⭐️⭐️FIVE STAR WIN FOR 16 GIRLS ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Dromintee 5:10
Clann Eireann 4:12
16 Final Match Report
In one of the most dramatic & memorable finales to a final witnessed in Dromintee in years the Under 16 girls beat their great rivals Clann Eireann by the smallest of margins to complete the league & championship double.
The win ultimately means that the club finish the year with five of the counties most sought after trophies, the minor boys double, league & championship, the minor girls league and the Under 16 girls double.
It will however be the nature of the win rather than the volume of trophies that will live in the memory from this encounter. Much was expected of the final given the intense rivalry between these two sides since they met at underage blitzes and this game matched and surpassed all expectations.
Amid a strong breeze and swirling rain showers Dromintee got off to the perfect start when Pippa Mooney showed a poachers instinct to grab an early goal after the Clann Eireann keeper could only parry a long range effort from Lily McBennett. The lead was short lived however as Clann Eireann struck for a goal of their own almost immediately. Livewire Grace Conlon grabbed a point for the home side before Lily opened her account for the day with two scores each cancelled out in quick succession by county stars Cassie Henderson and Abigail McMahon. That duo together with Brianna Magee were consistently the primary threats to Dromintee and would lead the charge for the Lurgan side across the hour. A McMahon free drew the sides level after 18 minutes before a late burst of three points from
Lily McBennett gave Dromintee a three point lead at half time. While the Dromintee defence marshalled by Sarah Murphy, Eabha McCreesh, Gràinne Laverty and no less than four O’Neills ( Emer, Ava, Sinead and Molly) could take comfort in holding Clann Eireann to a mere 1:03 in the first half many of those present feared a three point lead would not suffice with the home side facing into the stiff breeze in the second half. Special mention to the baby of the squad Molly O’Neill who produced a performance showing maturity beyond her years.
If the first half was cagey and structured the second was wild and instinctive with a total of twenty second half scores whereby goals were the order of the day.
The first helped settle some home nerves when Lily capitalised on a ball over the top to soccer style the ball to the CE net. Within minutes however McMahon was to the fore again with her second three pointer. Clann Eireann would take the lead for the first time within minutes with their third goal of the game . Emma Toale levelled the game with the first of her three scores before the ever industrious Pippa Mooney won a penalty which Lily dispatched high to the keepers left to push Dromintee ahead by 3:07 to 3:04.
McMahon (2) and Henderson again levelled the sides at 16 points a piece with just 11 minutes gone in a frenetic second half. It was now that the Caitlin Carnegie - Maggie Boden combination was tested and both responded with Carnegie keeping a rein on the Henderson threat and Boden acting as the key link between defence and attack.
Emma registered her second point before Lily again cut a path through the heavily fortified Clann Eireann defence finding the bottom corner to again give Dromintee a four point cushion. At this point the McBennett McMahon shootout was reaching its peak as Abigail hit four of the next five for Clann Eireann including her own penalty giving CE a one point advantage 21-20 with eight minutes to go.
Calm heads were needed and a cleverly worked passage of play starting with Caitlin McCann and involving Maggie Boden, Molly O’Neill, Caoimhe O’Rourke, and Emma Toale set Lily up for the levelling score, 21-21 with six minutes of normal time to play.
With Dromintee visibly tiring Clann Eireann pushed for home with McMahon registering another two points from frees in what looked like the decisive phase of the game as the second came with just a minute of normal time remaining. Two points can often be the worst of all leads and so it proved for Clann Eireann as with three minutes of injury time played and one last attack for Dromintee in motion Emma Toale was to win a free 21 yards from goal.
As the Lurgan defence sought to line the goals en masse and the home crowd crossed all limbs and said another mass Lily grabbed the ball and struck a perfectly flighted ball to the top right hand corner of the goal sending the home crowd into raptures and releasing a wave of emotion among the girls themselves.
