Longford U-18 ladies crowned Leinster Minor 'C' champions

Longford . . . 1-10    Wicklow . . . 0-12

Holding a commanding 1-8 to 0-4 half-time lead, Longford Minor ladies appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory over Wicklow in the Leinster ‘C’ U-18 Football Championship Final played at the Athy GAA grounds, Co. Kildare on Sunday last.  

But a courageous second half performance from Wicklow led to a very tense finish with Longford hanging on for a single point victory with Mia Kiernan scoring the crucial only goal. 

Longford started the game very well with David Tiernan’s charges fired up and full of running from the first whistle. A great team move saw Ailbhe Mulligan find Mia Kiernan free on the edge of the square and the midfielder calmly slotted the ball to the net for the opening score. 

That goal was followed by three quick fire points from Shauna Madden to give Longford a 1-3 to 0-0 lead after seven minutes. Wicklow got off the mark with a pointed free in the eighth minute.

Madden restored Longford’s six point advantage with a well taken free and the talented Clonguish player was in excellent form all day scoring eight points in total (3 frees), a performance that earned her the Player of the Match award. 

Equally impressive was the Wicklow free taker Yasmin Bishop who landed nine excellent points from ten attempts.

Mia Lynn scored Longford’s fifth point with a well taken effort and Madden landed three more scores (2 frees) while Wicklow raised three white flags to leave the half-time score at 1-8 to 0-4.

Wicklow emerged for the second half and took the challenge to Longford with fierce intensity and a high press which saw them camped in Longford’s half of the pitch for the entire third quarter, winning kick outs and drawing fouls from the now rattled Longford defenders, who struggled to win frees themselves, even when they appeared obvious.

 Bishop’s deadly accuracy from the frees yielded five unanswered points to leave the score at 1-8 to 0-9 and the Longford supporters were becoming increasingly nervous during this period of Wicklow dominance. 

Wicklow also kicked three wides in this spell and Longford’s goalkeeper Sarah McDermott made a series of great saves including a brilliant point blank stop when a goal looked a certainty.

Longford eventually got back into the game and Ballymore’s Zara Drake took on her captain’s responsibility to land a much needed point and another score from Shauna Madden further relieved the pressure. 

Great persistence from Michaela Hand, who took a lot of heavy challenges throughout, drew a high tackle foul and the Wicklow defender received ten minutes in the sin bin. Influential midfielder Alannah Murphy was forced off with a knee injury at the same time which also weakened Wicklow’s effort.

Longford were now back to a four point advantage nearing full time but the referee somehow found nine minutes of stoppage time and Wicklow were awarded three converted frees during this period to bring it back to a one point game.

 Longford defender Lauren Killian received a yellow card for a high tackle and vital interceptions by Ailbhe Mulligan, Orla McGann and Bronagh Reilly saw Longford hold on for victory as the final whistle eventually sounded in this very entertaining Leinster Final.

Longford scorers: Shauna Madden (0-8, 3 frees), Mia Kiernan 1-0, Mia Lynn 0-1 and Zara Drake 0-1.

LONGFORD: Sarah McDermott (St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh); Lauren Maguire (Dromard), Bronagh Reilly (Killoe), Elizabeth Kearney (Ballymore); Emma Feeney (Rathcline), Orla McGann (Ballymahon Forgney), Lauren Killian (Rathcline); Mia Kiernan (St. Helen’s Drumlish/Ballinamuck), Aoibhinn O’Brien (Killoe); Zara Drake (Ballymore), Mia Lynn (Mostrim), Ailbhe Mulligan (Killoe); Sarah Murphy (Sean Connolly’s), Michaela Hand (Grattans), Shauna Madden (Clonguish). 

Sub (second half):- Mia Campbell (Grattans) for S Murphy. 

WICKLOW: Bea Clancy; Sadhbh Ward, Beibhinn Lavery, Lucy Byrne; Naomi Wall, Niamh Brennan,  Anna Doyle; Ciara O’Neill, Alannah Murphy; Lauren McKeever, Rose Donohoe (0-2), Danielle Shannon; Charlotte Doyle, Yasmin Bishop (0-9, frees), Leah Tisdall (0-1).

Subs:- Freya Redwick for O’Neill (31), Karen O’Brien for Murphy, inj (48), Cria Cullen for Renwick, inj (56), Issy Parker (Kilcoole) for Tisdall (56), Lena Gleeson for A. Doyle (60+9).