Rampant Skryne march on to Championship final !!
Skryne 7-08 Clann na nGael 1-02
LGFA U14 Football Championship. Division 3 – Semi-final
Skryne were set to battle Clann na nGael twice this weekend with our Junior A ladies taking on the ladies from Athboy tomorrow in the Championship final while today the U14 girls from both clubs faced off against each other in the semi-final of the Championship. St. Ultans had already booked their place in the final courtesy of a convincing victory over Walterstown earlier today.
Skryne played against the wind in the first half and despite dominating possession, they didn’t trouble the scoreboard until the eighth minute of the game, when Aoife McLoughlin opened the scoring with a point from play. Skryne had shown some early nerves building up a sizeable tally of wides. However, Clann na nGael were finding it exceptionally difficult to work the ball out of their own half as Skryne were winning the battles all over the pitch. Laura Mangan who was impressive throughout got the first of her two goals on the thirteenth minute as Skryne finally reaped the rewards that their efforts deserved. The score remained 1-01 to 0-0 as the game paused for the obligatory water break.
The second quarter was all about the goal scoring prowess of Caoimhe Giles. Aoife Mc Loughlin stepped up to take a 45. She sent the ball into the Clann na nGael area where it broke to Caoimhe Giles on the right hand side of the Clann na nGael goals. Caoimhe made no mistake when she shot to the roof of the net. It was Caiomhe again four minutes later from a similar position and the result was the same with her shot eluding the Clann’s goalkeeper. Laura Mangan added a point for Skryne with two minutes remaining in the half. Clann na nGael hit their first point of the game on the stroke of half-time with a fine effort. Half-time score Skryne 3-02, Clann na nGael 0-01.
The second half had only just gotten underway when Laura Mangan fetched the ball on the right hand side and made a beeline towards the Clann na nGael goal. The keeper advanced and Laura, coolness personified, lobbed the keeper to send home her second goal of the game. However, Clann na nGael enjoyed their best spell of the game in the third quarter and began to threaten the Skryne rearguard which had been solid as a rock throughout. The Clanns hit a goal with five minutes gone in the half. Their attack came from the right hand side and their forward hit an unstoppable effort past Katie Keane in the Skryne goal. Megan Cowley steadied the ship with a point on the eleventh minute. Caiomhe Giles added another before the second water break to leave the score 4-04 to 1-01.
The Clanns got their final point of the game after the resumption, but the last quarter saw Skryne hit the after-burners. Megan Cowley, Aoife McLoughlin and Laura Mangan hit three points in quick succession before Cowley who had moved out onto the 40 in the second half, fired home a superb goal. Aoife McLoughlin almost broke the crossbar a minute later as Skryne laid siege to the Clann na nGael goal. Aoife got the goal she deserved with four minutes remaining when she fired home after a nice run through the Clann’s defence. Caoimhe Giles tapped over second point of the game with full-time approaching. Skryne hit the woodwork again, this time Megan Cowley was unlucky to see her shot rebound away. Skryne did have time for one last goal. Corner back Emily Kelly found space in front of the Clann’s goal and slid the ball home to put the icing on the cake for Skryne in a fine win over a spirited Clann na nGael side.
There were superb performances all around the park for Skryne as they continued their quest for glory in this year’s championship. Well done to all the girls.
Skryne’s U14 Division 8 team will be hoping to emulate their compatriots tomorrow in their semi-final encounter with neighbours Walterstown at 11am in Skryne.
Skryne U14s team and Management would like to wish our Junior A ladies the very best of luck in tomorrow’s championship final!!
Team: Katie Keane; Rebecca Clarke, Destiny Carty, Emily Kelly(1-00); Katie Purcell, Síne Smyth, Shauna Hogan; Aisling O’Connor, Beth Shanley; Laura Mangan (2-02), Aoife McLoughlin(1-02), Caoimhe Giles(2-02); Sara Pentony, Megan Cowley(1-02), Áine Keogh
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