Drumlane 4-11
Ballymachugh 4-7

This Junior final had it all, some excellent points, great excitement and plenty of goals. Ballymachugh had been defeated in last year's final and looked for good parts of the game that they were going to take the title last Saturday afternoon in Packie Devlin Park, Killeshandra but Drumlane's drive just gave them the edge in the closing stages of the game.

Drumlane opened the scoring in the 2nd minute Keira Ward made a good run in along the end line and finished with a shot to the net, within two minutes Ballymachugh had drawn level with Deidre Kelly putting the ball low on the ground and into the net.

A minute later Ballymachugh's Orna Cassels prevented a Drumlane goal right on the line and the ball was quickly worked up the field to April Kiernan and she fired the ball to the roof of the Drumlane net.

Drumlane quickly cut the three point margin to one with two points from Leanne Drumm by the end of the 7th minute.

In the 17th minute Ballymachugh got their first point of the game with Deidre Kelly pointing a 25 metre free.

Then Drumlane started to pile on the pressure as moments later Leanne Drumm got her third point of the game, then in the 18th minute Bronagh Sheridan kicked a high ball in towards the goals and despite the best efforts of Eileen Baxter couldn't prevent the ball from ending up in the back of the net, Bronagh Sheridan then pointed from an acute angle a minute later to extend Drumlane's lead to three.

In the 23rd minute Bronagh Sheridan had a shot at goal but this time Eileen Baxter made a good save.

Drumlane had a five point advantage by the 24th minute with points from Jenny McGuigan and Keira Ward, before Ballymachugh got their second point from Lisa Smith.

Four minutes before the break April Kiernan got her second goal of the game to cut the margin to one but Bronagh Sheridan gave her side a two point advantage a minute later.

Deidre Kelly got another point for Ballymachugh and just before half time Bronagh Sheridan pointed from play to give Drumlane a two point lead.

Half Time

Drumlane 2-8

Ballymachugh 3-3

After the restart Ballymachugh cut the margin to the minimum with Shaena Kiernan pointing from play but Leanne Drumm pointed two frees

by the 44th minute to put her side three points clear.

In the space of the ten minutes the margin was back to one with Deidre Kelly pointing two frees and five minutes before the end she set up April Kiernan for another goal this now but the side in green and gold two points up.

Drumlane quickly brought it back to one with Leanne Drumm pointing a twenty metre free and then two minutes later Bronagh Sheridan passed the ball to Kiera Ward and she got her second goal of the game and her side led by two.

Once again Ballymachugh battled and had it back to a one point game with April Kiernan kicking over a point.

However Drumlane got anther goal with Leanne Drumm kicking a ball across the goals and Jenny McGuigan dived in to fist the ball to the net.

This gave Drumlane a four point leas and with time quickly ticking away Ballymachugh just couldn't respond to prevent Drumlane from taking the Junior title for 2011.

Ballymachugh:- Eileen Baxter, Helena Baxter, Nicole Smith, Orna Cassels, Rachel Smith, Laura Galligan, Denise Kiernan, Aoibhinn Kiernan, Shaena Kiernan, Lisa Smith, Deidre Kelly, Maggie Mai Smith, Shannon Smith, Kate Smith.

Subs used:- Kelda Kiernan, Sarah O' Callaghan

Drumlane:- Paula McDonagh, Jenny O' Dowd, Charlene Tully, Claire Tivenan, Claire Kearns, Bronagh Boyle, Clara McGuire, Leona Burke, Bronagh Sheridan, Jenny McGuigan, Blathnaid Sheridan, Kiera Ward, Leanne Drumm, Beatrice Sheridan, Glenda Finnegan.

Subs used:- Michelle Gilroy, Shauna Gilroy.

Match Reaction

Bronagh Boyle, Drumlane Captain

"Ballymachugh are a great team and its their second year in the final, they are very tough and we knew they were out to get us but we were very strong, we showed how skill and determination in the end, there was four points in it at the end but it could have gone either way on the pitch."

"We had the belief in ourselves, we'd worked hard all year, we really wanted to win this game and we never ever gave up and that showed in the closing stages."

"Our management team were absolutely brilliant, they gave a great deal of time and patience to this team and if we didn't have them, I don't know where we'd be without them." Tweet

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