Kerry/Donegal had an easy victory over a very disappointing Fermanagh squad in the final of the Peter Connaughton Cup on Saturday at Gaelic Park. Once Niamh Cunningham got the scoring going with an early brace of points, this lethal full forward line would end up with a very impressive tally of 6-11 in the rout of Fermanagh. The combo squad was in total control as Catriona Brady and Michelle McVann kept the forwards well supplied while defenders Lilly, Foley, McGovern and company summarily snuffed out any Fermanagh attacks.
Star of the show Denise Dunnion followed Cunningham's scores with a brace of goals while Noelle Brophy also landed a pair of points . With five minutes to the break Kerry/Donegal led by 3-8 to zero and then Loretta Cunningham blasted a powerful shot to the combo net climaxing good support play by Caroline Murphy. This score temporarily energized the Fermanagh forward line as Murphy landed two points with Maria Walsh and Roisin Toner providing assists, though with a bit of luck the latter shot could have gone under but there was little luck or joy for Fermanagh on this occasion. Kerry/Donegal cruised to the break leading by 3-11 to 1-2.
The rout continued in the second half as Eilish Ward blasted two early goals, indeed they would add a total of 3-5 while limiting the opponent to just five points. Overall this was a superb team performance by Kerry/Donegal as every aspect of their game was perfectly synchronized and synergized. Though Fermanagh were completely outplayed and outclassed, still the efforts of McArdle, Fitzpatrick, Toner, Cunningham and Murphy were commendable as they were just shoveling the proverbial sand against the relentless waves of Kerry/Donegal attacks.
Kerry/Donegal Deirdre Maher, Una Burke, Louise Lilly, Kathleen Hickey, Amanda McGovern, Deirdre Foley, Niamh Britton, Michelle McVann, Catriona Brady(capt,0-1), Anita McKenna(0-1), Kelly Roche(0-1), Noelle Brophy(0-2), Denise Dunnion(2-7), Eilish Ward(2-1), Niamh Cunningham(2-3) Subs Ger Doheny, Aisling Curley, Aisling Collum, Sinead Leavy, Ciara Healy Fermanagh Caroline McArdle, Noeleen Fitzpatrick, Caitlin Slattery, Michaela Newell, Saoirse Finnegan, Josephine Maguire, Molly Boyle, Claire McElroy, Rosin Toner, Caitlin McGuigan, Maria Walsh, Caroline Murphy(0-5), Emer Tally(0-1), Loretta Cunningham(1-1), Aislinn Gormley Subs Christina Brown, Sharon Redican, Ashling Clarke, Ann Dunleavy, Annie Kelly, Orla Ryan, Grainne Fitzpatrick Player of the game, Denise Dunnion, Referee Etaoine O'Kane
Bronx hurlers take junior title
The junior hurling final was a very entertaining spectacle despite the very oppressive heat as the Bronx Warriors staged a very spirited second half display to capture the title.
Though veteran Mark Kennedy opened the scoring for the Bronx boys, the Hoboken squad had the upper hand in the first half principally due to the prolific scoring of Fintan Meehan, he had 2-3 in the period. Keeper Eddie Hogan did well to parry the first major strike but Meehan managed to bang the ball to the after Dave Costigan centered the rebound. The second goal was the culmination of good support work by David Costigan and Darren Coffey. The Bronx boys kept in touch with the industrious play and free taking of Dave Loughnane plus Eoin Loughnane, Darren Doherty and Conor Devlin also registered scores. Hoboken lead by 2-4 to 0-7 at the break.
Obviously a stern half time talk by hurling supremo Tom Nugent and some judicious substitutions by the management seemed to transform the Bronx boys as they played with a lot more zeal and purpose after the break.
After Dermot Kenny and Meehan exchanged early points, the proverbial impact sub David Slattery flew down the wing at blistering speed to blast the sliotar to the net to tie the game after seven minutes. He almost repeated the feat four minutes later as he launched into a similar run but a timely release to Dave Loughnane had the twines bulging again and the Bronx had the lead.
However as the intensity and tension increased Hoboken showed their mettle as they responded with four unanswered points. A foul on Slattery had Loughnane restored parity again with ten minutes left on the clock. Then tenacious defending by the Bronx rearguard saw the ball quickly transferred to the other end where Mike Maher deftly deflected the ball into the path of the lurching Eoin Loughnane for him to blast to the net as the Bronx bench erupted in jubilation. The Bronx squad consolidated their lead with points from super sub Slattery and chief scorer Loughnane. Hoboken went down battling but all they could muster was a late point from their player best Meehan. The Bronx victory was fashioned by generating scores in the second while also keeping danger man Meehan in check.
