Glenmaddy girls sweep to All-Ireland glory

Glenamaddy CS 4-22 

Scoil Chriost Ri 2-8

IT was a day worth waiting for. After years of hard work and incredible commitment, Glenamaddy Community School produced one of the performances of the year in overcoming a highly rated Scoil Chriost Ri of Portlaoise to take the All-Ireland Senior B ladies football crown last Saturday.

This was a game that had everything and Glenamaddy rose to the occasion in style. Outstanding defending, fantastic shooting and all in front of a large crowd who roared them on from the opening whistle. Their opponents threw everything at them and must be commended for being part of what was an excellent game and a great advertisement for ladies football.

Glenamaddy CS went to work early and were unfortunate not to get a goal from their very first attack as Louise Ward’s effort hammered off the crossbar and went over for their first point. Nicola Ward followed with another and with just three minutes gone, Mary Fahy collected a through ball to shoot past the advancing Fiona Kelly for her school’s first goal of the afternoon.

Scoil Chriost Ri were stunned by this onslaught but they fought back with points from Fiona Dooley and Orla Carroll, but Glenamaddy’s pace never let up and they added points from Caroline Geraghty, both Ward sisters and Amy Mee, while Aine Fitzpatrick would be Portlaoise’s main scorer with two points as the game entered the second quarter.

Glenamaddy could even have had a second goal only for Louise Ward’s shot being brilliantly saved by Kelly from point blank range. Scoil Chriost Ri attacked at every opportunity but came up against an inspired Glenamaddy back six who harried and challenged every time.

This week’s Connacht Tribune carries an extended match report.