Referee Kevin O’Neill allowed for the kickout but before Clann Eireann could even get out of their own half the final shrill blast saw Dromintee claim victory in the most dramatic yet perfect of ways. Both sides collapsed to the ground through a mixture of elation and exhaustion. Tears streamed in equal measure but in the most contrasting of manners as Clann Eireann saw victory snatched from before them and Dromintee saw victory secured in a fairytale finish.
The game was a credit to both sides and the contrast in emotions showed just how much of a titanic battle had taken place with so little to separate the sides. The win was further vindication for the guiding hands of James, Martin, Marion, Paul and Sean in bringing the girls to a first ever 16 double for the club but they would also be the first to acknowledge the essence of the victory lay in the endeavours of the collective group.
In front of a beaming home crowd county chairperson Sinead Reel presented the championship silverware to captain Lily McBennett who was quick to note the contribution of multiple coaches and parents across the senior, minor and 16 groups who had all played their part in the latest victory for the group.
The stewards and volunteers of the club were also thanked for the preparation that allowed for the staging of a double header with the Division One clash preceded by the Division Two clash of neighbours Mullaghbawn and Killeavy which saw Mullaghbawn come out on top.
The day was yet another source of pride for the club, a further demonstration of the wonderful facilities and the volunteer spirit that permeates through the club at present topped off by yet another piece of silverware . It will live in the memory of most for the epic battle, the dramatic crescendo and the perfect finish in every sense for a wonderful group of girls.
Team and scorers
Caitlin McCann, Emer O’Neill, Sarah Murphy, Eabha McCreesh, Sinead O’Neill, Molly O’Neill, Ava O’Neill, Caitlin Carnegie, Maggie Boden, Grainne Laverty, Emma Toale 0:03, Caoimhe O’Rourke, Pippa Mooney 1:00, Lily McBennett 4:06, Grace Conlon 0:01
Subs: Hannah McCrink, Sally Byrne, Ruby McArdle, Meabh Martin, Caitlin O’Grady, Nicole McNamee
Dromintee 5:10
Clann Eireann 4:12
16 Final Match Report
In one of the most dramatic & memorable finales to a final witnessed in Dromintee in years the Under 16 girls beat their great rivals Clann Eireann by the smallest of margins to complete the league & championship double.
The win ultimately means that the club finish the year with five of the counties most sought after trophies, the minor boys double, league & championship, the minor girls league and the Under 16 girls double.
It will however be the nature of the win rather than the volume of trophies that will live in the memory from this encounter. Much was expected of the final given the intense rivalry between these two sides since they met at underage blitzes and this game matched and surpassed all expectations.
Amid a strong breeze and swirling rain showers Dromintee got off to the perfect start when Pippa Mooney showed a poachers instinct to grab an early goal after the Clann Eireann keeper could only parry a long range effort from Lily McBennett. The lead was short lived however as Clann Eireann struck for a goal of their own almost immediately. Livewire Grace Conlon grabbed a point for the home side before Lily opened her account for the day with two scores each cancelled out in quick succession by county stars Cassie Henderson and Abigail McMahon. That duo together with Brianna Magee were consistently the primary threats to Dromintee and would lead the charge for the Lurgan side across the hour. A McMahon free drew the sides level after 18 minutes before a late burst of three points from
Lily McBennett gave Dromintee a three point lead at half time. While the Dromintee defence marshalled by Sarah Murphy, Eabha McCreesh, Gràinne Laverty and no less than four O’Neills ( Emer, Ava, Sinead and Molly) could take comfort in holding Clann Eireann to a mere 1:03 in the first half many of those present feared a three point lead would not suffice with the home side facing into the stiff breeze in the second half. Special mention to the baby of the squad Molly O’Neill who produced a performance showing maturity beyond her years.
If the first half was cagey and structured the second was wild and instinctive with a total of twenty second half scores whereby goals were the order of the day.
