Home news-folder Scoil Iosa Ladies Leinster Senior Gaelic Football Champions 2014

Scoil Iosa Ladies Leinster Senior Gaelic Football Champions 2014

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Result Scoil Iosa Malahide 0-9 Gorey Community School 1-5 Today Tuesday 11 March 2014 Scoil Iosa Senior Ladies won the Leinster Gaelic Football School Championship against Gorey Community School in Bray Emmet's Ground in Wicklow. Scoil Iosa 0-9 Gorey CS 1-5. This was a very tough game right up to the final whistle. In this Leinster Championship because of the high number of teams in Dublin, winning Dublin gave Scoil Iosa a passage straight into the Leinster Final. Scoil Iosa won five games in Dublin before winning the Dublin Title last week. Gorey CS on the other hand had to travel around the Provence with one game against Offaly opposition actually played over the Provincial border in Tipperary

There was no doubt that the two best teams in Leinster were actually contesting the final. Scoil Iosa Seniors have for the last few years been coached by John Mangan who has really done magnificent work with the School GAA since taking over a few years ago (John is a first cousin of our own Syls GAA legend Lisa McIntyre so it is obviously in the blood. Lisa won a Leinster and All Ireland medal with Scoil Iosa in 2002). John Mangan has also been assisted by the Syls Minor Mentors of the past two years including Ann Uí Mhordha & Declan Hetherton. Gorey are coached by that great Wexford Football Goalkeeper Anthony Masterson who has also done great work in that School.

Scoil Iosa had a panel of 30 girls and put out a very strong team. As can be expected Gorey also had a very strong team. Gorey came out of the blocks very fast and scored an early goal and an early point Gorey 1-1 Scoil Iosa 0-0. The Referee of the day was the most strict Referee in relation to over carrying that the writer has ever seen. It was decided by the Scoil Iosa Management team to get the girls to release the ball as soon as possible to avoid giving away frees. This worked and Seanna Reilly kicked two early points after several short passing movements. Eimear Treacy added another point. Louise Ryan, Lucia Hughes, and Gráine McGinty also added points. Before half time Lisa Murphy added a point leaving it Scoil Iosa 0-7 Gorey 1-1 at half time. In fairness this score did not reflect the difference between the two teams. The game was very balanced with great defending on both sides.

At half time there was very heated discussion from mentors on both sides. At the start of the second half the pressure was put on Scoil Iosa big time. The Dubs are not going to travel to many Counties and come away with an easy victory. After a good deal of pressure from Gorey they tacked on two more points leaving it at Scoil Iosa 0-7 Gorey 1-3 one Point in the difference. At this stage Emma Lynch stood up and scored a point leaving it Scoil Iosa 0-8 Gorey 1-3. However Gorey put on huge pressure and scored two more points bringing the match back level Scoil Iosa 0-8 Gorey 1-5. This was nail biting stuff and Emma Lynch stood up to the mark once again with a point to make it Scoil Iosa 0-9 Gorey 1-5. While this looked like the last score the match was not over yet and Gorey put on huge pressure to try to get another point or goal. At one stage the ball dropped on the Scoil Iosa goal line and the writer observed a pair of hands grab it up from the line. Luckily from Scoil Iosa's point of view it was a Malahide pair of hands.