Hoboken Guards: Colm Reilly, Conor Costigan, Daniel Guider, Cathal Flynn, Kieran Dowling, David Cosgrave, Simon Brickenden, Darren Coffey, Stephen Heise, Pat Egan(0-1), David Costigan(0-2), Kealim O'Hare, Fintan Meehan(2-6) Subs Niall Frisby, Declan Hogan Bronx Warriors: Eddie Hogan, Phil Wickham, Eoghan McGarry, Peter Hatzer, Dermot Kenny(0-1), Emmett Morrissey, Willie Kelleher , Jason Daly, Davie Loughnane(1-5), Eoin Loughnane(1-1), Gary Nugent, Mark Kennedy(0-1), Darren Doherty(0-1) Subs Gary Donoghue, Conor Devlin(0-1), Richie Morgan, Mike Maher, Conor Hunter, David Slattery(1-1) Referee Joe Joe O'Sullivan Man of Match David Slattery
Cavan upset Na Fianna
Cavan produced the upset of the season as the highly vaunted Na Fianna's quest for a three peat came to a crashing halt at the hands of the Breffni Ladies. Na Fianna's forte has been their high scoring exploits over the last three years but Cavan found their Achilles heel, which was their porous defense, in this Sean Faherty Cup final.
The Breffni Blues had the scoring weapons in Alisha Jordan, Theresa Marren, Caitlin Hynes, Emma Clarke and Linda McKeon to exploit the defensive lapses to the fullest. In addition Cavan's rearguard blunted Na Fianna's high powered attack, though Molly O'Rourke was always a serious threat. Meanwhile the early omens looked good for the reigning champions as Molly O'Rourke set up Aine Dwyer for the opening score. Wing back Catriona Lynch soon added another with a rather unorthodox lead up as she raced on to receive her own pass.
After five minutes Emma Clarke showed exquisite skill as she sent over Cavan's first point and this was the signal for a scoring spree. Goal number one came from a good diagonal delivery from Rosie O'Reilly-Broderick to Emma Clarke which she knocked down for the inrushing Alisha Jordan to finish to the net. The resultant kick out was swiftly returned straight to the net by Linda McKeon.
At the other end Molly got a point back before she forced a good save from keeper Kilkenny, who was coolness personified. For the remainder of the period Cavan were in total control as they would hit another 1-8. Theresa Marren struck her first goal while Clarke, Hynes, Jordan, Feeney and O'Reilly-Broderick landed points to lead a shell shocked Na Fianna by 3-9 to 0-4 at the break.
The inevitable push back from Na Fianna came shortly after the break as the ever dangerous Molly set up Orlagh Egan for their first goal. A minute later hopes of a mighty comeback seemed to be in the works as Molly weaved and dodged her way past several defenders to land goal number two in the space of two minutes. However those hopes were quickly dashed in the next five minutes as Cavan struck for 2-1.
First Jordan landed a free for a point before a long ball from Marren floated through a thicket of layers to nestle in the net. Marren was also the architect of the fifth goal as another long came back off the cross bar but Caitlin Hynes reacted fastest to belt the ball to the net, giving Cavan a sixteen points lead with just ten minutes left. Na Fianna did manage to add two points from Aine Dwyer and a goal from Molly as Cavan were down two players due to the sin bin. These penalties were rather strange given the way Emma Clarke was persistently pushed, pulled and tugged and no punitive action was taken.
The presentation was unique if not somewhat a family affair. Rosie O'Reilly-Broderick, the chairperson of Cumman Peil Na mBan, presented the Sean Faherty Cup, to the Cavan captain Nicola O'Reilly, her sister-in-law. Unfortunately Nicola was unable to play due to injury and she also happens to be the wife of the Cavan Manager Dessie O'Reilly. As for Rosie this was her 14th championship medal and her 20th season of playing in New York, a record that is not likely to be equaled.
Cavan Nora Kilkenny, Paula Lally, Aoife O'Rourke, Caroline McBrien, Karen Feeney(0-1), Ashley Callery, Katie McEvoy, Linda McKeon(1-0), Mary Maguire, Caitlin Hynes(1-1), Theresa Marren(2-3), Alisha Jordan(1-2), Rosie O'Reilly-Broderick(0-1), Emma Clarke(0-3), Nicola King Subs Nicola O' Reilly(capt) Mairead Hynes, Bridget Mulligan, Kelly Donoghue, Katie Kilkenny, Sharon Brady, Catriona Raftery, Shauna Coyne, Aimee Gomez, Justine Clifford Na Fianna Alison Leyden, Imelda Mullarkey, Jesse Garcia, Stephanie Tierney, Caitriona Lynch, Joanne Monaghan, Shannon Spillane, Michelle Brennan, Aine Dwyer(0-4), Brianna Tierney, Deirdre Doherty, Aine Gormley, Selena Moylan, Molly O'Rourke(2-1), Orlagh Egan(1-0) Subs Fiona O'Dwyer, Karen Henry, Stacey McCann, Mary O'Rourke, Joanne McKenna, Kelly McCormack, Beth Higgins, Devon Nugent, Bridget Judd, Joanne McKenna. Referee Etaoine O'Kane Player of the game Theresa Marren
Armagh do work in opening half
In this contest of northern teams Armagh produced a dominating opening half to lead by 2-6 to 0-2 at the break. Though Aidan Power surged form defense for the opening score after five minutes, it was Armagh who sub sequentially picked up the pace to land four unanswered points. Though Sean Armstrong, Tyrone's most effective player would get one back, Armagh finished strongly as Ciaran Conlon and Kevin Rodgers blasted in goals to leave the Orchard county in a commanding position at the break.
On the resumption Armagh seemed to be on course for a route as points from Kyle Carragher and Conor King pushed them further ahead.
