Ladies U16 Div 4 final: Powerful second half display earns title for St. Michaels

6 October 2026

St. Michaels Under 16's celebrate at Longwood

St. Michaels 5-12, Longwood 5-09

St. Michaels U-16 ladies picked up the division 4 title after producing a powerful second half display to see off a strong Longwood side in an absorbing final played in Longwood on Thursday evening last.

David O'Brien's side made the best of starts when Cora Rogan found the back of the Longwood net when the game was only 30 seconds old, top scorer on the night Lauren Reilly opened her account two minutes later adding a brace of minors. When Longwood settled they rattled off three unanswered points and broke through the St. Michaels defence for their opening major and a one point lead on 20 minutes. Cora Rogan picked off her second major as the game approached the end of the opening quarter, both sides traded scores for the remainder of the half with Longwood finding the net for the second time on 23 minutes. Kayla Coyne completed the scoring for the north Meath side in the fourth minute of injury time to leave the sides level at 2-6 apiece at the short whistle.

Shannon Elliot Thompson pulled off an excellent save two minutes into the new half, Longwood tapped over another brace of minors before Reilly goaled and Aoibhe McMahon pointed for the winners. Then on comes substitute Abbie Jackson who finds the back of the Longwood net with her first touch of the ball, she was then dragged to the ground as she went looking for her next score but she made no mistake from the penalty spot to put her side 5-7 to 2-9 in front on 46 minutes. Abbie was on fire and she popped over a valuable point with 10 minutes remaining. However the Longwood girls hadn't gone home and in a three minute spell they raised three green flags to go back in front by a single point with six minutes remaining. The young St. Michaels girls refused to surrender and responded with determination, Leana Coyle floated over an excellent effort from play to level matters for the third time on 58 minutes, then the experienced attacker Lauren Reilly assumed responsibility and fired over an excellent effort from play and two from placed balls to secure the division 4 title.

St. Michaels team and scorers: Shannon Elliot Thompson; Feile Kelly, Mia Jackson, Olivia Sheridan; Ava O'Brien, Pippa Lee Gordon, Ruby Purfield; Leana Coyne (0-01), Zoe O'Rourke; Kayla Coyne (0-02), Eibhlin Smith, Ella Cassidy; Cora Rogan (2-0) , Lauren Reilly (1-07), Aoibhe McMahon (0-01).
Subs: Abbie Jackson (2-01), Aoife Gargan, Grace Rasdale, Skye McCabe

Report: Pascal Reilly PRO.