Kilmurray fires Loman's to victory over Garrycastle

St Loman's 6-13, Garrycastle 3-8

St Loman’s U16 ladies were crowned Division 1 county champions on Wednesday night of last week on their own home patch as they swept aside a valiant but ultimately second-best Garrycastle outfit.

The Mullingar side scored a whopping 6-13 in the process, with the tally including a sensational 3-4 from regular senior player Katie Kilmurray.

The opening score from Garrycastle midfielder and captain Aislinn Kelly looked to have set them off in a positive manner with an accurate free, but the Loman’s response was ferocious. Kilmurray levelled with a free of her own and when Keelin Burke retrieved the resulting kick-out, there was only one outcome as the green flag was raised aloft.

Struggling to cope with the sheer weight of blue jerseys pressing high, the green and red side could not get their forwards into the game as Gráinne Cleary finished off a sweeping move involving Shannon Breslin and Kilmurray. Ella Sweeney replied for Garrycastle when Henson’s short free was recycled to the corner-forward, leaving it 1-2 to 0-2 inside six minutes.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they lost two of their forwards as Hannah Murray and Mandisa Ní Chluaid did not recover from colliding into each other when contesting a breaking ball with a Loman’s defender, all running at pace.

As Loman’s began to raise the tempo, Kilmurray finished the ball to the net, before the excellent Eve Scally started a move which led to a point for Maddie Mulderry.

The third goal inside the opening 25 minutes was a rebounded effort from Kilmurray after Siobhán Ní Chluaid had saved well, sadly getting no defensive help in the process. Further points from Kate McDonnell, Cleary (two) and Kilmurray (free) pushed the blues well ahead as Hannah Hogan’s strike found the net to leave it 4-8 to 0-2 at the interval.

Breslin got things going as they had left off with a score from the opening attack before a mini-resurgence from Garrycastle made a game of it for a period. Kelly (two frees from close range), a poacher's goal from Eve Murphy and Henson’s point reduced the arrears as Brian Murphy’s side dominated possession.

However, the task they had faced from the opening half was too much to claw back and further scores from Kilmurray (a left-footed screamer to the net) and McDonnell just kept the gap beyond double digits.

Henson’s magical point from out on the right drew applause all-round and the cheers grew further when she jinked her way past several defenders to fire to the net. Two quick points from Hazel Donegan were added and, suddenly, it was St Loman’s 5-12 Garrycastle 3-7.

But the time for a full renaissance was not available and a lovely goal from Cleary sealed victory in the final minutes under the misty rain. St Loman’s captain Aoibhe Hogan accepted the trophy as the Mullingar club added another notch to their belt of underage successes this season.

Player of the match: Katie Kilmurray was unplayable and showed, once again, why she is considered the best emerging talent in the county.

Score of the match: Amelie Henson’s point for Garrycastle nearing the 50th minute was superbly struck from out wide.

Scorers - St Loman’s: K Kilmurray 3-4 (0-4 frees), G Cleary 1-3, K Burke, H Hogan 1-0 each, K McDonnell 0-3, M Mulderry 0-2, S Breslin 0-1. Garrycastle: A Henson 2-1, E Murphy 1-0, H Donegan and A Kelly (3f) 0-3 each, E Sweeney 0-1.

St Loman’s: Katie McGrath; Eve Scally, Eimear Doonan, Lauren McCormack; Chloe Cahill, Aoibhe Hogan, Anna Sheehy; Jayne Charles, Shannon Breslin; Hannah Hogan, Katie Kilmurray, Kate McDonnell; Maddie Mulderry, Gráinne Cleary, Keelin Burke. Subs used: Norah Garry for Sheehy (44 mins), Evie Kilmurray for H Hogan (50), Ava Cummins for Burke (50).

Garrycastle: Siobhán Ní Chluaid; Amy Carter, Cadhla Kelly, Orla Turner; Libby McHugh, Rebecca Sleator, Ríonagh Costello; Aislinn Kelly, Amelie Henson; Jane Byrne, Hazel Donegan, Hannah Murray; Eve Murphy, Mandisa Ní Chluaid, Ella Sweeney. Subs used: Jola Kearney for Murray (15 mins, injured), Chanelle Nestor for M Ní Chluaid (15, inj.), Ellen Parker for S Ní Chluaid (33), Alanna Gaffey for Byrne (34), Emma Blagriff for Nestor (48), Isabella Hogan for Murphy (48).

Referee: Michael Moran (Coralstown-Kinnegad).