St Cillian's qualified for the 2023 National Feile Division 2 after winning the Offaly Feile in the Spring.

This was St Cillian’s first time to qualify since the last of their 3-in-row sides in 2012. In 2010 and 2011 St Cillians reached the finals, winning in 2011 when they became the first Offaly club to win Division 2 outright. This was a feat only matched once by any other Offaly team, when Kate Kenny inspired St Rynaghs in 2014, who went on to defeat Lusmagh Drumcullen in the final.  So these St Cillians girls had big shoes to fill and the expectations had mounted due to their dominance in Offaly since they were under 12s, winning Under 12A, Under 13A and Under 14A titles in the preceding years.

 

The Carrig Riverstown brigade set out for Craughwell GAA training centre kitted out in their new gear, generously sponsored by local businesses.

 

Their opening match was against Waterford heavyweights and two time previous winners, Galltir. St Cillians made a nervous start against the physically bigger Ballygunner/Gaultir outfit, but with reassuring performances in defence from Sadbh King, Eabha McDowall and Caragh Brophy, the Offaly girls did enough to take both points. The Ruby Oakley and Cara Coakley midfield partnership was hard working and the chief markswomen, Siofra Ginty and Ali Smyth, took their scores well, hitting 0-3 and 0-2 respectively. They finished out winners of this tight contect 0- 5 to 0-3.

 

Next up was Laois champions, Naomh Eamon, who had a heavy defeat in round 1 at the hands of Derry side Lavey. The Castletown outfit hit the ground running and must have shocked the Cillians girls, who comfortably defeated the same opposition in a practice match earlier in the year. 

 

Naomh Eamonn raced into a 1-1 to 0-0 early lead. They then brought out their impressive full forward to play between centre forward and centre field, and it caused Cillians a headache. The sides went in 1-1 to 0-1 at half time. Cillian’s upped their game on the resumption and dominated possession. Ginty and Smyth switched positions and the move worked. A long ball from Coakley was fielded by Ginty, who struck a beautiful goal off her left side to square it up. The sides exchanged points from placed balls before Smyth set Ginty up for what looked to be the winning point. However, the Laois side pointed another free to level the game. With a minute to go, Smyth was fouled with goal on her radar. Ginty stepped up to slot over the expected winner, but lost her footing and fell while striking. The game ended in a 1.3 to 1.3 draw, with Siofra accounting for 1-2  and Ruby Oakley 0-1 of the Cillians scores. St Cillians would feel they left that one behind them but were glad of one more point on the board.

 

The draw set up an interesting last round. Naomh Eamonn had to beat Galltir with a score difference greater than Cillians 8 points while also needing the impressive Lavey to beat St Cillians.

 

St Cillian’s had their own plans and were starting to show form all over the field. Their backs were in control. Their midfield were on top. Grace Mahon, had made some assuring saves between the posts, and the Cillian's forwards were beginning to click.

 

In their match against Lavey St. Cillian’s hit the ground running this time and the intensity and workrate left the impressive Derry side, shell-shocked. An Ali Smyth goal off her left side in the first minute set Cillian’s up for a dominant 1st half. Their six backs, midfield partnership of Oakley and Coakley lead the workrate while the forwards industry improved massively from the first two rounds. Rachel Hoare, Isabelle Mahon, Aoibhinn Slattery, blocked, hooked and totally frustrated the Derry backs. Siofra Ginty was now firing on all cylinders and struck the score of the tournament on the run along the sideline from 45 meters out. A spectacular score that any senior player would be proud of. 

 

Sadbh King put in a player of the match performance at full back, ably assisted either side of her by Beatrix O'Neill and Laura Kennedy who came out with ball after ball. Ruby Costello, Eabha McDowall and Caragh Brophy were sensational at half back. Ruby O and Cara C at midfield battled their hearts out to see the game out on a score line of 1-3 to 0-3. Ginty with 0-3 and Smyth with the goal.

 

This win put St Cillians where they wanted to be, top of the group and into the cup semi final against the second placed team from the other group, Naas.

 

Knowing heads on the sideline, witnessed Cushendall account for everyone in the other group with considerable ease. It was easy to see they were able to rest players in every match, while St Cillians had to battle in each of their games. Ultimately this took its toll on the Offaly side. 

 

St Cillians dominance of their semi final showed the difference in class between the two groups. 

 

St Cillians completely dominated the semi final against Naas with another huge performance all over the field. An early switch of Ruby Oakley onto the very tall Naas midfielder, quenched any hope Naas had of winning the aerial battle in the middle third. 

 

By now Siofra Ginty was hitting top gear and scored an impressive 1-6, the goal coming from a penalty when the ever dangerous Ali Smyth was fouled. Siofra took a nasty strike to the head in this game and a yellow card was issued.

 

The second goal was a particularly good act of teamwork involving several St Cillians forwards, Smyth making the final cross and finished to the net by Ella Stokes. Again Sadbh King and Caragh Brophy were both outstanding in defence in this game. 

 

This was the 2nd match on the trott where St Cillians showed why they were deservedly at the top of the pile so far. A complete performance from the entire squad.

 

On the other pitch two teams from the neighbouring counties of Derry and Antrim tore strips off each other in a mother of all battles. Cushendall came out 1-6 to 0-1 winners over Lavey and the St Cillian’s management were thinking that Cushendall simply couldn't turn around 20 minutes later and do the same again in the final.

 

How wrong they were. Cushendall hit the ground running and kept up a massive level of intensity that took St Cillians by surprise. On seven minutes it was 1-4 to 0-0 and St Cillians hadn't won a single puck out. 

 

St Cillians management made a few on field switches to counteract the dominance of the Cushendall players. And bit by bit they wrestled some control away from the Northern side. A long ball in from Brophy resulted in a free and Ginty slotted over their first score.  Moments later a similar play was fielded by Ginty, she brushed passed the centre back and ran at the defence, sidestepping the full back and found herself one on one with the Antrim keeper. Siofra blasted a shot that skimmed the top of the crossbar, much to the groans of everyone present. 

 

Just before half time the gods shone down on the St Cillian’s brigade one more time, when Smyth was cynically pulled down and a penalty and yellow card resulted. Siofra stood up to hit her second penalty of the day but alas her effort was saved. 

 

The half time score read 1-7 to 0-2. The two goal chances would have left three points between them at the break, if converted. However, everyone knew after the first seven minutes that this was a different level. Cushendall were older and stronger all over the field. They had lost the 2022 final and only lost three players from that team. Seven different players scored for them and all good scores on the run. One simply had to admire them. They were a well coached side with a determination that only comes from losing a final the previous year.

 

The second half was a closer contest but the damage was done in the opening seven minutes. St Cillians could have scored 3-3 or 3-4 in the game but with Cushendall scoring 2-10, it would not have been enough and they knew it. Final score:  Cushendall 2.10 St Cillians 0.4 with Siofra Ginty scoring all four of Cillians points.

 

It was a tough pill to swallow, after doing so well all day. Perhaps if they were in Group One and Cushendall had to battle in Group 2, St Cillians may have been fresher and Cushendall more worn out. They were exhausted by the time the final came. So much had to go right for a team to win Feile and one this occasion enough went right for four out of five games. Having a couple of handy games where players could be rested would have made a huge difference to them. But it wasn't to be. 

 

These girls have to regroup quickly. They play the Under 14A Final against Tullamore on Thursday in Dr Kelly’s Field at 7.30 pm and the Under 16A Semi Final is Tuesday, 4th of July against the same opposition.

 

They will get back together in August for the Under 15 league where they will rekindle some of the magic they showed at Feile and who knows St Cillians might be back at Feile in 2024.

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