in an All-Ireland senior quarter-final tie. The game is scheduled for this Saturday at a Galway venue and 14 of the ladies’ football panel from Tuesday’s Munster final win will be in action.