Connacht Intermediate Ladies Football Semi-Final – Sunday, 21st October 2018
St. Brendan’s 2-6 St. Nathy’s 0-5
Darren Kelly in Glenamaddy
St. Brendan’s are through to the Connacht Intermediate Ladies Football Final after this seven-point victory. Michael McHale’s team repeated their county final drawn experience of hitting nine first half wides but two goals at crucial times ensured they prevailed over the Sligo senior champions.
Ciara Gorman opened for St. Nathy’s on six minutes but St. Brendan’s first strike was a goal 60 seconds later from Rebecca Conway. It was a lead St. Brendan’s never relinquished as Michelle Delaney and Rebecca McPhilbin added white flags. But Gorman’s second kept St. Nathy’s just three behind.
Linda Booth pointed on 23 minutes giving St. Brendan’s a 1-3 to 0-2 interval advantage before receiving a yellow card and sent to the line for 10 minutes. St. Nathy’s looked to seize their chance upon the restart as they struck the first two points. Gorman tallied twice it 1-3 to 0-4 on 36 minutes.
However, St. Nathy’s weren’t doing enough damage and upon Booth’s return, she played a part in St. Brendan’s second goal effectively wrapped up the tie. McPhilbin started offloading to Leanne Walsh and she found Booth. Sinead Langan was waiting for the final pass on 43 minutes and it was 2-3 to 0-4.
It was a tough battle between two committed teams and St. Brendan’s suffered a blow when Conway had to depart after colliding with Delaney. But St. Nathy’s also went a player down after captain Ann Marie Coleman got a yellow card on 44 minutes.
Liadan Greally, Niamh Lohan and Hazel Hevehan (following a superb move involving Booth and McPhilbin) added three points to put St. Brendan’s out of sight before Aine Gormley completed St. Nathy’s account in injury time.
After going to a free taking competition, Westport will be St. Brendan’s opponents in the provincial decider. But after playing for five consecutive weeks, the Galway side will be glad to take a week off before chasing a first intermediate crown since 2001.
@ConnachtLGFA Intermediate Club S/F result St Brendan’s 2-06 St Nathys 0-05. Congratulations to St Brendan’s @gbfmsports @GalwayLgfa @SligoLGFA @oceanfmsport #LGFAClub @LadiesFootball
— Connacht LGFA (@ConnachtLGFA) October 21, 2018
Scorers – St. Brendan’s: Rebecca Conway 1-0, Sinead Langan 1-0, Michelle Delaney 0-1 (free), Rebecca McPhilbin 0-1, Linda Booth 0-1, Liadan Greally 0-1, NIamh Lohan 0-1, Hazel Hevehan 0-1.
Scorers – St. Nathy’s: Ciara Gorman 0-4 (two frees), Aine Gormley 0-1 (free).
St. Brendan’s: Sinead Kelly; Sarah Kelly, Maria Mitchell, Aoife McDonagh; Laura Farrell, Rebecca McPhilbin, Niamh Lohan; Leanne Walsh, Laura Mulrooney; Ellen Muldoon, Nora Ward, Linda Booth; Sinead Langan, Michelle Delaney, Rebecca Conway.
Subs used: Liadan Greally for Conway (39 mins), Hazel Hevehan for Delaney (44 mins), Emma O’Malley for Langan (57 mins), Michelle Doyle for Mulrooney (57 mins), Sinead Flynn for Ward (60 mins).
St. Nathy’s: Noelle Gormley; Aine Brennan, Angela Doohan, Maria Connolly; Roisin Scanlon, Jane O’Dowd, Jenny Creggan; Una Cafferkey, Ann Marie Coleman; Aoibhin Gannon, Tara Doddy, Kathleen Coleman; Ciara Gorman, Carol Coleman, Hannah Walsh.
Subs used: Aine Gormley for Gannon (36 mins), Ciara Lavin for Cafferkey (52 mins).
Referee: Vincent McMorrow (Leitrim)
St. Brendan’s face Mayo’s Westport in the 2018 Connacht Intermediate Ladies Football Final on Sunday, 4th November. Throw-in at Fr. Gibbons Park, Claremorris is 12pm.
