St Mary’s seal Corn Eimhear title in style

Corn Eimhear final

St Mary’s Magherafelt 5-12 St Killian’s Garron Tower 0-1

Holders St Mary’s Magherafelt, with 10 players from last season’s winning side, proved much too strong for first time finalists St Killian’s Garron Tower in Saturday’s Corn Eimhear final in Ballymena.

St Killian’s needed a good start and they pressed hard particularly during the opening quarter.  But the agressive tackling of the Magherafelt rearguard protected their goal-line and as the scores mounted at the other end, the task became even more difficult for the Antrim coast side.

The twin threat of Ballinascreen pair Eimear McGuigan and Jackie Donnelly caused St Killian’s battling troups endless problems.

Yet there were many positives in the Garron Tower performance and girls like Annie Leech, Ellen Hynds, Siobhán McKillop and Dervla Cosgrove stood out.  Indeed none of them could be faulted for their effort.

The opening goal came after a tremendous block from Ellen Hynds on Aine Murphy broke kindly for Eimear McGuigan in the 10th minute.

By the end of the first quarter their more clinical forwards had accumulated 1-3, and this was stretched to 1-9 by half-time.

Dervla Cosgrove posted St Killian’s only score at the start of the second half, but sub Emma Robinson’s first touch was a goal and Eimear McGuigan quickly added a second to effectively kill the game.

In the final quarter, Jackie Donnelly fired in two goals to complete a comprehensive victory with captain Meaghan Diamond becoming the first player to raise Corn Eimhear for a second time in the 59 year history of the competition.

St Mary’s : Una McKeown, Eimear O’Kane, Meaghan Diamond, Aislinn Craig, Faoiltiarna Burke, Ciara McAuley, Niamh Conway, Roisin Cassidy, Kirsty McLeod, Eimear McGuigan 2-6, 0-2 frees, Shauna McCusker, Clare Mulholland, Aine Murphy 0-1, Jackie Donnelly 2-5, Niamh McKee.

Subs : Emma Robinson 1-0 for A Murphy, Megan Kearns for C Mulholland, Susan McElwee for N McKee, Una McCoy for F Burke.

St Killian’s : Sarah Kane capt., Shauna Murray, Hannah Okasha, Ellen Hynds, Siobhán McKillop, Annie Leech, Clodagh McKillop, Laoise McKenna, Dervla Cosgrove 0-1, Mary Kane, Tierna Carson, Eimhear Carey, Dara Martin, Sinéad Convery, Molly McLaughlin.

Subs : Clodagh McAllister for S Murray, Aimee McDonnell M McLaughlin, Michelle Ward for E Carey, Marie Hamilton for E Hynds.

Referee : Cathair Cunning (Dunloy).