Lily Ógs blossom in Athlone heat to claim All-Ireland title
Delighted Kildare players enjoy the feeling of becoming All-Ireland champions Photo: Aisling Hyland
With the sides locked at 0-7 apiece at the end of the third quarter Kildare corner forward, Anna Dillon, took a pass from half time substitute, Ellen Moran to fire home the goal that was to give the Lily Ógs the lead and fired them to their first ever AirNav LGFA U16 “A” All Ireland title at a sun drenched, sun kissed and Lilywhite fan laden Pairc Chiarán, Athlone on Wednesday evening.
Having said that, in fairness to the Cavan team, they threw the kitchen sink, the Cuilcagh Mountains and all of the famed 365 lakes in the county at Kildare in those pulsating, heart stopping minutes, which included eight minutes of time added on, but James Costello’s starlets never wilted.
Ballybunion native, Costello, urged his players to play the game and not the occasion in an interview with the Kildare Nationalist last week and his charges certainly heeded their manager.
Despite the stiffish breeze, which Kildare enjoyed in the first half, the heat was stifling at the Athlone venue but unlike at the World Cup where well paid soccer players are pampered with Hydration Breaks in each half, no one saw fit to afford the players of Kildare and Cavan the same decency on Wednesday evening.
The game was still played at a hectic, sometimes chaotic, pace with, not surprisingly, nerves on show from such young but committed players.
Kildare led 0-5 to 0-2 half time lead and one wondered if that three point advantage would be enough to fend off the Breffni challenge. With Cavan rattling off five points in a row after the restart to not only draw level but to lead by two that wonder turned to doubt. Ye men of little faith though.
Just as they had done in the semi-final win over Cork two weeks previously, Kildare turned the game around with a goal and two points return in the space of a minute to take control of and then win the game after a titanic struggle.
Catherine Murphy opened Kildare’s account after 90 seconds of play but the Lilywhites keeper, Sadie Burke, had to be at her brilliant best to deny dangerous Cavan full forward, Ella McPhillips, five minutes later but Ellie Reilly pointed a free when the Referee called back play.
Kildare could have had a goal of her own minutes later when, after a fine catch in midfield by captain, Amy Wall, Dillon flashed a shot right across the Cavan goalmouth.
Point number two for Kildare came courtesy of Caoimhe Cully after she was set up by Dillon and the corner forward pointed herself after a good run by centre half forward, Grace Byrne.
Sarah Jane Sherlock and Shona Brennan started to give Cavan an edge around the middle but the forwards found the Kildare defence, in which full back, Amber Blake was outstanding, absolutely resolute. Annabelle Lundy tapped over a point after Wall’s free came off a post.
As half time approached, Murphy hit a goal bound effort off the butt of the upright but she then set up Dillon for Kildare’s fifth point. Some clumsy defending offered free opportunities to Cavan but corner forward, Reilly couldn’t punish Kildare until Sarah Kate Liggan took over and pointed a free on the stroke of half time to leave the Kildare advantage at three points.
With defenders Kayla Mooney and Sarianna Hannick on cautions, Kildare wisely introduced Orlaith Dempsey and Ellen Moran at half time but they were quickly forced into a rearguard action and keeper Burke was called on twice to deny Cavan goals. Points by Sherlock, Liggan (free) and Ciara O’Reilly brought the sides level for the second time by the 38th minute and two further points by McPhillips put the Breffni side ahead for the first time in the game ten minutes after the restart.
Things looked ominous for Kildare but a brilliant free from Wall lifted the siege and Murphy brought the sides level for the third time at the end of the third quarter. A minute later Moran set Dillon up for a fantastic goal. Although Cavan brought it back to two with another McPhillips point three Kildare points in a row by Moran, Lundy and Cully gave the Lilywhites what looked like an unassailable five point. Nerves jangled loudly as Cavan attacked with venom and Kildare defended with manic ferocity in the eight minutes of added time until Referee McCarthy blew the long whistle and Pairc Chiarán was enveloped by a sea of white.
Sadie Burke; Rachel Enright, Amber Blake, Kayla Mooney; Kate Hill, Sarianna Hannick, Doireann Lanigan; Lily Anne Keatley, Grace Martin; Annabelle Lundy 0-2, Grace Byrne, Caoimhe Cully 0-2; Catherine Murphy 0-2, Amy Wall 0-1 (free), Anna Dillon 1-2.
Orlaith Dempsey for Kayla Mooney H/T, Ellen Moran 0-1 for Sarianna Hannick H/T, Kali McDonald for Kate Hill 41, Breffni Nolan for Annabelle Lundy 63.
Margaret Smith; Emma Cusack, Sarah Jane Sherlock 0-1, Andie Forde Peat; Aimee Costello, Erelle O'Sullivan, Orla Miney; Aoife Rogers, Shonagh Brennan; Ciara O'Reilly 0-1, Doireann Brady; Sarah Kate Liggan 0-2 (2 frees); Ellie Reilly 0-1 (free), Ella McPhillips 0-3, Sarah Crowe.
Clodagh Kelly for Emma Cusack 46, Leila Cooney 0-1 for Ciara O'Reilly 51, Riona Crowe for Ellie Reilly 53, Chloe Gumley for Doireann Brady 61.
Conor McCarthy (Cork).
