Borrisokane Gaels claim first Ladies Football County title

LADIES FOOTBALL: Tipperary Junior ‘D’ Championship Final

Borrisokane Gaels 2-12

Rockvale Rovers 1-3

Report: Thomas Conway at Lacken Park, Newport

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Gillian McKenna (Borrisokane Gaels)

SCORERS – Borrisokane Gaels: Gillian McKenna 1-3; Emma D’Arcy 0-5 (3 frees); Nicola Kelly 1-0; Lorraine Cahalan, Clodagh Davis 0-2 each.

Rockvale Rovers: Clodagh Grimes 1-0; Lucy Lee 0-2 (1 free); Deirdre McGlinchey 0-1.

Irrespective of the outcome, this novel Junior ‘D’ county final on Saturday will go down as a success story for North Tipperary ladies’ football.

Both Borrisokane Gaels and Rockvale Rovers had broken down barriers to get here, and both clubs served up an entertaining spectacle in Lacken Park, despite a late change of venue and the lingering after-effects of Storm Amy.

In the end it was the favourites who prevailed, Borrisokane Gaels celebrating their second year in existence with their first county title.

Despite a spirited performance from the hosts, Gaels were ultimately the better side. Ace corner-forward Gillian McKenna was their chief markswoman - she bagged 1-3, including a crucial 45th minute goal that put any prospect of a late Rockvale comeback to bed.

They had flickered into life moments before, Clodagh Grimes surging forward from midfield and slotting home to reduce the deficit to three, but Borris withstood the onslaught and then responded with 1-2 in the space of five minutes as the third quarter drew to a close. After that, they cantered to a well-earned victory.

Rockvale will rue missed opportunities. They only registered two first-half points but consistently looked threatening on the counter-attack and did well to keep Gaels at bay for the first twenty minutes.

A close-knit, tit-for-tat opening quarter saw both sides exchange points. Lorraine Cahalan, deputising for the injured Laura Leenane at full-forward, booted over the game’s first score. She followed it up with another, before Rockvale corner-forward Lucy Lee showed some sublime footwork to pirouette around her marker and open the home side’s account.

In the twentieth minute Deirdre McGlinchey levelled proceedings with a wonderful individual score, blazing forward from wing-back and finishing expertly at the clubhouse end.

But from that juncture on, Borris started to assume control. Two frees, interspersed by a McKenna point from play, put them three up heading towards the interval, before Nicola Kelly deflected a McKenna free into the net in what would prove a killer blow to Rockvale’s ambitions.

And yet the home side came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half. Lee converted a free and within seconds Rockvale had the ball in the net via Grimes. Now trailing 1-6 to 1-3, the Newport/Ballinahinch-based outfit sensed an opportunity, but their hopes quickly disintegrated.

A couple of quick-fire Borris points arrested the Rockvale momentum. And when McKenna slammed her 45th minute goal past Marie O’Brien, there really was no coming back.

The pouring rain couldn’t dampen Borris’ quality in those final minutes. Their athleticism was key, as Vincent McKenna’s side eased home with a flurry of points, substitute Clodagh Davis kicking the final score - a sign of their strength in depth.

But Rockvale Rovers can be proud of their exploits too. They were underdogs going into this final and yet for a while in that second-half, they had Borris rattled. The visitors netted crucial goals at crucial times, and that was ultimately the difference.

With players like Emma D’Arcy, Cahalan, and most notably McKenna, Borrisokane Gaels have the potential to ascend further up the ranks.

They are a fast-moving, free-flowing team with an experienced coach and a desire to improve.

It all bodes well for the future of football in North Tipperary.

TEAMS - Borrisokane Gaels: Katie Kennedy (8), Nicola Lillis (7), Julie Brennan (7), Stephanie O’Sullivan (7), Frances Bugler (7), Rosemarie Bermingham (7), Sara D’Arcy (7), Amy Quinlisk (7), Eimear Fogarty (7), Clodagh Cahalan (7), Gillian McKenna (8), Nicola Kelly (8), Emma D’Arcy (8), Lorraine Cahalan (8), April Slevin (7),

Subs: Clodagh Davis (8) for Slevin (18); Celine Guinan (7) for Bugler (45); Anna Harding (7) for S D’Arcy (45); Ciara McKenna (NR) for Cahalan (60+1).

Rockvale Rovers: Marie O’Brien (6), Cliodhna Lenihan (6), Edel O’Brien (6), Chloe Quigley (6), Deirdre McGlinchey (7), Aoibhinn McNamara (7), Orla Coffey (6), Áilin Kennedy (7), Clodagh Grimes (7), Meabh O’Callaghan (6), Heather O’Neill (6), Claire Coffey (6), Caoimhe Troy (6), Eimear O’Brien (6), Lucy Lee (7).

Sub: Eimear Lynch (NR) for McGlinchey (59)

Referee: Seamus Delaney (Templemore).