Three-in-a -row for Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon 5-12  St Flannan’s 5-8

Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon travelled to Inagh last week to score a good win over St Flannan’s College in the Clare Secondary Schools Ladies’ Football senior final. Both sides had wins over Spanish Point and St Camin’s, Shannon on the way to the final, where they were competing for the Johnny Hayes Perpetual Cup. 
St Flannan’s, playing with the assistance of the wind, opened the scoring when Nicky Kiaser goaled a minute into the game. Scoil Mhuire’s captain, Niamh O’Dea, then opened the scoring for her side with a pointed free.
Her sister, Eva, added a second point for the North Clare girls after an excellent pass from forward Róisín Howley. St Flannan’s Nicky Kiaser got her side’s second score with a well-taken point. Niamh O’Dea, playing a captain’s role, kicked a high ball goalwards, which dipped under the crossbar and into the St Flannan’s net to leave her side a point ahead.
Midway through the half, St Flannan’s hit a dominant patch scoring a goal and two points before Nimah O’ Dea pointed for Scoil Mhuire. In the 25th minute referee Michael Talty awarded a penalty to Scoil Mhuire when Eva O’ Dea was fouled. Eva’s sister Niamh had little difficulty in punishing the St  Flannan’s backs for their indiscipline as she rattled the back of her opponents net. St  Flannan’s finished the first half in style scoring a goal and four points and Clionadh Considne kept Ennistymon in touch with a well-taken goal just before the halftime whistle to leave the score St  Flannan’s College 3-7 to Scoil Mhuire’s 3-3. 
In the second half, aided by a strong breeze, Scoil Mhuire worked hard to get back into the game. Their efforts were rewarded with points from Róisín Howley, Clionadh Considine, Emer Hillery, Aisling Torpey and Niamh O’ Dea.
Midfielder Róisín Rouine gave the North Clare girls a further boost when she collected the St Flannan’s goalie’s kick-out and scored a superb goal to leave her side four points ahead. Niamh O’Dea was then put through on goal after an excellent pass from her sister Eva and she pushed her side further ahead.
It took St Flannan’s 21 minutes to get their opening score of the second half and they did so in style, slotting the ball past the North Clare side’s keeper, Aoife Shannon. Scoil Mhuire replied with points from Clionadh Considine and Emer Hillery. St  Flannan’s attempted a late comeback and added a goal and a point with only minutes remaining but it was the Ennistymon’s captain and star player, Niamh O’Dea, who had the last score of the game, a point, to seal a historic win for the Scoil Mhuire side.
After the game, chairman of the Clare Ladies Football Board, Johnny Hayes, presented the cup to  Scoil Mhuire captain Niamh O’ Dea. Scoil Mhuire had excellent performances from  Kayleigh Murrihy, Therese Shannon, Róisín Rouine, Fiona Considine, Niamh O’Dea and Róisín Howley. Scoil Mhuire will now advance to represent Clare in the Munster Colleges Competition.

Scoil Mhuire: Aoife Shannon; Sarah Leigh, Siobhán Garrahy, Shannon McCormack; Therese Shannon, Fiona Considine, Sinéad Considine; Kayleigh Murrihy, Róisín Rouine; Niamh O’Dea, Aisling Torpey, Róisín Howley,  Emer Hillery, Clionadh Considine, Eva O’Dea.
Subs: Martina Scales, Louise Collins, Emily Garvey, Aisling O’Connor, Moira Donohue, Eimear O’Sullivan, Caoimhe Cullinan, Chloe Curtin, Mairéad Healy, Elaine Egan, Alice Hayes, Megan O’Donnell, Maire Garvey, Sinead Shannon, Ellie McGlennon, Clionadh Egan, Katie Considine and Katie O’Flaherty.
St Flannan’s: Sinéad Tevlin; Clodagh Lawlor, Ashling Corbett, Shanua O’Brien; Rae Alice Wall, Lauirie Ryan, Sinéad O’Keeffe; Alanna O’Brien, Rebeca Culligan; Orla Devitt, Eleanor Carey, Nikki Kaiser; Aoibhin Malone, Shauna Keane, Gráinne McCarthy.
Subs: Molly Brannock, Sophie Hanna, Sinéad Quinn.
Referee: Michael Talty, Kilmurry-Ibrickane