Down U-16 Championship final
Liatroim 3-10 Clonduff 1-8
By Séamas McAleenan
LIATROIM Fontenoys may have relinquished their county senior title earlier in the month, but they have bounced back to win U14 and U-16 titles on consecutive weekends, with senior players Karen McMullan and Aimee McAleenan involved in the respective management teams.
In many matches at this time of year, a good start counts for a lot and Liatroim got one in Mayobridge on Saturday with Daire O’Shea’ picking out Cailin Burns with a free after three minutes.
Burns’s shot seemed to go all the way to the Clonduff net, perhaps with a touch past Ciara McPolin from Orla Owens.
The Fontenoys had the wind behind them but, apart from that goal, they weren’t really taking advantage by the end of the first quarter. Then Therese Cowan with a couple of frees narrowed the gap to 1-1 to 0-3 before a late spurt saw Liatroim take off.
Méabh McAleenan’s excellent point in the 28th minute was quickly followed by a pointed free from Aoibheann Farrell and the same player collected a free from Cailin Burns at the start of injury time to find the net.
There was still time for points from Daire O’Shea and Farrell and the gap had suddenly widened to 2-5 to 0-3 at half time, leaving Clonduff a far stiffer challenge with the wind behind them.
They started well with a point from a Therese Cowan free, but that was cancelled by a free from Aoibheann Farrell at the other end. Nevertheless, the game was back in the melting pot through a goal from Ashlinn Byrne in the 37th minute.
Liatroim though responded with points from O’Shea and Farrell frees while the pressure was on their defence. Gráinne McAleenan pulled off a superb save and there were also costly wides for Clonduff during the 15 minutes spell in the middle of the second half.
Three frees in a row from Therese Cowan though narrowed the gap to 2-8 to 1-8 with five minutes remaining. But the Hilltown girls simply couldn’t get the goal they needed.
Instead, O’Shea and Farrell with frees relieved the pressure and in the last minute, Orla Owens sealed victory for Liatroim by latching on to a free from Farrell and finding the net for goal number three.
In a way it was a story of the winners taking their chances, while Clonduff missed too many, but there also were big performances from the Liatroim defence.
Gráinne McAleenan, who had captained the U-14s to victory last week, was sound in goals, with Enya McCrickard’s clearances a huge bonus to a hard-working unit.
Daire O’Shea and Cailin Burns put in a big shift in the middle of the field where Therese Cowan was also influential for Clonduff.
Clonduff’s defence dealt well with the Liatroim forwards although the likes of Aoibheann Farrell and Orla Owens gave them anxious moments with their movement.
Caoimhe McConville and Zara Kelly were the pick of the Clonduff forwards but overall,l the Shamrocks will be disappointed there were eight points between the teams at the end.
Liatroim: G McAleenan, Estelle Austin, M Brannigan, M Clarke, E Savage, E McCrickard, Eloise Austin, D O’Shea (0-3 frees), C Burns (1-0), M McAleenan (0-1), A Farrell (1-6, 0-2 frees), A Burns, C O’Donnell, O Owens (1-0), E Willoughby.
