Clann na nGael 5-8
Simonstown  3-4 

The Simonstown Junior ladies team met their waterloo on Tuesday evening last in Simonstown, in the last of their group games. It had been rainy earlier in the day but by evening time the rain had long disappeared and a hot air balloon was to be seen high above the club grounds. For reasons unexplained the game didn't kick off until 7:50pm despite having a 7:30 scheduled kick-off.  

The Simonstown team went into proceedings minus the services of Jane Brady (back trouble) and Sinead Flanagan (shoulder) but nevertheless had 27 players togged on the day-a terrific turnout. A check on Grainne Grimes earlier in the day revealed that she didn't feel her legs would be up to the demands of the centre forward role, a position she had played to such good effect in previous games. Kate McKenna was thus moved to centre-forward. Kate, a recent recipient of a sports scholarship to DCU, is one of the team's most versatile players and had proven on other occasions that she could be an effective forward as well as being an accomplished defender. In her place Catherine Walsh took up the full back responsibilites. This was a big task for Cáit but for half of the team's games this year she had featured in this position and had always given a good account of herself. 

Coming into the game Simonstown had 6 points on the board courtesy of two recent wins versus Kells and Skryne. The girls had also chalked up fine victories in recent challenges against teams from a higher division. In an outing against  St Michael's the girls had emerged victorious on a scoreline of 3-9 to 2-11. The week after they comfortably saw off the challenge of another intermediate side-Walterstown in a challenge in Simonstown, winning 4-7 to 1-4. 

However, on this occasion, the winning run was to be brought to an abrupt halt by a ruthless Clann na Gael outfit. With players of the calibre of Laura Gilsenan, Shannon McDonagh, Niamh Brogan, Niamh Collins and Blaithnaid Keogh they were always going to be a handful. This is a very young Clan team (nobody over 20) and although last year was only their first year in Junior A they still reached the final where they lost out narrowly to Oldcastle. An Intermediate league side they had a level of games under their belts already this year that was sure to stand them in good stead. They were there to get a job done. 

Right from the start there was a tempo and a ferocity to the exchanges not seen in any other game in which the Simonstown ladies had featured this year.

Both sides knew what was at stake. Lose and Simsonstown were out. Win and the possibility of a semi appearance (if Clan subsequently lost to Moynalvey) was there for them. Clan, on 7 points knew they needed to start building their own momentum. Early on Simonstown hit a number of wides. Among these was a goal bound shot by Grainne Grimes which the Clan keeper did well to smother. For eight minutes possession went to and fro as both sets of players contested every 50/50 ball, every tackle, every kick out. After 8 minutes Clan broke the deadlock when they intercepted a Simonstown move and counter-attacked to devastating effect. Shannon McDonagh, former Meath senior player, was causing the north Navan outfit all sorts of problems from her centre forward position. Her power and pace meant she was extremely difficult to contain. After receiving a fine ball from Niamh Brogan she ran straight at the Simonstown defence. Just when it looked like she was going to kick for goal herself she popped the ball over the onrushing Eimear Flanagan. Lurking behind was Clare O'Shea who gladly accepted the pass and cleverly placed the ball under the advancing Aoife Lally. Within minutes Clan had repeated the trick with another  devastating attack. This time McDonagh finished herself to the net. 

Ciara McConnell, who recently signing for Simonstown was moved on to McDonagh and in fairness this did stifle the centre forward's play. At full forward Laura Gilsenan was causing Catherine Walsh all sorts of trouble. Her free-role style of play meant she was never in any one position for too long.

Simonstown were rattled but not knocked out. Eve Wardick and Ailbhe McHugh were in top form at midfield for Simonstown. However, they needed to be against the duo of Aine Keogh and Niamh Brogan, both versatile, combative players.  Midway through the first half a one-two between A & E opened up the Clan defence. Niamh Lister received possession at a tight angle and shot for goal. It crept in at the near post. A tad lucky but Simonstown were not about to look a gift horse in the mouth! Simonstown had struggled for much of the year to put up big scorelines and against a mean Clan defence they were never going to get anything easy. That proved to be the case. However, anything Simonstown could muster Clan demonstrated they could match. They had the ability whenever the stakes were upped to pick off a score and they continued to increase their lead bit by bit. Laura Gilsenan hit two of these while Rihanna Kelly also popped over a score. Ailbhe McHugh replied for Simonstown with a fine long range effort. With the minutes to half time starting to tick down Clan struck for their third goal. This was a sucker blow for Simonstown and left them with a real mountain to climb in the second half.

