Ladies: Skibbereen defeat Strokestown in schools final
April 19, 2010Mercy Heights, Skibbereen (Cork) 6-11
Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown (Roscommon) 4-14
A tally of 4-4 from full-forward Mairead O'Driscoll helped Mercy Heights of Skibbereen to victory in the Tesco All-Ireland Ladies Football Post-Primary Schools C final at Croagh, Co Limerick on Saturday afternoon.
As the scoreline would suggest, this was a pulsating game that entertained all the way through, with plenty of fine score-taking on show.
O'Driscoll, Grainne O'Sullivan and Mihaela Davis were the main stars for the victors, though Scoil Mhuire's loss was not for the want of trying on behalf of Laura Brudell and Niamh McHugh.
The game swung from end to end, with the lead changing hands on no less than 11 occasions over the course of the 60-plus minutes. Seven times this happened in the first half, the first as early as the seventh minute when O'Driscoll stroked a penalty home to put her side 1-0 to 0-2 ahead.
A fine goal from Tianna Kelly 10 minutes later put Scoil Mhuire 1-5 to 1-3 to the good, but almost immediately O'Driscoll replicated her penalty prowess at the other end.
She would complete her hat-trick on 23, O'Sullivan then finding the net two minutes later to make it 4-3 to 2-8 before O'Sullivan amazingly scored her fourth goal of the half to ensure that the Cork school led at the break, 5-5 to 3-8, Brudell with a green flag for Strokestown just before half-time.
Whereas O'Sullivan's goals decorated the first half, it was the supreme point-taking of McHugh that illuminated the early stages of the second period, as the lead was reeled in within six minutes before Mercy Heights got their sixth goal, Davis finishing well from a tight angle.
Scoil Mhuire were not about to lay down however, and two more huge points from McHugh had them level before O'Driscoll responded with a free to leave Skibbereen a point ahead with 15 minutes left.
Then, the lead fortuitously returned to Scoil Mhuire as sub Bronagh McHugh's long ball in went all the way to the net, but, driven on by O'Driscoll and Davis, who scored five points between them, Scoil Mhuire finished stronger to take the crown.
Scorers for Mercy Heights, Skibbereen: Mairead O'Driscoll 4-4 (2-0 penalties, 0-3f), G O'Sullivan 1-4, M Davis 1-2, Melissa O'Driscoll 0-1.
Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown: L Brudell 2-3 (0-2f), N McHugh 0-5 (0-2f), T Kelly 1-1, B McHugh 1-0, K McLoughlin, R McDonagh 0-2 each, S Brudell 0-1.
MERCY HEIGHTS, SKIBBEREEN: R Looney, A Kearney, E Stoutt, N O'Sullivan; K McCarthy, O McCarthy, K Coombes; G Coombes, A O'Driscoll; G McCarthy, G O'Sullivan, F O'Driscoll; M Davis, Mairead O'Driscoll, Melissa O'Driscoll. Subs: C O'Regan for Stoutt, C Ní Chonghaile for Melissa O'Driscoll (both half-time), Melissa O'Driscoll for Kearney (51)
SCOIL MHUIRE, STROKESTOWN: M Mullooly; E Beirne, C Mullolly, Y Lennon; G Dufficy, R Corcoran, C Hagan; S Brudell, M Holmes; K McLoughlin, L Brudell, R Cox; T Kelly, N McHugh, R McDonagh. Subs: B McHugh for Beirne (half-time).
Referee: Sean Joy (Kerry) Tweet
