Navan O’Mahonys 0-16 St Marys 1-07

Navan O’Mahonys captured their second ladies football league title in 24 hours on Sunday evening, with the Div 5 side earning a six point victory over St Marys in the final in Paddy O’Brien Park, with the conditions improved a lot on the previous evening. Muireann Nelson led the way with ten points

O’Mahonys had the wind behind them in the first half, but struggled to make much of an impression on the scoreboard in the early stages. St Marys opened the scoring after a minute and Nelson kicked two frees. The sides were level again after eleven minutes when the visitors equalised.

Almost ten minutes passed without score before Nelson added to her earlier tally with three points in a five minute spell, two from frees and one from play. The third of these scores followed a passage of play started when Róisín Tobin made an impressive interception as St Marys launched an attack. The Donore side added a point in the fifth minute with the final score of the half coming from Cara Ratty.

O’Mahonys had missed a number of opportunities in the first half, and with the game tight approaching half time, blocks and interceptions from Aoibhe McElwaine and Neasa McDermott proved crucial.

Navan O’Mahonys 0-06 St Marys 0-03 

O’Mahony’s were quick to add to their lead in the second half, when Charlie Murray accurately picked out Nelson with a pass. With the St Marys netminder positioning herself well, Nelson took the safe option of a point, keeping the scoreboard ticking over. The visiting side responded quickly with a point almost immediately.

Goalkeeper Lauren Patterson made an impressive in the seventh minute but St Marys managed to get through again a minute later, to find the net and leave the sides level. A calm and measured response to conceding the goal was what was needed, and that’s exactly what transpired through a point for Chloe Duffy. Isabel Thorp did likewise a minute later after a good set-up from Nelson before Murray also added her name to the list of scorers. Three minutes after the goal, O’Mahonys had restored their three point advantage.

As O’Mahonys had done in the first half, St Marys struggled kicking points into the astro-turf goal and registered a number of wides. With twelve minutes remaining, Nelson kicked two points to keep St Marys at arms length. This was needed, with the visitors kicking a 22nd minute point.

The sides exchanged points in the closing ten minutes of the game, with Nelson and Murray raising white flags for Rob McDonald’s charges. Keeping St Marys to eight scores was a testament to the ferocious workrate from the backs. Abbie McCullagh and Áine Clarke were strong in the corners, with captain Dee Forde solid at full back including an important block down in the fifty-seventh minute. In the middle third of the pitch, Julia Collins, Alison O’Toole and Doireann Mellett all impressed with Grace Cahill and Milly Clarke Carolan playing important roles in setting up scores up front. 

Dee Forde accepted the cup on behalf of the team, capping off a great weekend for ladies football in Paddy O’Brien Park.

Navan O’Mahonys: Lauren Patterson, Abbie McCullagh, Deirdre Forde, Áine Clarke, Julia Collins, Róisín Tobin, Aoibhe McElwaine, Neasa McDermott, Alison O’Toole, Cara Ratty (0-01), Charlie Murray (0-03), Doireann Mellett, Chloe Duffy (0-01), Muireann Nelson (0-10), Grace Cahill

Subs: Isabel Thorp (0-01) for Cahill, Milly Clarke Carolan for Ratty

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