All-Ireland glory for St Ronan’s Lurgan

Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘B’ Championship final

St Ronan’s College, Lurgan 3-7

Presentation Collge, Headford 0-10

By PJ Lynch

TWO quick goals at the start of this Lidl All Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘B’ Championship final were the difference in the end as St. Ronan’s College, Lurgan head back to Armagh as All-Ireland Champions following a six points win over Presentation College, Headford in Mullahoran, Co. Cavan.

St Ronan’s College took control early in this clash, with Presentation College, Headford taking some time to find their feet. Conditions were making it tough for the players with rain coming down in the early going at Mullahoran GAA.

There were three minutes on the clock when St Ronan’s College’s Aoibhin Donoghue scored the first score of the match, a goal following a fantastic individual run which saw her put the ball past the Headford goalkeeper. Just a minute later Cassie Henderson extended St Ronan’s College’s lead with a great point from a tight angle.

St Ronan’s lead was extended further through Evie McCafferty as she found the back of the Galway side’s net – a goal created by some great running from Anna Lavery. Aoife McDonald scored a point for the Lurgan girls in the 7th minute, which would be their last score until the 27th minute of the game.

Presentation College, Headford started to mount a comeback then, after overcoming their initial nerves. Alisha O’Malley scored their first point on 11 minutes after receiving a pass from Katie O’Connor. O’Malley added to her tally a minute later before adding a third for Presentation College and a third for herself on 15 minutes. 23 minutes were played when Headford scored their final score of the half through Alison Fahy.

The final score of the half went to St Ronan’s College on 27 minutes through Cassie Henderson.

The second half started much the same as the first, with St Ronan’s College in the ascendency but Presentation College, Headford fought back to get three quick scores in three minutes through Emma Curran, Alisha O’Malley and Katie Farragher.

Two minutes later the gap was extended once again as Lurgan’s Cassie Henderson found the back of the Presentation College net with an unstoppable strike. Lauren McAlinden scored a point next for St Ronan’s College before Katie Farragher and Lily Jacques scored a point apiece for Presentation College to leave it 3-4 to 0-9 with 10 minutes to go.

The final scoring run saw Cassie Henderson add two more points to her tally and Aoibhin Donoghue score a point for St Ronan’s College before Eleanor Whelan scored the final point of the game for Presentation College, Headford.

Scorers for St Ronan’s College: C Henderson 1-4, A Donoghue 1-1, Evie McCafferty 1-0, Aoife McDonald 0-1, L McAlinden 0-1.

Scorers for Presentation College, Headford: A O’Malley 0-4, K Farragher 0-2, A Fahy 0-1, E Curran 0-1, L Jacques 0-1, E Whelan 0-1.

St. Ronan’s College: L Lennon, E McGavigan, M O’Hara, C French, E Conway, A Delaney, A Lavery, E McCafferty, O Campbell, L-M McAreavey, A Donoghue (c), A McDonald, C Henderson, C Magee L McAlinden. Sub: C O’Hagan for Magee (34),

Presentation College: A Kenny; H Divilly, A Carey, S Devine; C Kerrigan, K Reynolds, E Whelan; E Curran, K O’Connor; L Jacques A. Fahy, A. Curry; A. O’Malley, R. O’Brien, K. Farragher (c). Subs: A. O’Toole for Jacques (56), A Bohan for Fahy (47).

Referee: David Hurson