U16A Cup Final

Inagh Kilnamona 0-9  Scarriff Ogonnelloe 0-4.

Inagh Kilnamona ran out winners in a tough encounter in Fr McNamara Park on Saturday as they took on East Clare side Scarriff Ogonnelloe.

It only took three minutes for the scoring to get underway when Inagh Kilnamona 's Elysha Rynne split the posts.  Scarriff Ogonnelloe replied with a score of their own from the puck out.  Inagh Kilnamona's Ailbhe Devitt won possession in mid field and found Rynne with an excellent pass and she duly put it over the bar.  Inagh Kilnamona showed great team play for their third score when Rhea Foudy pointed in the tenth minute and again their ability to find their team mates under pressure lead to a fourth point by Cliodhna Queally just before the water break.  Scarriff Ogonnelloe put the pressure on with the resumption of play and but for great defensive play from Inagh Kilnamona would deny them any score while Devitt put up three points (1f) and Queally put over her second before the half time whistle.  Half time score Inagh Kilnamona 0-8 Scarriff Ogonnelloe 0-1.

Despite Inagh Kilnamona's lead Scarriff Ogonnelloe displayed great determination in the second half.  Inagh Kilnamona won the throw in and when Mary McInerney received the ball she had no hesitation in splitting the posts.  However, that was to be their last score as Scarriff Ogonnelloe started to up their game and put three points on the board before the final whistle blew.  Inagh Kilnamona 0-9  Scarriff Ogonnelloe 0-4

Inagh Kilnamona: Eva O’Halloran; Alannah Foudy, Aine Longe, Grainne Burke; Shauna Queally, Eimear Burke, Roisin Shannon;  Cliodhna Queally (0-2),  Ailbhe Devitt (0-3 1F); Ella Fitzgibbon,  Elisha Rynne (0-2),  Aine Shannon; Mary McInerney (0-1)  Rhea Foudy (0-1), Caitriona Byrne 

Subs    Shona Keane for Caitriona Byrne, 

U16C Cup Final

Corofin 1-07 Éire Óg 1-06

Corofin took on Éire Óg in a thrilling game on Saturday in Clooney. Corofin were quickest off the mark as Keelin Fitzgerald found Aisling Nagle in space and she split the posts in the opening 30 seconds. Corofin won the puckout and were back on the attack as Saoirse Flangan sent a fantastic sideline into the Éire Óg square, however, a solid Éire Óg defence dealt with the attack. Another long ball in from Saoirse Flanagan was well blocked by Elise Ryan in the Éire Óg goals. Éire Óg went on the attack and an excellent shot from Ella Cahill dropped just wide of the post. Corofin won the puck out once again and Hazel O Brien struck the ball over the bar. Corofin began to hit their rhythm and kept pressure on the Eire Óg backs and some great team work saw Hazel O Brien get on the ball again striking for her second point of the game. Nearing the first water break Éire Óg opened their scoring with a well worked point scored by Rachel Russell leaving the score at 3 points to 1.

Éire Óg got off to the better start after the first water break and a ball that hovered around the Corofin goal mouth was sent out for 45 which Ella Cahill duly converted from a very difficult angle bringing the game back to a single point. The townies continued pressurise the Corofin defence and a well worked ball from the Éire Óg forwards saw an excellent Ella Cahill strike level matters. The girls from Ennis worked hard, pressurising the Corofin defence. Excellent defending from Kiera Fitzgerald and Ailbhe Cahill kept them at bay for long stretches, but, eventually, the townies were rewarded for their efforts as Cahill notched up a further two points from placed balls either side of a pointed ’45 from Saoirse Flanagan following a point blank save from Elise Ryan in the Éire Óg goal. Éire Óg went in at the half time break with the narrowest of leads on a scoreline of 5 points to 4.

The large crowd in attendance was treated to a very exciting and competitive second half in spite of the atrocious weather conditions, as the rain lashed down and a swirling wind blew across the pitch. Corofin went on the attack from the start and some great teamwork between Aisling O’ Loughlin and Tara Carey saw an impressive effort blocked by Eire Óg net minder, Elise Ryan. A pass from Áine Cleary found Hazel O Brien who once again struck the ball over the bar, levelling matters once again. In the next play, Corofin were awarded a free on the 20 and Corofin captain, Saoirse Flanagan stood over it, sending her superb strike to the top corner of the Éire Óg net giving Corofin a three point lead. This lead was short lived, as the Townies were awarded the mirror image of Corofins free with Ella Cahill stepping up and sending the ball to the top of the Corofin net. The sides were all square again at 1-05 apiece and remained that way at the second water break as Éire Ógs next attack was expertly blocked down by Lisa Murphy in the Corofin goal.

There was a real sense of excitement and anticipation during the final 15 minutes of play with the crowd on its feet, shouting encouragement to their teams. A Saoirse Flanagan pointed free edged Corofin ahead, but this was wiped out as Ella Cahill converted from a placed ball. Excitement was at fever pitch at this stage and thrilling battle raged on the pitch. Éire Óg were unlucky not to pull ahead as they had two shots go wide of the mark. The hero of the day was Corofins Áine Cleary as she broke Éire Óg hearts, sending an excellent point over the bar in the dying seconds of play leaving the final score at 1-7 to 1-6. Corofin captain, Saoirse Flanagan gladly accepted the U16 cup from county board chairman, Joe O’Donnell.

Corofin: Lisa Murphy; Ailbhe Cahill, Chloe Murphy; Kiera Fitzgerald, Saoirse Flanagan (1-02 1x ’45, 1-01f), Amy Fitzgerald; Keelin Fitzgerald, Aoibheann O’Connor; Aine Cleary (0-01), Tara Carey; Aisling O’Loughlin, Hazel O’Brien (0-03)

Sub: Hannah Moran for Aisling O’Loughlin

Éire Óg: Elise Ryan; Niamh Davies, Kate Talty; Sarah Murphy, Ruth Nihill, Kayla Connellan; Sadhbh Faughey, Shauna Faughey; Liadan de Ghlaisne, Annie Lynch, Ella Cahill (1-05); Rachel Russell (0-01), Sarah Broderick

Subs: Aoife Keane for Sarah Murphy, Rachel Murphy for Sadhbh Faughey, Aideen O’Donohue for Liadan de Ghlaisne , Ciara Hickey

Inagh Kilnamona U16A Champions 2021