Mairéad Kavanagh of Limerick celebrates after scoring her side's third goal during the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Junior Championship Final. David Fitzgerald/SPORTSFILE
treaty trophy
Three goals in five first-half minutes sees Limerick land second All-Ireland junior title
Mairéad Kavanagh scored two and provided three goal assists as Limerick hit Louth for five in Croke Park.
TWO GOALS EACH from Mairéad Kavanagh and Rebecca Delee secured a second TG4 All-Ireland junior title for Limerick, who can look forward to intermediate football next summer.
The Munster women scored three goals in five first-half minutes to pull clear of Louth, and although Kate Flood drove a Louth comeback after the break, Cliona Ní Cheallaigh and Delee ended their hopes with a couple of quick goals, while the impressive Kavanagh laid on three assists.
There was a very nervy start from both sides, with Louth off target from their first two close in frees before Flood slotted the game’s first score.
Meanwhile, Limerick registered four wides and dropped another two into Una Pearson’s hands before Catríona Davis levelled matters at a point apiece in the 15th minute. But Limerick were well on top and had played most of the first period inside Louth’s half. And, in a blistering spell, they put the game beyond their Leinster opponents.
The first goal arrived from Kavanagh following an assist from Davis, and her shot found the net via a deflection off Eimear Byrne. A confident Kavanagh added a great point from the right moments later to stretch Limerick’s lead, but better was to come.
Advertisement
Delee fires home. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
After 22 minutes a rapid exchange of passes between Davis and Kavanagh freed Delee and she rattled the roof of the net, and one minute later Kanavagh soared highest to flick Davis’s free to the net for a 3-2 to 0-1 lead. There was a hint of square ball about the goal, but Limerick were very good value for that lead, which they carried into the interval.
While Louth had tried their best to crowd out the Limerick attack in the first-half, it was their own forward line that suffered most from the tactic, and after the restart they pushed captain Flood into the full-forward line, and she kicked two of three consecutive points for her side.
Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
But Limerick continued to patiently work the ball through the hand and with Kavanagh unstoppable up front – she laid on two goals in a minute for Ní Cheallaigh and Delee – they ran out convincing winners.
Scorers
Limerick: M Kavanagh 2-2, R Delee 2-1, C Ní Cheallaigh 1-0, D O’Brien 0-2, C Davis 0-1 (0-1f).
Louth: L Boyle 0-4 (0-3f), K Flood 0-3 (0-2f), A Russell 0-1
Limerick – M Giltenane; A Hartigan, S O’Sullivan, K Reidy; A McGrath, N Ryan, C Mee; M O’Shea, L Hanley; R Ambrose, R Delee, C Ní Cheallaigh; O Giltenane, C Davis, M Kavanagh.
Subs: K Heelan for Davis (39), C Hickey for Ní Cheallaigh (46), D O’Brien for Ambrose (50), M Walsh for O’Sullivan (55), K Geary for McGrath (57).
Louth – U Pearson; M McMahon, E Murray, S McLoughlin; A Russell, E Byrne, C Nolan; R Carr, S Woods; J McGuinness, K Flood, N Rice; L Boyle, B Fleming, A Breen.
Subs: R Kavanagh for McGuinness (45), E Hand for Murray (50), M McArdle for Byrne (58).
Referee: Niall McCormack (Laois).
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
5 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Three goals in five first-half minutes sees Limerick land second All-Ireland junior title
Limerick 5-6
Louth 0-8
TWO GOALS EACH from Mairéad Kavanagh and Rebecca Delee secured a second TG4 All-Ireland junior title for Limerick, who can look forward to intermediate football next summer.
The Munster women scored three goals in five first-half minutes to pull clear of Louth, and although Kate Flood drove a Louth comeback after the break, Cliona Ní Cheallaigh and Delee ended their hopes with a couple of quick goals, while the impressive Kavanagh laid on three assists.
There was a very nervy start from both sides, with Louth off target from their first two close in frees before Flood slotted the game’s first score.
Meanwhile, Limerick registered four wides and dropped another two into Una Pearson’s hands before Catríona Davis levelled matters at a point apiece in the 15th minute. But Limerick were well on top and had played most of the first period inside Louth’s half. And, in a blistering spell, they put the game beyond their Leinster opponents.
The first goal arrived from Kavanagh following an assist from Davis, and her shot found the net via a deflection off Eimear Byrne. A confident Kavanagh added a great point from the right moments later to stretch Limerick’s lead, but better was to come.
After 22 minutes a rapid exchange of passes between Davis and Kavanagh freed Delee and she rattled the roof of the net, and one minute later Kanavagh soared highest to flick Davis’s free to the net for a 3-2 to 0-1 lead. There was a hint of square ball about the goal, but Limerick were very good value for that lead, which they carried into the interval.
While Louth had tried their best to crowd out the Limerick attack in the first-half, it was their own forward line that suffered most from the tactic, and after the restart they pushed captain Flood into the full-forward line, and she kicked two of three consecutive points for her side.
But Limerick continued to patiently work the ball through the hand and with Kavanagh unstoppable up front – she laid on two goals in a minute for Ní Cheallaigh and Delee – they ran out convincing winners.
Scorers
Limerick: M Kavanagh 2-2, R Delee 2-1, C Ní Cheallaigh 1-0, D O’Brien 0-2, C Davis 0-1 (0-1f).
Louth: L Boyle 0-4 (0-3f), K Flood 0-3 (0-2f), A Russell 0-1
Limerick – M Giltenane; A Hartigan, S O’Sullivan, K Reidy; A McGrath, N Ryan, C Mee; M O’Shea, L Hanley; R Ambrose, R Delee, C Ní Cheallaigh; O Giltenane, C Davis, M Kavanagh.
Subs: K Heelan for Davis (39), C Hickey for Ní Cheallaigh (46), D O’Brien for Ambrose (50), M Walsh for O’Sullivan (55), K Geary for McGrath (57).
Louth – U Pearson; M McMahon, E Murray, S McLoughlin; A Russell, E Byrne, C Nolan; R Carr, S Woods; J McGuinness, K Flood, N Rice; L Boyle, B Fleming, A Breen.
Subs: R Kavanagh for McGuinness (45), E Hand for Murray (50), M McArdle for Byrne (58).
Referee: Niall McCormack (Laois).
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
GAA Ladies Football treaty title treaty trophy