Conlon leads Glencar Manorhamilton to double

Glencar Manorhamilton claimed a Gotham Dry Wall Leitrim LGFA championship double in the incredibly early hours of Sunday morning when they comfortably saw off a young Annaduff to add the Junior title to their Senior crown in Boggaun.

Having completed a senior three in a row a few weeks earlier, Glencar Manor demonstrated their strength in depth by brushing aside the challenge of a battling but very young Annaduff side who nevertheless demonstrated a lot of potential. In fact, this game should have been a lot closer as Annaduff enjoyed lots of possession but lacked the cutting edge the home side enjoyed, Rachel Conlon's eye for a score a key reason in her team's victory.

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Conlon, who along with full-back Lauren Devaney, saw action in the Connacht Senior Club clash against St Nathy's later on Sunday, was just one of a number of players who are no doubt pushing for a place in their senior team's line-up with Aisling Faulkner, Orlaith Kelly and Emma McGloin impressing.

The  Boggaun pitch was in superb condition for the first half but torrential rain  that landed during halftime made this a test of willpower as much as football as both teams endured some atrocious conditions yet produced good football.

Vivienne Egan opened the scoring with a point after just 40 seconds after  an Egan free was cleared but the north Leitrim side hit back in style when Rachel Conlon gathered a crossfield pass in behind the Annaduff defence and finished to the net.

Conlon and Egan swapped frees in the following minutes before Annaduff put together a wonderful move that ended with Aoibhe Charles firing powerfully to the Manor net to put her team a point to the good, a lead extended when Egan fired over after a good run two minutes later.

Glencar Manor settled themselves and a great move down the wing ended with Niamh McEnroy firing over before Conlon burst through tackles to point and level the scores after 11 minutes.

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A long ball into Grainne O’Connor saw her pass it back out to Conlon who grabbed her second goal of the game with a fabulous finish and the Manor women started to put on with Orlaith Kelly firing over a point a minute later.

Conlon added two more points, one from a free with Egan converting a free in the last minute to leave Glencar Manorhamilton with a 2-6 to 1-4 halftime lead.

Annaduff started well as the conditions deteriorated badly, driving rain making football very difficult for both sides but Aoibhe Charles’ point inside the opening minute would turn out to be their only score of the entire half.

Orlaith Kelly responded almost immediately before good work from Niamh Loughlin set up Grainne O’Connor for a fourth minute point. Annaduff keeper Aoibhlinn Maxwell made a good save from Rachel Conlon’s shot seconds later.

Annaduff started to dominate possession but they couldn’t get the scores they needed to get back into the game with Aesha Newton and Egan going closest, Egan driving a low shot across the face of the Manor goal.

Glencar Manor lifted the siege when they broke and Niamh McEnroy fired over with ten minutes to go and the winners would add further points from Emma McGloin and Player of the Match Rachel Conlon to seal a comfortable victory.

Fans brave the rain to cheer on their heroes in Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Intermediate Final - GALLERY

GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON

Scorers: Rachel Conlon 2-5, 2F; Orlaith Kelly & Natasha McEnroy 0-2 each; Emma McGloin & Grainne O’Connor 0-1 each

Team: Jessica Kerrigan, Victoria Golden, Lauren Devaney, Aoibhe McGrath, Aine McLoughlin, Mairead Clancy, Emma McGloin, Sarah Brady, Aisling Faulkner, Rachel Conlon, Orlaith Kelly, Rebecca Golden, Natasha McEnroy, Niamh Loughlin, Grainne O’Connor. Subs: Amanda Sweeney for R Golden (51); Emma Fox for McEnroy (55); Maeve McMorrow for O'Connor (59); Mary O’Brien for Loughlin (61)

ANNADUFF

Scorers: Aoibhe Charles 1-1; Vivienne Egan 0-3, 2f; Chloe Dolan 0-1

Team: Aoibhlinn Maxwell, Chloe McWeeney, Maeve Newton, Carmel Charles, Saoirse McGlynn, Eimear Quigley, Clara Keane, Aesha Newton, Chloe Dolan, Alannah Murray, Erin Newton, Emily Gannon, Aoibhe Charles, Vivienne Egan, Valerie McGuinness Cole. Subs: Hannah Farrell for McGuinness Cole (42); Eimear Keville for Gannon (51)

Referee: Pat O’Toole