The first helped settle some home nerves when Lily capitalised on a ball over the top to soccer style the ball to the CE net. Within minutes however McMahon was to the fore again with her second three pointer. Clann Eireann would take the lead for the first time within minutes with their third goal of the game . Emma Toale levelled the game with the first of her three scores before the ever industrious Pippa Mooney won a penalty which Lily dispatched high to the keepers left to push Dromintee ahead by 3:07 to 3:04.
McMahon (2) and Henderson again levelled the sides at 16 points a piece with just 11 minutes gone in a frenetic second half. It was now that the Caitlin Carnegie - Maggie Boden combination was tested and both responded with Carnegie keeping a rein on the Henderson threat and Boden acting as the key link between defence and attack.
Emma registered her second point before Lily again cut a path through the heavily fortified Clann Eireann defence finding the bottom corner to again give Dromintee a four point cushion. At this point the McBennett McMahon shootout was reaching its peak as Abigail hit four of the next five for Clann Eireann including her own penalty giving CE a one point advantage 21-20 with eight minutes to go.
Calm heads were needed and a cleverly worked passage of play starting with Caitlin McCann and involving Maggie Boden, Molly O’Neill, Caoimhe O’Rourke, and Emma Toale set Lily up for the levelling score, 21-21 with six minutes of normal time to play.
With Dromintee visibly tiring Clann Eireann pushed for home with McMahon registering another two points from frees in what looked like the decisive phase of the game as the second came with just a minute of normal time remaining. Two points can often be the worst of all leads and so it proved for Clann Eireann as with three minutes of injury time played and one last attack for Dromintee in motion Emma Toale was to win a free 21 yards from goal.
As the Lurgan defence sought to line the goals en masse and the home crowd crossed all limbs and said another mass Lily grabbed the ball and struck a perfectly flighted ball to the top right hand corner of the goal sending the home crowd into raptures and releasing a wave of emotion among the girls themselves.
Referee Kevin O’Neill allowed for the kickout but before Clann Eireann could even get out of their own half the final shrill blast saw Dromintee claim victory in the most dramatic yet perfect of ways. Both sides collapsed to the ground through a mixture of elation and exhaustion. Tears streamed in equal measure but in the most contrasting of manners as Clann Eireann saw victory snatched from before them and Dromintee saw victory secured in a fairytale finish.
The game was a credit to both sides and the contrast in emotions showed just how much of a titanic battle had taken place with so little to separate the sides. The win was further vindication for the guiding hands of James, Martin, Marion, Paul and Sean in bringing the girls to a first ever 16 double for the club but they would also be the first to acknowledge the essence of the victory lay in the endeavours of the collective group.
In front of a beaming home crowd county chairperson Sinead Reel presented the championship silverware to captain Lily McBennett who was quick to note the contribution of multiple coaches and parents across the senior, minor and 16 groups who had all played their part in the latest victory for the group.
The stewards and volunteers of the club were also thanked for the preparation that allowed for the staging of a double header with the Division One clash preceded by the Division Two clash of neighbours Mullaghbawn and Killeavy which saw Mullaghbawn come out on top.
The day was yet another source of pride for the club, a further demonstration of the wonderful facilities and the volunteer spirit that permeates through the club at present topped off by yet another piece of silverware . It will live in the memory of most for the epic battle, the dramatic crescendo and the perfect finish in every sense for a wonderful group of girls.
Team and scorers
Caitlin McCann, Emer O’Neill, Sarah Murphy, Eabha McCreesh, Sinead O’Neill, Molly O’Neill, Ava O’Neill, Caitlin Carnegie, Maggie Boden, Grainne Laverty, Emma Toale 0:03, Caoimhe O’Rourke, Pippa Mooney 1:00, Lily McBennett 4:06, Grace Conlon 0:01
Subs: Hannah McCrink, Sally Byrne, Ruby McArdle, Meabh Martin, Caitlin O’Grady, Nicole McNamee
