Corn Uan Uladh final
St Patrick’s, Maghera 4-14 St Killian’s, Garron Tower 1-8
ALTHOUGH Eva McNeill opened this Corn Uan Uladh final with a point from a free in the second minute, the rest of the game in the Dub Arena was dominated by St Patrick’s, Maghera who collected their 20th title, and third in succession at the expense of St Killian’s, Garron Tower, with a controlled performance.
By the time McNeill landed a second point for her team, St Patrick’s had tallied up 2-7. Their opening goal came in the third minute from Grace Kelly and the full-forward line of Emma Quinn, Caoimhe Chambers and Aoibh Mulholland all registered points before 10 minutes had passed.
Chambers grabbed a second goal in the 12th minute and quickly added a point, while three frees from Quinn presented the Tower girls with a steep hill to climb.
Nevertheless, the sea-siders rose to the challenge in the second quarter, led by Eva McNeill with three frees, while points each from Amy McAlister and Clíodhna Thompson left them trailing by 2-9 to 0-6 at the change of ends.
St Killian’s also held their own during the third quarter with McNeill’s free in reply to points each from Cáit Conway and Grace Kelly. But two goals from player-of-the-match Katie McCloskey in the 48th and 52nd minutes killed off any remote hope that the Tower had of pushing the holders over the finishing stretch.
St Killian’s completed the scoring with a goal from Leona Gillan and a point from Clíodhna Thompson, but it’s Maghera who will go west as Ulster champions to meet Gort Community School in the All-Ireland semi-final on February 1.
St Patrick’s O Johnston, O McCartney, E Griffin, A McWilliams,
R Doherty, E Murray capt, B Brolly, C Conway (0-2), MT McCullagh (0-1), G Kelly (1-2), K McCloskey (2-0), L Cassidy, A Mulholland
(0-2), C Chambers (1-2), E Quinn (0-5, 0-4 frees)
Subs B Donaghy for L Cassidy (ht), E Conway for B Brolly (41),
L McKaigue for A McWilliams (46), É McElhinney for C Conway (48)
St Killian’s L McNaughton, L McCollum, M McAllister, E McCann,
E McNaughton, L Black, E Ward, E McNeill (0-5, 0-3 frees), L Gillan (1-0), A McAlister (0-1), K McNeill, C McNaughton, R Black capt.,
C Thompson (0-2), T Black
Subs S Carey for C McNaughton (37)
Referee J O’Neill (Armagh)
