Goal feast for Glanmire at Croke Park as they power to All-Ireland title
Glanmire’s Ellen Twomey lifts the trophy after their All-Ireland final victory. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton
DELIGHT for Glanmire as they were crowned currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Junior Ladies Football Club champions at Croke Park.
Having won the Cork and Munster titles, they can now enjoy a long Christmas of celebrations after their win over Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s from Leitrim with some outstanding displays on the day.
Orlaith Roche led by example up front, and her goals were key scores, the first coming after two minutes to put them in front, where they stayed right to the end. Either side of her Evie Twomey and Michelle Dullea were outstanding, along with the likes of Abbie O’Mahony, Kayla O’Connor and Michelle Barry.
Glanmire started well and took the lead two minutes in when an Abbie O’Mahony free found Michelle Dullea. The corner-forward played the ball off to Roche who found the back of the net.
Roche had the ball in the back of the net two minutes later again, but it was ruled out for a foul on the keeper. Roisin McHugh got Ballinamore off the mark with a well-taken point, with their first real attack after five minutes.
With nine minutes gone Glanmire raised their second green flag, this time Dullea setting up Evie Twomey to score. A minute later and Dullea got in on the scoring act herself when she pointed from a free, to make it 2-1 to 0-1.
Ballinamore were back in contention when Lucy Murphy played Aoibheann Flynn in for a well-worked goal.
O’Mahony showed why she is part of the Cork senior panel with a superb long-distance point to increase Glanmire’s lead as they continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges. Ava McCarthy increased their lead, and her sister, Ally, made it 2-5 to 1-1 before Ava Fitzgerald increased their lead further.
Ballinamore were denied a second goal when Kayla O’Connor blocked Laura O’Dowd before McHugh got their second point from a free.
Both Roche and Evie Twomey pointed for Glanmire as the Cork side were leading by 2-7 to 1-2 at half-time and at that point it was their game to lose.
Roche looked like she pointed at the start of the second half but it was ruled out by Hawkeye. However, the referee then awarded a penalty to Glanmire for a tackle on Roche. Ellen Twomey took the penalty but Leighanne Flynn well saved her effort.
But credit to Glanmire they didn’t let this bother them as they continued to dominate, making it difficult for Ballinamore to get out of their own half.
McHugh pulled a point back for her side from a free, given by the ref after Ava Carey had taken too long over a kick-out.
But any hope of a comeback were dashed with Glanmire’s next attack when Roche brushed aside the challenge of several defenders for their third goal, to make it 3-7 to 1-3. Their fourth goal came soon after when Evie Twomey and O’Mahony combined to put Niamh McAllen in and with it any hope Ballinamore had was well and truly gone.
McHugh pointed from another free before Glanmire were dealt a blow when Roche had to go off injured. Dullea pointed from another free to keep the scoreboard ticking over for Glanmire.
Carey also saved a penalty from McHugh as everything went right on the day for the Cork side, with Riona Crowley scoring one at the other end.
The final whistle eventually came and with it the celebrations started for Glanmire, who have now well and truly banished the memories of three Cork intermediate final losses in a row as they can look forward to next season as All-Ireland champions.
For Ava Carey, Ellen Twomey, Abbie O’Mahony, Ellen Murphy, Ally McCarthy and Niamh McAllen it was an extra special day as they all started in their junior All-Ireland triumph in 2018 as well.
O Roche 2-1, Evie Twomey 1-1, N McAllen, R Crowley (pen) 1-0 each, M Dullea 0-2 f, A O’Mahony, Ava McCarthy, Ally McCarthy, A Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
R McHugh 0-5 (0-4 f), A Flynn 1-0, C O’Dowd 0-1.
A Carey; E Dillon, M Barry, K O’Connor; C O’Donovan, Ellen Twomey, A Fitzgerald; A O’Mahony, E Murphy; Ally McCarthy, N McAllen, Ava McCarthy; Evie Twomey, O Roche, M Dullea.
R Crowley for Ava McCarthy (42), C Murphy for C O’Donovan (43), A McAllen for O Roche, A O’Lehane for E Dillon (both 46),
L Flynn; D McGourty, A Sweeney, E Honeyman; L Maguire, M Murphy, G Prior; M McGovern, C O’Dowd; L O’Dowd, R McHugh, L Moran; A Flynn, S McLoughlin, L Murphy.
C McGoldrick for L Maguire (25), L Maguire for D McGourty (40), E McKiernan for L Murphy (55), A McGoldrick for E Honeyman (58).
Siobhan Coyle, Donegal.
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