U-16 Girls Division 2 Championship Round 2
Seneschalstown 5-05 Rathkenny 0-05
After monsoon conditions on Sunday morning the rainbow came out over Fr. Tully Park in the afternoon and the U-16 Girls continue their mightily impressive start to their championship with a comfortable victory in the end over their victors from the U-15 shield final last season Rathkenny.
U-16 Girls Division 2 Championship Round 2
Seneschalstown 5-05 Rathkenny 0-05
After monsoon conditions on Sunday morning the rainbow came out over Fr. Tully Park in the afternoon and the U-16 Girls continue their mightily impressive start to their championship with a comfortable victory in the end over their victors from the U-15 shield final last season Rathkenny.
It is always a battle with these sides with both teams sporting county players and the game started with both teams trading scores with Aoife Mulvany opening the scoring for the home side. With Caragh Monaghan linking well with Orla Finnegan and Lauren Donnelly, Shauna Gordon found herself in possession at the edge of the square and was taken down as she was about to unleash a thunderbolt.
A penalty awarded and duly dispatched by Mallaidh Breen to the left-hand corner giving the Furze Girls a lead that wasn’t relinquished. Caragh Monaghan traded points with Rathkenny before Mallaidh Breen restored the 3 point cushion with another finely worked point. Rathkenny responded with another point before half time but after great work from Aoife Mulvany passing to Aoife Lenihan who scored another goal from a speculative shot towards the goal.
This left Seneschalstown leading by 2-03 to 0-03 at the break in play while the temperature dropped markedly as another wintery shower blew in from the west.
With quality players in this Rathkenny side they pushed hard in the second half against a very stubborn and mean Furze defence. In the half back line Zoe Kirwan was marshalling her player well and Aoibhe Monaghan not giving her player an inch in the centre while Leah Ryan was also having her typical aggressive game and they were not for beating. Leanne Clarke at full back was superb and Sadhbh McLarney and Caoimhe Dunne were coolness personified each side of her. Sinéad McLarney in goals again was magnificent when asked and her kickouts were very effective throughout but despite this Rathkenny registered 2 points to 4 between the sides at 2-03 to 0-05.
Orla Finnegan who was being very tightly marked found Mallaidh Breen who hit the back of the net with a superb strike to really end the Rathkenny comeback. Flanked by Aine Nangle who got through a mountain of work and Ella Kilfeather who never stopped working for the team the Furze Girls began to hit overdrive. Finnegan again popped up and finished to the net after great work from Leanne Clarke who was enjoying her free role around the middle after swapping positions with Aoife Lenihan. Indeed, Clarke was outstanding and was full of running when moving out the field.
From her centre half back berth Aoibhé Monaghan broke down the field and after slipping her marker superbly found the net to score Seneschalstown’s fifth and final goal.
The scoreline didn’t reflect the tough assignment but the Seneschalstown Girls were not to be denied today after the disappointment of losing to Rathkenny in last season’s Shield Final. Their hunger was evident from the start and they never looked back from the throw in.
Seneschalstown: Sinéad McLarney, Sadhbh McLarney, Leanne Clarke, Caoimhe Dunne, Zoe Kirwan, Aoibhé Monaghan (1-00), Leah Ryan, Aoife Lenihan (1-00), Aine Nangle, Orla Finnegan (1-01), Lauren Donnelly (0-01), Ella Kilfeather, Shauna Gordon, Mallaidh Breen (2-01), Aoife Mulvany (0-01).
Seneschalstown Substitutions: Caragh Monaghan for E. Kilfeather, Ella Kilfeather for S. Gordon.
