Mourneabbey reel Glanmire in to take U21 title
Mourneabbey players and mentors celebrate their LGFA U21 county final win over Glanmire.
Mourneabbey 3-10 Glanmire 3-8
A brace of Katie O’Toole goals helped Mourneabbey overcome Glanmire to claim the Clonakilty Food Company Cork LGFA U21 A championship final at MTU.
Ahead of Sunday’s showdown, Mourneabbey had the benefit of a semi-final win over Aghada while their opponents received a walkover into the decider.
Glanmire dominated the first quarter and led 2-5 to 1-2 after 15 minutes. Megan Sheehan and Ellie Jack exchanged frees before Glanmire’s slick hand-passing helped them build an early advantage.
Orlaith Roche added a point prior to Sheehan scoring her team’s first goal after six minutes. Glanmire were rampant as Evie Twomey, Aishling McAllen and Caoimhe O’Sullivan added additional scores to make it 1-5 to 0-1.
Admirably, Mourneabbey responded with Deirdre Cronin landing a free before Lucy Williamson netted from close range.
Glanmire’s reply was equally potent as another flowing move ended with Lucy Greene firing into the roof of the net after 15 minutes.
Amazingly, 2-5 to 1-2 ahead, that would be Glanmire’s last score until the third quarter as Mourneabbey took control.
Ellie Jack (three) and Anna Ryan points reduced the deficit ahead of a superbly worked move than concluded with Kate Williamson splitting the posts.
Despite dominating for long stretches, Glanmire took a slender one-point lead into the second half.
The county final swung Mourneabbey’s way after 36 minutes. A red card to Kayla O’Connor, following a high challenge on Deirdre Cronin, increased the pressure on an already under-fire Glanmire.
Their opponents took full advantage as two superb Katie O’Toole goals and another point made it 3-9 to 1-7 at the final water break.
14-player Glanmire dug deep with Ava Fitzgerald finding the net and Orlaith Roche and Ashling McAllen points reducing the deficit to a goal.
Deirdre Cronin and Lucy Greene exchanged frees but Mourneabbey saw out the remaining minutes to deservedly become county U21A champions.
K O’Toole 2-1, E Jack 0-5 (0-2 f), L Williamson 1-0, D Cronin 0-2 f, A Ryan, K Williamson 0-1 each.
M Sheehan, L Greene 1-1 each, A Fitzgerald 1-0, A McAllen, O Roche 0-2 each, E Twomey, C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
A Hayes; K O’Brien, G Cronin, E Cronin; K Williamson, A Cronin, M Burke; A Ryan, C O’Callaghan; R Brean, E Jack (c), D Cronin; L Williamson, K O’Toole, G Cooney.
E Walsh for L Williamson (h-t).
C Byrne; A McNamara, T Elliot, K O’Connor (captain); C Galvin, G Cashman, C O’Donovan; A O’Mahony, E Twomey; C O’Sullivan, M Sheehan, O Roche; N McAllen, L Greene, A McAllen.
R Crowley for N McAllen (ht), K Sheehan for M Sheehan (41), O McAllen for C O’Sullivan (45), A Fitzgerald for C Galvin (45), S Murphy for A McAllen (58).
Peter O’Leary (Inch Rovers).
App?
