Impressive Glenamaddy girls are different class in decider

Glenamaddy CS 5-13

Pres. Thurles 2-7

GLENAMADDY Community School are no strangers to winning All-Ireland Post Primary Schools ladies football titles in recent times but against Presentation Thurles at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe last Sunday, they really did claim their latest in fine style.

While two early goals from Presentation midfielder Casey Hennessy put Glenamaddy CS on the backfoot in the early stages of this All-Ireland ‘B’ decider, once John Kennedy’s side began to find their rhythm, there was no stopping them. By half-time, they were four points to the good.

That was not to say the hard work was done. In the second period, they would have to face a stiff breeze and, with some powerful, athletic players on the opposition side, the outcome of this was far from a foregone conclusion.

Indeed, Presentation had shown just how dangerous they were in the first half when Tipperary dual star Hennessy tore through the Glenamaddy cover to net goals on 16 and 19 minutes to put her side 2-2 to 0-4 in front.

However, by half-time, Glenamaddy had turned this game around courtesy of two Ailish Morrissey goals. Her first on 22 minutes came after Niamh Collins pinched a Presentation kick-out and set up Morrissey for a clinical finish.

Morrissey’s second was netted just five minutes later when the Kilkerrin/Clonberne forward spotted the goalkeeper off her line and delivered a sublime lob to ensure her wind-assisted side would the lead at the change of ends.

In truth, Glenamaddy had conjured up their fair share of scoring chances in that first period but with a number of chances dropping short and blocked, their only return in the opening quarter were points from Collins (two frees), Eva Noone and Aoife Smyth (free). Hennessy’s double strike, though, seemed to focus the minds to the task in hand and, in the second quarter, along with Morrissey’s superb double, Noone, Morrissey (free) and Collins added further points to ensure Glenamaddy’s challenge was on a solid footing at the break.

It hadn’t helped Presentation’s cause that they had Jenny Irwin sin-binned midway through the first half but, arguably, the biggest impediment to making significant headway in this game was the Tipp outfit was unable to execute their kick-outs with any great degree of success with or against the wind.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.