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Ladies Senior Footballers Reach Leinster Final defeating St Forcherns of Carlow - Sun, 11 Oct 2009

Congrats to the Ladies Senior Footballers who reached the Leinster Final defeating St Forcherns of Carlow. A tough test was expected as St Forcherns had won the Leinster Championship in 2007 and also had home advantage. The girls ran out convincing winners on a scoreline of 2-13 to 0-3.

St. Brigids 2-13 St. Fortcherns 0-3

Home advantage was of little use to St. Fortcherns, Fenagh, Carlow in the Leinster Intermediate Club semi-final as they were overpowered by a superior St. Brigid's on the day. The warning signs were there for them right from the throw-in when Sorcha Furlong won possession and set up Noelle Healy for the opening score of the game with barely twenty seconds gone. The home side responded but two scoring opportunities from frees were spurned by dangerous corner forward, Kellie Dalton. St. Brigid's passing game took some time to get going but when it did the St. Fortchern?s defence came under severe pressure.

Elaine Kelly was showing for ball and her link-up play with Noelle Healy, Orla Brennan, Aine Cullen and Sorcha Furlong coming through from midfield, was proving too much for the Carlow side. A goal and two points in a three-minute spell between the eleventh and fourteenth minutes gave the Dublin side some breathing space. Both points were scored by Kelly and she finished the day with 1-9 of her side's total, with four coming from frees. St. Brigid's first goal came about as a result of some intricate passing involving five players before Brennan turned and cracked a beautiful shot over the top of goalkeeper, Georgina Coleman and into the roof of the net from thirty metres out. St. Fortcherns lifted their game immediately and Dalton had them on the scoreboard with a point from a free. Another chance was wasted when the same player put wide from a free.

Their best opportunity came a minute later when goalkeeper, Ciara Lowry, opted to foot block an effort on goal from full forward, Mairead Hogan Gahan, resulting in the award of a penalty which Dalton struck well but pointed. St. Brigid?s seized control immediately after that let off and from there to half time rattled over five unanswered points, one from Aine Cullen and four from Elaine Kelly, the last one being an exquisite effort from a narrow angle. The Dublin side led by 1-9 to 0-2 at the interval. St. Fortcherns gave it a go right from the off in the second half but the St. Brigid's defence stood firm.

Kellie Dalton was switched to right half forward on Ailish McKenna but made no inroads there. In fact McKenna was a threat to the Carlow side on the counter-attack. Centre forward, Margaret Murphy, was proving to be the Carlow side's biggest threat and kept Aimee Molloy busy all afternoon. Five minutes into the second half St. Brigid's goalkeeper, Ciara Lowry, again opted to foot block an effort on goal and was lucky to only concede a 45 as St. Fortcherns players and sideline appealed for a penalty. Colleen Barrett who was effective in the first half both defending and attacking really came into her own in the second half breaking up opposition attacks and launching counter-attacks at will. She scored her side's final point when chasing a ball that appeared to be drifting hopelessly wide, she not only kept it in play but managed to score from an acute angle.

A well-deserved point for a player who always shows good attitude. Colleen set up Elaine Kelly for St. Brigid's second goal ten minutes into the second half which killed off the game as a contest. This was the first score of the second half. St. Fortcherns only registered one point with the breeze in the second half such was St. Brigid's domination and that came in injury time from a Margaret Murphy free. The Carlow side kicked eight wides in total during the game with four coming from frees and failed to score from play. St. Brigid's kicked six. This result doesn't made St. Fortcherns a poor team.

They came up against a St. Brigid's side oozing with experience and having Dublin county panellists to call upon. The Blanchardstown side played well as a team and are now through to the Leinster final on October 25th. Elaine Kelly, Colleen Barrett and Noelle Healy had outstanding games and were ably supported by Sorcha Furlong, Orla Brennan, Aine Cullen, Ailish Mckenna and Aimee Molloy. Aine Kinsella, Laura Corrigan, Sinead Doyle, Margaret Murphy, Kellie Dalton and Mairead Hogan Gahan worked hard for their side but to no avail. The game was well refereed by Mags Doherty of Wexford.

St. Brigids - C. Lowry, P. Bruen, S. Barrett, C. Donohue, C. Barrett, (0-1), A. Molloy, A. McKenna, R. Kelly, S. Furlong, A. Cullen, (0-1), E. Kelly, (1-9, 0-4, frees), O. Brennan, (0-1), A. Burke, N. Healy, (1-1), A. Kelly.

Subs - K. Crowley for A. Kelly, J. Weldon for P. Bruen, J. Kilmurray for A. Cullen and S. Devlin for A. Burke.

St. Fortcherns - G. Coleman, S. Kane, A. Kinsella, R. McDonald, L. Corrigan, A. Kane, M. Kinsella, S. Doyle, C. Corcoran, G. Cowman, M. Murphy, (0-1, free), L. Flood, T. Meaney, M. Hogan Gahan, K. Dalton, (0-2, 1 free, 1 penalty).

Subs - D. Foley for G. Cowman, C. Tracy for L. Flood and A. Kearns for T. Meaney. Referee - M. Doherty, Wexford.

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