Junior A Championship

St Josephs 1-13 Corofin 0-13

St. Josephs and Corofin contested a close encounter in the final round of the Junior A
Championship in Gurteen on Sunday evening.
Ciara Whelan and Aoibheann Malone exchanged points in the opening five minutes, with Muirne Ní Chonaill, Amy Lenihan and Aisling Reidy firing over three points without reply for the home side. Siobhan Lane pointed from a free before Ní Chonaill split the posts midway through the half. Strong defensive play from the St. Josephs backs Alannah Meaney, Muireann Collins and Emma Towey resulted in a well taken goal by Amy Lenihan. Corofin’s Siobhan Lane pointed from a free a minute later, but the Parish replied with three quick fire points to go eight points clear. Lane and Ciara Corbett did manage to split the points in the closing minutes of the half, but Amy Lenihan pointed for St. Josephs to send her side 1-09 to 0-5 ahead at the halftime whistle.
Ciara Whelan fired her side eight points ahead before Louise Browne pulled one back in the opening five minutes of the second half.  Whelan added another from a free, but Corofin kept battling and tagged on two points from frees from Aleisha Malone and Siobhan Lane.
Muirne Ní Chonaill fired over a point and with the game entering the final quarter Lane and Malone added two more from frees. Amy Lenihan scored a crucial point with 55 minutes on the clock. From here, Corofin reeled off a hat-trick of points in the closing minutes but St. Josephs had done enough to seal a hard fought win and a semi-final spot.
St. Josephs: Ann Marie McGann, Emma Towey, Naoise Slattery, Orla Hoey, Alannah Meaney, Muireann Collins, Aisling Reidy (0-2), Muirne Ní Chonaill (0-4), Keira McGrath, Aoife Shannon, Vanessa Meaney (0-1), Amy Lenihan (1-3), Ciara Whelan (0-3).
Subs: Keira McGrath for Aoife Shannon, Rebecca Devine for Amy Lenihan.

Corofin: Lisa Clancy Laura MullenOrla Burke Rebecca Collins Emer Kierce Ciara Heagney Eva O Dea Ciara Corbett Rachel Fitzpatrick Aoibheann Malone Brenda Lee Ava Carey Noelle Crowe

Subs: Siobhan Lane for Aoibheann Malone, Aoife Forde for Orla Burke, Aleisha Malone for Emer Kierce, Corina McMahon for Noelle Crowe, Louise Browne for Brenda Lee (HT) 
Referee: Andy McMahon

Tulla 3-15 Ruan 0-8

With the wind at their backs and accurate shooting, Tulla quickly had the scoreboard ticking. Ruan struggled to gain possession and were behind 2-9 by the 15th minute. The visitors opening score came in the 17th minute and was followed by two more points before the break. Into the second period, and Ruan picked up the tempo forcing Referee O’Brien to award frees against the home team. However, despite being fully committed, Ruan were outscored in the second period 1-4 to 0-4. One grey cloud for Tulla, was the painful sight of Gillian Ryan being carried off late in the second half after an awkward fall. Overall, Ruan will take encouragement from some good passages of play, but at the whistle, it’s Tulla that progress to the semi-final.

Ruan: Niamh Lyons, Nicola O’Donoghue (Yellow card), Claire McDonnell, Rebecca O’Donoghue, Rebecca Crowe, Aoife Stankard, Lisa Whelan (0-5), Michelle Power, Lorna Crowe, Lauren O’Donoghue (0-1), Sarah O’Donoghue (0-2), Louise McDonnell, Rosin O’Loughlin

Subs: Natasha Hynes for Rebecca O’Donoghue

Referee: Neil O’Brien