Ballyboden St. Endas claimed this year's Senior 1 championship title (their 4th in a row) when defeating a gallant St. Vincents side 2-7 to 1-7 in a hard-fought Senior 1 final at Trinity Gaels grounds today Sunday, 6 October.
The Senior 1 final proved to be a tight, tense, low-scoring game - a game of two halves in which the backs were dominant! Ballyboden were the masters of the first half while St. Vincents turned in a terrific effort after the break just falling short at the final whistle.
The game opened with early St. Vincents pressure but it was Boden who took the early lead after 10 minutes with points from Emer Lucey and Anne Griffin. Ciara Ruddy and Aine Fanning exchanged points to give Boden a 0-3 to 0-2 led mid-way through the half. Despite all their hard work Vincents only score in the second period of the first half was a solitary point from Sarah Murray. Ballyboden meanwhile added 2-2 during this period with points from Anne Griffin and goals from Anne Griffin and Denice McGrath. (Anne ended up top scorer with 1-5). It looked as though Ballyboden were coasting to victory at half time - Ballyboden 2-5 St. Vincents 0-3.
St. Vincents put in a terrific second half performance. They outscored Boden 1-4 to 0-2. (Aine Fanning 0-1, Aisling Maher 1-3). Ballyboden only managed 2 pointed frees from Anne Griffin during the half. St. Vincents had reduced an 8 point lead to just 3 points. St. Vincents will look back on this game and regret not taking more of their point chances while Boden will learn from some unnecessary overcarrying. What a tense and absorbing finish to this game (5 minutes of normal time and the 4 minutes of time added on) as each side gave everything to the cause. In the end Ballyboden held on to win their 4th Senior 1 title in a row. Ballyboden St. Endas 2-7 St. Vincents 1-7.
Well done to the girls from Ballyboden St. Endas and Naomh Uinsionn who gave everything in this very competitive, low-scoring Senior 1 final.
We wish Ballyboden St. Endas all the best when they meet the Wexford champions in the Leinster final on 20 October. Home venue to Ballyboden.
Player of the Final: Fiona Corcoran (Ballyboden St. Endas)
Ballyboden St. Endas: 1. Sile Nic Coitir 2. Zenouska Murphy 3. Susan Kennedy 4. Orla Smith5. Sarah Nagle 6. Fiona Corcoran 7. Martha O’ Donoghue 8. Rachel Ruddy 9. Natalia Hyland 10. Paula McGrath 11. Doireann Mullany 12. Ciara Ruddy (0-1) 13. Anne Griffin (1-5) 14. Denise McGrath (0-1) 15. Emer Lucey (0-1)
16. Sharon Glynn 17. Roisín Keaney 18. Dearbhla Brennan 19. Aiofe O’ Leary 20. Laura Byrne 21. Aisling O’ Leary 22. Jane Edwards 23. Aoife O’ Neill 24. Rebeka Kamvar 25. Roisin Ryan 26. Grace Walsh 27. Fiona Ní Shuilleabháin 28. Danielle White 29. Elaine Hickey 30. Sinead Treacy
Management Team:Richard Sweetnam, Philip Larkin, Nuala O’ Sullivan and Bernard Curtis
Naomh Uinsionn:1. Kathryn Kantounias 2. Ciara O’Leary 3. Eimear McCarthy 4. Irene Dempsey5. Eva Marie Elliott 6. Aoife Cullen 7. Elaine O’Leary 8. Alison Maguire 9. Aoife Ryan 10. Aine Woods 11. Catherine Moloney 12. Emer Dillon 13. Sarah Murray 14. Aisling Maher (1-4) 15. Aine Fanning (0-2)
16. Eimear Brannigan 17. Aideen Naughton 18. Lora Smith 19. Carol-Anne Canning 20. Aishling Fogarty 21. Mary Cronin 22. Orna Hennessy 23. Shauna McBride 24. Danielle Smith 25. Kate McCarry 26. Clare Donnelly
Management: Shane Dalton, Brian Ladden, Mark Kirwan, Ronan Brennan and Mary Ryan
Photos