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U12 Girls Footballers Crowned League Champions defeating Foxrock Cabinteely in Final - Mon, 22 Jun 2009

St Brigids 3-9 Foxrock/ Cabinteely 1-7

The final league game of the season saw the top two teams meeting each other at Kilboggett Park last Saturday evening. There was more than just two points at stake, though whoever won the game would be crowned Division 1 champions. As it turned out, two very well matched teams produced a game which was high on quality, full of spirited performances, and kept the large crowd enthralled over the hour. St. Brigids started the first half with a strong breeze at their backs. The opening few minutes were tense as both sides settled down. Slowly, the Russell Park girls started to gain a foothold, and early scores from Ellie Wilde and Ciara McDonald settled their side. Another point from Aoibheann Lynch stretched the gap to three points after ten minutes.

Brigids then raised the green flag with a well taken goal from Catherine Leahy. As the half progressed, Brigids began to dominate possession and limited the home side to only the occasional trip into Brigids territory. Ten minutes before half time, came a hugely decisive period for the Brigids girls as Wilde & Lynch each hit the back of the net in the space of sixty seconds. Two further points left the half time score at: St Brigids 3-5 Foxrock/ Cabinteely 0-0. Brigids mentors Ken Nyhan and Pat Martin, however, knew there would be a tough 30 minutes ahead, and steeled the girls for a fight back by the home side after the break. Sure enough, with the wind at their backs, the defending league champions rallied strongly at the start of the second half. Two early points, were followed by a goal, and the large Brigids traveling support were starting to feel nervous.

The response from Brigids to the goal was critical ? they methodically worked the ball up the pitch and Catherine Leahy scored a magnificent point. The home side were not to be denied and drove relentlessly at the Brigids goal. Heroic defending - in particular from Emma Horan, Niamh O'Neill, Aoife O'Sullivan and Anna Greville - meant that FoxCab were limited to shooting from distance. And because of the severe pressure they were under, only some of those shots were successful. On the couple of occasions when the home side did manage to breach the defence, goalkeeper Emer Byrne twice denied them with superb saves. Crucially, though, the Reds midfield pairing of Anne Marie Troy and Katie Nyhan managed to get some quality ball through to the forwards. Catherine Leahy was ruthless when in possession, scoring two key points to weather the storm. Even still, FoxCab attacked right through to the end. At the final whistle, though, it was Brigids who deservedly won a magnificent contest, and as a result, clinched the Division 1 league title.

St. Brigids: E. Byrne, C. Jones, E. Horan, K. Donnelly, A. Greville, N. O'Neill, A. O'Sullivan, A.M. Troy, K. Nyhan, C. McDonald, C. Leahy, A. Lynch, E. Wilde, S. Martin, C. Griffin.

Subs: E. Maher, A. O'Reilly, M. Conway, R. Eccles, R. Doherty, A. Tully.

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