Five-in-a-row for brilliant Eadestown
Eadestown players celebrate winning five-in-a-row over St. Laurence's at Manguard Park. Photos: Sean Brilly.
Eadestown Ladies team created history for the club when they claimed their fifth Joe Mallon Motors Kildare LGFA SFC with a comprehensive victory over a hard fighting St Laurence’s team before a big crowd at a breezy and damp Manguard Park on Friday evening.
As well as capturing the Senior Championship for 2024 Ollie Mernagh’s charges also avenged the Division 1 League Final defeat to the Larries last May.
Exchanges were tight in the opening minutes with Siobhan O’Sullivan opening the scoring for the winners with a pointed free to which Miah Ryan responded with an excellent point from play inside three minutes.
Once Player of the Match, Abaigh Cahill, put the Sky Blues in front a minute later they were never to be caught. The young corner forward went on to score a further 3-5 in a fine scoring display. The first goal came in the 10th minute and she followed up with a second at the end of the first quarter. By that stage the defending champions led 2-5 to 0-1 as St Laurence’s battled hard but could do little to stem the flow of play towards the Milltown end.
The Larries might well have been further behind but for some excellent and brave saves from keeper, Meabh Collins.
Indeed, the young net minder was to save a penalty from Siobhan O’Sullivan in the 20th minute only for the midfielder to fire the rebound home.
Eadestown led 3-7 to 0-4 at the break with the hard-working Brianne Leahy-Heydon, Caoimhe O’Sullivan and Miah Ryan all contributing scores for the Larries.
The Division 1 League Champions needed a bright start to the second half and midfielder Ciara Wheeler obliged with an excellent point within 19 seconds of the restart. This score only flattered to deceive however and goals from captain, Gráinne Kenneally, and Cahill with her third ensured that there would be no Larries comeback and the winners went on to secure the victory despite losing corner back, Maryann Ryan, to the Sin Bin in the 45th minute.
Andrea Jebb; Maryann Ryan, Denise Tierney, Ann Marie Logue; Aine Mernagh, Ruth Sargent, Aoife Clifford; Siobhan O’Sullivan 1-2 (2 frees), Laura Byrne 0-1; Anna Hynes 0-4 (1 free), Grace Clifford 0-1; Jessica Harney 0-1; Tara Bedford, Gráinne Kenneally 1-0, Abaigh Cahill 3-6 (1free).
Kate Murphy for Tara Bedford 52, Aine Ni Raghallaigh for Siobhan O’Sullivan 58.
Meabh Collins; Ailbhe Hennessy, Eimear Glancy, Amy Cullen; Niamh O’Connor, Emma Wheeler, Ava Marron; Gillian Wheeler, Ciara Wheeler 0-1; Emma Walshe, Miah Ryan 0-1, Marie Kealy 0-1; Deirbhile Byrne, Brianne Leahy-Heydon 0-1, Caoimhe O’Sullivan 0-2 (2 frees).
Joanna Ryan for Caoimhe O’Sullivan 45, Megan Alcock for Emma Walshe 46; Niamh Miley for Niamh O’Connor 46, Kate Dooley for Eimear Glancy 50.
Billy O’Connell
