Tuesday night saw the final match of the Division 1 League campaign with both teams, Ballyboden and Lucan coming in with 100% records making this game effectively a league final. Ballyboden had overcome Plunketts, Cuala, Kilmacud, Castleknock and Whitehall along the way but with our girl’s last match back in mid-April, over 5 weeks before this one, there was a slight concern that lack of match practise might go against us in this rescheduled fixture.
It was a tight match from the start with both sides fighting for every ball and very few scoring chances created. It wasn’t until 8 minutes gone that Clodagh scored a free to settle the nerves. After a further point from each side, Ballyboden got a break with 2 goals in quick succession, both from Caoimhe, after good build up play by Aine. Lucan responded with another 3 points from placed balls, one free, one penalty and one 65. Boden responded with a point from Alice off her left after neat build up.
H/T Ballyboden 2-3 Lucan 0-4
The girls went in to the second half knowing the game was still finely balanced. They were still in charge 15 minutes in with only a point each added to the scoreboard. However, as the free count started to turn in Lucan’s favour and on a tight pitch with imperious free taking, the girls in green started to mount a comeback with 4 points from placed balls in a 5 minute period bringing them back to within a point. As the home Lucan crowd got louder, Clodagh settled things with another pointed free but Lucan responded immediately to bring the gap back again to a minimum making for a nerve-wracking final 10 minutes. However our girls dug deep and managed to move the play back up the pitch where their attacks resulted in another 2 points from frees to turn the tide back in their favour.
Lucan broke through for 1 final score, their first from play, but they couldn’t close the gap any further on a day when the Boden rear-guard was outstanding in crucially keeping the ball from the Boden net.
F/T Ballyboden 2-7 Lucan 0-11
The girls now head off to Junior Certs, Gaeltachts and holidays etc. over the summer but will be back raring to go for U15 Championship in September when they try to follow League/Championship doubles at U13 and U14 with another at U15.
Team:
Back Row: Abbie Brennan, Shauna Feely, Sarah Gleeson, Alice Rudden, Ella McNair, Leonie Power, Clodagh Reid, Megan Dignam, Leah Cunningham, Kate Donaghy
Front Row: Hannah Byrne, Shona Kenny, Caoimhe O’Sullivan, Sadie Codd, Emmajane Weir, Megan Deignan, Aine Rafter