Longford LGFA: Brilliant Ballymore crowned Intermediate champions
Circle K/Spar Ballymahon Ladies Football Intermediate Championship Final - Leah Sheridan Cup
By Blaithin Mulvihill
Ballymore ladies atoned for their 2025 final defeat to Killoe when they scored a resounding victory over 2023 champions St. Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh to claim the title in a one sided final played at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday.
The clash of the two former champions heightened expectations of a memorable encounter but what ensued was anything but the classic the large attendance craved.
In what was a free strewn game; only 2-6 came from open play with St. Brigid’s Gaels Rachel Keenan scoring their lone point from play in the 56th minute. Indeed the Ardagh girls centre-half-forward was Ardagh sole scorer converting nine frees and accounting for the entire 0-10 total for St. Brigid’s Gaels.
Ballymore’s Aisling Reynolds was the outstanding player on view accounting for 2-10 of her side's total in delivering a truly outstanding player of the match performance.
Ballymore’s Emer Heaney and Zara Drake supplied the remaining 0-4 in what was a dominant display by the North Longford ladies. Sorcha Dawson at centre-half- back and wing forward Marie Martin were two others who shone brightly; with Martin in particular covering every inch of Pearse Park throughout the course of the game.
A half-time lead of 1-12 to 0-5 put Ballymore in a commanding position at the break, leaving their opponents with a mountain to climb in the second half.
Try as they might St. Brigid’s Gaels found this a bridge too far and when Aisling Reynolds scored her side's second goal in the 52nd minute, the Leah Sheridan Cup was on its way to Ballymore.
The game opened with the game's sole two-pointer; a magnificent long range free from Aisling Reynolds in the first minute. St. Brigid’s replied almost immediately with a converted free from Rachel Keenan.
The opening exchanges proved to be a microcosm of what was to follow in a first half littered with frees. Aisling Reynolds and Rachel Keenan accounted for 0-12 between them from placed balls.
A superb goal from Reynolds in the 11th minute and two points each from Emer Heaney and Zara Drake along with a Reynolds point from play were the only moments to light up an otherwise dour first half.
The anticipated St. Brigid’s second half response never materialised and by the 46th minute they found themselves twelve points in arrears as Ballymore extended their lead even further courtesy of two converted frees from Aisling Reynolds.
St. Brigid’s replied with frees (0-2) from Rachel Keenan as their title challenge faded in the face of their black and amber clad opponents. When Ballymore’s second goal eventually arrived in the 52nd minute the game's final outcome had already been decided.
To their credit St. Brigids Gaels finished with three further scores, including their only score from play - all from the boot of Keenan.
Captain Leanne Keegan, Maria Hayden, Sian Gallagher, Emma Farrell and Katherine Kilduff all tried hard to stem the Ballymore tide but the day belonged to Ballymore and the scenes of celebration at the final whistle were a joy to behold as young and old embraced their heroes after a commanding display.
So Ballymore are back on top of the Intermediate division in Longford after a gap of six years. Following Saturday's victory the club will once more represent Longford in the Leinster Club Championship. Their new challenge will be to try and deliver another provincial title for the county (a feat they achieved in 2020).
Ballymore: Courtney Murphy, Amy Creegan, Eileen Boyle, Emma Boyle, Rachel Higgins, Sorcha Dawson, Ciara Heaney, Elizabeth Kearney, Deirdre Monaghan, Grace McEvoy, Aisling Reynolds (2-10, 1 two-pointer free, 7 frees), Marie Martin, Emer Heaney (0-2), Shauna Heaney, Zara Drake (0-2).
Subs: Aideen Kiernan for G McEvoy (41 mins), Molly Boyle for S Heaney (48 mins), Aoife Reilly for E Kearney (57 mins), Caroline Kiernan for C Heaney (59 mins), Nicole Neilon for R Higgins (62 mins).
St. Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh: Monica Bannon, Sarah Hughes, Leanne Keegan , Caitlin Derwin, Isabelle Fay, Emma Farrell, Saoirse McLoughlin, Sian Gallagher, Katherine Kilduff, Rachel Fallon, Rachel Keenan (0-10, 9 frees), Jenny Quinn, Sarah Jane Fitzpatrick, Maria Hayden, Ava Garcia.
Subs: Ella Duignan for R Fallon (half-time), Aoife Comerford for A Garcia (39 mins), Ruby Victory for S McLoughlin (41 mins), Chloe Reilly for S J Fitzpatrick (54 mins).
Referee: Tony Gaffney (Mostrim).