Devaney on song as champions book final place

With Muireann Devaney scoring an incredible 2-11, champions Glencar Manorhamilton are on track to claim a four in a row of Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior Championship titles after they saw off a determined Kiltubrid last Sunday morning.

They may have had a 10 point win at the end but Glencar Manorhamilton still had to work quite hard to hold off a battling Kiltubrid who were trying to keep their championship season alive with a win that might have seen them back in contention for a place in the A Final.

Mary Alice Carson, Rebecca Rooney and Karen Connolly put in solid performances as did Kiltubrid's Michelle Guckian. However it was Glencar Manor's chief markswomen Muireann Devaney that drove her side to victory.

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It seems pointless having a dead rubber Glencar Manorhamilton and St. Joseph's clash next Sunday but that is what is down on the schedule ahead of the County Final on the weekend of October 13-14.

Kiltubrid started brightly and had Glencar Manor on the back foot in the opening three minutes. Michelle Guckian shot over to give Kiltubrid a fully deserved lead, largely thanks to the dominance of  midfielders, Niamh Tighe and Emma Guckian who won plenty of good possession from play at this stage.

But the tide changed in Glencar Manor favour when Muireann Devaney was fouled on the four minute mark after she drove at the Kiltubrid posts and Devaney put over the  free to level matters, adding another free five minutes later.

Laura Tivnan was on hand to whip over the leveller for Kiltubrid a minute later but the champions were starting to up the ante, going two in front after Devaney converted her third free before Leah Fox split the Kiltubrid post.

Glencar Manorhamilton took decisive command of the game when  Devaney crashed home a goal that gave goalkeeper Miranda Foley no chance after Karen Connolly put the dual sports star through for the goal.

Kiltubrid's Aoife McWeeney bursts past two Glencar Manorhamilton players Picture: Willie Donnellan

Devaney stretched Manor's lead  when she converted an 18th minute free. Kiltubrid rallied and reduced the deficit  to four points after Niamh Tighe and Michelle Guckian free added a point apiece.

In the remaining minutes of the  half Glencar Manor re-asserted their control of matters thanks to two Devamney points  and one by Aoife Gilmartin. Emma Guckian replied with a point as Glencar Manor enjoyed a 1-8 to 0-5 halftime lead.

Following the restart, Kiltubrid reduced the gap when Michelle Guckian shot a point but over the next four minutesManor hit back with two points in succession after Muireann Devaney hit the target on each occasion. 

However a Laura Tivnan 36th minute Kiltubrid point kept her side in the hunt. The teams traded points through Devaney and Guckian before the gap was back to five points when the Leitrim captain converted a free after a foul on Emma Guckian.

But the champions were always able to respond with Devaney converting a free after a foul on Orlaith Kelly while Leah Fox blazed a goal chance inches over the Kiltubrid crossbar.

In the closing minutes of the action Michelle Guckian whipped over Kiltubrid's last score in the contest, a point but the last word fell fittingly to Muireann Devaney when she took a pass from Aoife Gilmartin and blazed the ball to the net to bring her tally for the day to 2-11.

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KILTUBRID

Scorers: Michelle Guckian 0-5, 2f; Laura Tivnan 0-2; Niamh Tighe & Emma Guckian 0-1

Team: Miranda Foley; Claire Kelly, Sarah McCormack, Teresa Moylett; Laura Redican, Lauren Tivnan, Kelly O'Brien; Niamh Tighe, Emma Guckian; Aine Redican, Aoife McWeeney, Caroline Doherty; Ellen Keany, Michelle Guckian, Aisling McWeeney. Sub: Orla McWeeney for O'Brien (60)

GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON

Scorers: Muireann Devaney 2-11, 5f; Leah Fox 0-2; Aoife Gilmartin 0-1

Team: Cammie McPartland; Victoria Golden, Lauren Devaney, Clare Cullen; Mellissa Hewitt, Rebecca Rooney, Karen Connolly; Aoife Gilmartin, Anna Devaney; Roisin Rooney, Muireann Devaney, Lauren Devaney; Chloe Rooney, Leah Fox, Orlaith Kelly. Sub: Dearbhla Rooney for C. Rooney (47)

REFEREE: T.P. McLoughlin