Redemption for St Mary's as they hold off wasteful Dromahair

Pairc Cil Tiobraid may have been the same venue but a very different St Mary's shocked favourites Dromahair to win the Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Division 2 title in dramatic fashion last Sunday.

The Carrick women suffered a heavy beating at the hands of Dromahair in last year's Intermediate Final at the same venue but it was a very different story last Sunday as Mary's took the game to their long time rivals and then hung on for a famous victory.

St Mary's Ladies celebrate after victory over Dromahair in high scoring thriller - GALLERY

St Mary's actually led by 14 points at one stage during the first half as they cut holes in the Dromahair defence but a ferocious  fightback from the north Leitrim women saw them cut the gap to a goal and then later just a point but St Mary's finished strongest, hitting 1-1 in the final stages to seal the victory.

Dromahair will wonder how they let this one slip as apart from a missed penalty, they had plenty of other chances to kill off their opponents but they found Caroline Guckian an impossible obstacle to overcome as she made a series of brilliant saves.

With Elise Bruen providing huge running and scoring power, St Mary's never say die spirit, epitomised by Aisling Leahy, Jasmine Maye and Lorraine Butler, meant that while they might have ridden their luck, they well deserved this famous win.

St Mary’s got off to a blistering start with Enya McWeeney firing over before a move involving Ellen Woods, Aisling Leahy and Sarah Reynolds ended with Elise Bruen charging through to goal inside two minutes.

Dromahair’s Sinead Kelly lifted her shot over the bar but St Mary’s were in rampaging form, adding points from Sarah Reynolds, Aisling Leahy (2), Bruen and Enya McWeeney as the Carrick side were profiting immensely from turnovers of the Dromahair kickout.

Points from Roisin Fowley & Hannah Clancy steadied Dromahair but Leahy pointed before Roisin Kelleher scored a spectacular goal from a tight angle to put St Mary’s ten points clear after 13 minutes.

Incredibly, that lead was extended to 14 points four minutes later when Elise Bruen made a great catch and charged forward to point before intercepting the resulting kickout to fire the ball to the Dromahair net. Dromahair were denied an instant response when Hannah Clancy was denied by a Caroline Guckian save & Jasmine Maye intercepted a fisted effort, Roisin Fowley putting over a free. 

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However, a goal did come when a high ball broke for Eabha Moyles who buried the ball in the net, Sinead Kelly quickly adding a point as the lead was down to nine points.

Dromahair introduced Amy Fowley as they finished the half strongly with points from Edel Kelly, Fowley (free) & Moyles with Elise Bruen & Roisin Kelleher  responding for Mary’s. Mary’s did have a big let off when Hannah Clancy cracked a powerful shot off the crossbar as they led 3-10 to 1-8 at the break.

Dromahair were a much different outfit in the second half and points from Amy Fowley and Roisin Kelly came either side of a good Guckian save from the Dromahair sub. A foul on Fowley led to a penalty for Dromahair and Brigid O’Reilly stuck it away with assurance to  leave just a goal between the teams.

Hannah Clancy was denied a goal by a good Guckian save who was then penalised for overcarrying but the resulting Dromahair free hit the post.

But Dromahair looked in control when they were awarded a second penalty for a footblock. However, Guckian got the better of O’Reilly in their duel, making the save and then managing to scramble to save the rebound effort from the Dromahair player.

St Mary’s lifted the siege when Elise Bruen pounced on a poorly executed resulting fifty and set up  McWeeney for a great point. Aisling Leahy pointed after a great pass from Sarah Reynolds but Dromahair regrouped and reeled off a point from Sinead Kelly and three Amy Fowley frees to get the gap back to a point.

Dromahair had another goal chance denied by Guckian as she saved shots from Amy Fowley and Aimee Harkin as the north Leitrim side were just unable to get the scores they needed.

The tide turned when Sinead Kelly was sin-binned for hauling down Elise Bruen as she charged through one more but Leahy hit the free badly wide. St Mary’s sealed victory when Lorraine Butler fired over before Bruen intercepted another kickout and after a scramble, Leahy fired to the net from close range for a famous victory.

Check out the fans basking in the sunshine as Glencar Manorhamilton Ladies get the better of Kiltubrid - GALLERY

ST MARY’S 

Scorers: Elise Bruen 2-3; Aisling Leahy 1-4, 1f; Roisin Kelleher 1-1; Enya McWeeney 0-3; Sarah Reynolds & Lorraine Butler 0-1 each

Team: Caroline Guckian, Aine Morgan, Jasmine Maye, Isabelle Chandler, Ellen Woods, Kasey Bruen, Hannah Stenson, Enya McWeeney, Emma Clarke, Elise Bruen, Sarah Reynolds, Rachel McGarry, Aisling Leahy, Lorraine Butler, Roisin Kelleher. Subs: Ellie Butler for Leahy (25), Leahy for Butler (38)

DROMAHAIR

Scorers: Amy Fowley 0-5, 3f; Eabha Moyles 1-1; Sinead Kelly 0-3; Brigid O’Reilly 1-0, pen; Roisin Fowley 0-2; Roisin Kelly, Edel Kelly & Hannah Clancy 0-1 each

Team: Aoife McTiernan, Ava Murray, Aine Vesey, Mary Farrell, Saoirse McGovern, Geraldine Roche, Roisin Kelly, Eabha Moyles, Sinead Kelly, Laura Fowley, Edel Kelly, Brigid O’Reilly, Hannah Clancy, Roisin Fowley, Erin McGoldrick. Subs: Amy Fowley for L Fowley (25), Jolene Clancy for M Farrell (44), Ella Foley for R Kelly (58)

Referee: Cyril McKeon