Annaduff power past Keeldra to seal return to Intermediate ranks 

Annaduff head straight back to intermediate football with a 3-20 - 2:09 victory over a battling Keeldra Gaels, who fall short in the Sweeney Oli Leitrim LGFA Junior Championship decider for the third year in a row.

It was heartbreak once again for Keeldra Gaels, who fell just short of the mark against neighbours Annaduff in the Sweeney Oil Junior Championship Final.

This was the second time these teams have met in the final in three years, and the third consecutive year Keeldra Gaels have reached the decider - still searching for that elusive promotion to intermediate football.

Annaduff got ahead early and never fell behind, though they looked in danger at different points as Keeldra kept the pressure on to close the gap. However, a crucial goal from Chloe Dolan with ten minutes to go killed Keeldra’s challenge, and the floodgates opened.

Annaduff have bounced straight back up to intermediate football and, truth be told, looked the better and more well-rounded side throughout. They were solid defensively while largely dominating the midfield.

Their forward line looked dangerous from the outset and almost opened the scoring in the first minute when Aesha Newton’s shot was pushed away from the top corner by Katie Reynolds.

The early onslaught continued as full-forward Vivianne Egan converted a 20-metre free before slipping a lovely hand pass through to Ava Moll Lyons, who slotted a shot into the far top corner from a tight angle for the game’s first goal. Her sister and fellow corner-forward Jolie Lyons added a point on the next attack, putting the entire forward line on the board.

Keeldra struggled massively to get the ball out of their own half, but when they went forward, they made it count. A pinpoint kick from Tara Quinn found Saoirse Davis, who turned and slotted the ball along the ground past Carmel Charles in the Annaduff net for the perfect response.

The Annaduff team who defeated Keeldra Gaels in the Sweeney Oil LGFA JFC Final on Saturday Picture: Willie Donnellan

Annaduff remained in control and continued finding gaps in the Keeldra defence despite some heavy hits from their opponents. Chloe Dolan and Áoibhe Charles hit fine points to keep them comfortably ahead.

Shaylyn Ward put in a serious shift for Keeldra, acting as both playmaker and scorer. Annaduff struggled to dispossess her when she ran at their defence. She hit a point from 13 metres after one such run and converted a free on ten minutes to keep Keeldra in the hunt.

Vivianne Egan responded with a point - jinking left and shooting on her right - before Ward slotted over another free to keep Keeldra within four.

Chloe Dolan, who was unlucky to miss the intercounty season with a knee injury, was a powerful presence for Annaduff in midfield and set up numerous scores with her strong carries.

Midway through the half, Dolan drove at the defence and slipped a clever ball over the top to Ava Moll Lyons, whose close-range shot was tipped over the bar by Reynolds. Dolan followed up with a sweet point of her own a minute later.

Coming up to the break, both sides added to their wide tally. Tara Quinn hit a point for Keeldra, while Egan matched it by slotting over a 25-metre free for Annaduff.

Annaduff had the perfect start to the half in the opening minute - and the perfect end to it - when Egan pounced on a breaking ball from a long pass into the forward line. She rounded the keeper, evaded two defenders, and hammered the ball home from within a metre of the goal line.

Trailing 2-8 to 1-3 at half-time, Keeldra needed a big reaction - and they got it. They hit 1-2 to 0-2 in the first fifteen minutes after the restart.

The Keeldra Gaels team who were defeated by Annaduff in the Sweeney Oil LGFA JFC Final on Saturday Picture: Willie Donnellan

Saoirse Davis got on the end of a perfect kick pass inside and hammered the ball into the top corner before Ward hit two points - one from a free and one from open play - while Sarah O’Leary opened her account with a lovely curling effort over the bar.

Egan hit back for Annaduff, running at the Keeldra defence down the right and setting up Jolie Lyons for a well-taken point.

Keeldra had their tails up and pinned Annaduff inside their own half, winning another free easily converted by Ward to bring the gap to three - but that was as close as they would get.

Egan replied with a free before Keeldra almost blew the game open. A slick move ended in a point-blank shot from Leah Gilmartin, but her effort was brilliantly blocked by the retreating Isobel Fitzsimon.

Annaduff broke immediately on the counter, surging forward in numbers. Aesha Newton burst through a gap in the Keeldra defence and squared the ball to substitute Erin Newton, whose shot was blocked.

But Annaduff had another chance on goal instantly when the resulting 45, taken by Vivienne Egan, was spilled by goalkeeper Katie Reynolds - who had been solid under the high ball all day - and Dolan was in fast to pick it up making no mistake in the small square for Annaduff’s third goal.

That goal seemed to shatter Keeldra’s spirit as Annaduff took control all over the field.

Shaylyn Ward, Rachel Reynolds, and Eimear Duffy managed to pull points back for Keeldra in the final ten minutes, but it wasn’t enough. Annaduff finished in style, dominating the breaking ball and the kickouts, outscoring Keeldra 0-9 to 0-3 in the closing stages.

Egan hit three, while Hannah Farrell Sterling, Ava Moll Lyons, and Chloe Dolan each added two points to seal a 14-point victory and a well-deserved return to intermediate football.

ANNADUFF

Scorers: Vivienne Egan 1-5, 3f; Chloe Dolan 1-4; Ava Moll Lyons 1-3; Áoibhe Charles 0-3; Hannah Farrell Sterling & Jolie Lyons 0-2 each

Team: Carmel Charles; Síofra Mooney; Eimear Quigley; Ellie Sharkey; Lauren Cox; Saoirse McGlynn; Isobel Fitzsimmon; Chloe Dolan; Chloe Charman; Aesha Newton; Áoibhe Charles; Hannagh Farrell Sterling; Jolie Lyons; Vivienne Egan; Ava Moll Lyons. Subs: Leah Gilmartin for Áine Canning; Katie Charles; Megan Doonan. 

KEELDRA GAELS

Scorers: Saoirse Davis 2-0; Shaylyn Ward 0-5, 5f; Tara Quinn, Sarah O’Leary, Eimear Duffy & Rachel Reynolds 0-1 each

Team: Katie Reynolds; Maia Cunningham; Sinéad Sorohan; Faye Charles; Leona Reynolds; Aisling Sorohan; Sarah Reynolds; Sarah O’Leary; Tara Quinn; Eimear Duffy; Sarah Gray; Rachel Reynolds; Saoirse Davis; Shaylyn Ward; Áine Canning

Referee: TP McLoughlin