The half-time scoreline was Simonstown 1-1 to Clan's 3-5.  

At half time Kate McKenna was restored to the full back position. Niamh Sheridan was introduced for Karen Foran at wing forward while Rachel Flynn came on for Marie Dennehy and Captain Ann Currane (just returned from her honeymoon) came on for Fiona McCabe. Fiona is another to have joined the team recently and while she had put in some fine performances recently, this game was a step up in intensity from all previous outings this year and Fiona struggled to find her usual rhythm. Simonstown started the second half with a flourish. They weren't about to throw in the towel yet-not by a long shot! The second half was barely a minute old when Eve Wardick took off on one of her trademark solo runs leaving a trail of Clan bodies in her wake. With the opposition goalmouth within her range she worked a very clever one-two with Niamh Sheridan and shot. The shot was saved but only pushed back into Eve's path. She showed lightning reactions to bury the rebound to the net. Game on. 

However, despite this dream second half start Clan did not panic. Not a bit of it. They kept plugging away and five minutes later they had extended their lead with another goal, McDonagh again goaling after hesitancy in the home defence. Blaithnaid Keogh and Gilsenan added further points. Simonstown tagged on a point courtesy of Eve Wardick. Then corner forward Miriam Dungan knocked over a free. The girls were hanging on by a thread in this contest but they were still hanging on. Another goal and they'd be back in it again. Clan got it instead. In the last 15 minutes the Simonstown players gave it their all. They tackled, they harried, they hassled but with a ten point plus gap now open and the clock ticking down it now, in truth, was a case of damage limitation. Niamh Sheridan struck a fine point and then Jane Smyth who had come on as sub along with Pauline Flanagan got the green flag raised in the last few minutes after a goal mouth scramble but it was too little too late. Miriam Dungan was unlucky with a free late on but Jane's was to be her team's final score. 

This had been a gripping contest from start to finish. There was little between the sides for much of it but Clan always seemed to be able to find that extra gear when the occasion demanded. Simonstown, despite throwing the kitchen sink at it, were in trouble up front without the power and presence of Sinead Flanagan and Jane Brady. A half-fit Gráinne Grimes was also a factor which didn't help. 

Despite the year, for this team, ending on somewhat of a downer with this result the panel can nevertheless reflect on a good level of effort overall throughout the year. After an indifferent League and Feis Cup it was refreshing to see the team competing so well in all the Championship games starting with the game versus Ratoath at home in May. Players like Eimear Flanagan and Sinead, Jane Brady, Ciara McConnell, Fiona McCabe, Aoife Lally, Natalie Lawes and Ger Lynch are all only relatively recently either returned to the fray or joined up to the club. While their assimilation into the team has been progressing nicely, last Tuesday perhaps highlighted that this team still has further  progress to make before they can reach the latter stages of this competition. Sophie Ishola was away for all of August and her absence was also keenly felt as she has been one of the team's outstanding performers when available during the year.

With 13 of the panel available for the U-19 competition in October the management and players will be confident that they can do as well if not better than was the case last year. A huge well done and thank you to all who helped in any way in the  preparation of this team in 2010 and to the players themselves for their efforts…and not forgetting Sarah who signed the cheques!

P.S. Very best of luck to Jackie and the U-16 girls in the weeks ahead. With 3 victories under their belts they are well placed to reach the semis of this year's competition. Last year the team lost the final to Navan O'Mahony's 

Simonstown Panel: Aoife Lally, Marie Dennehy, Catherine Walsh, Eimear Flanagan, Ciara McConnell, Emily McAteer, Niamh Murray, Eve Wardick, Ailbhe McHugh, Niamh Lister, Kate McKenna, Karen Foran, Grainne Grimes, Fiona McCabe, Miriam Dungan Subs: Jane Smyth, Louise Smyth, Ann Currane, Rachael Flynn, Pauline Flanagan, Kirsty Thornton, Natalie Lawes, Ann Marie  Carragher, Niamh Sheridan, Eleanor Lane, Aishling Sheridan, Aileen Brady Tweet

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