Davis ladies secure championship

THOMAS Davis were crowned Go Ahead Dublin Junior G Ladies Football champions after an entertaining encounter at St Margaret’s on Friday night saw them overcome St Sylvester’s 4-11 to 2-8, reports Cóilín Duffy.

In what was the first game of a double-header with the Junior G Final, Thomas Davis trailed by a point at the end of the opening quarter, but quickly found their rhythm.

The Kiltipper side scored 2-1 unanswered handing them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish on the way to silverware.

In front of a large crowd, this game was played in ideal conditions, with the pitch in perfect shape as is usual at the St Margaret’s GAA Club.

Both sides were eager to make their mark early on, but it wasn’t until the fifth minute that we had the opening score – a Keela Farrell effort from play for a young St Sylvesters side (including a mix of U16 and Minor players), after a good passing move.

While getting scores on the board is important to any win, a good defence can certainly help a long way to securing a victory.

Thomas Davis ladies secured the championship by beating St Sylvester’s

On numerous occasions over the hour Thomas Davis keeper Louise Carey stood firm for her side, and she pulled off her first major block from the first attack following Syl’s opening score.

It came after Sarah Scott fed Muireann Quirke, but the latter was denied by a well-placed Carey block.

Thomas Davis were under a lot of early pressure, but suddenly began to find their groove.

Points inside a minute from Nicole Scott and Nicola Douch handing them the lead after eight minutes.

Action from the match in St Margaret’s GAA

Syl’s responded with scores from Zoe Brennan and Sarah Scott before Thomas Davis had a chance to take the lead.

It came after Douch was dragged down, but her 11th minute place-kick came off the upright and bounced to safety.

At the opposite end Syl’s immediately responded with their own goal opportunity, but Carey was equal to Zoe Brennan’s effort.

Thomas Davis responded with Douch equalising from a free, before two goals came inside a minute, with Nicole Scott and Sophie Palmer finding the net to put their side 2-3 to 0-3 in front.

Syl’s grabbed the next two points during an eight-minute spell where the wides began to mount for both sides.

A 29th minute sinbinning for Molly Bannon saw Syl’s reduced to 14 players before the break.

Thomas Davis finished the half strongly, and most importantly clinically as they extended their advantage to six points by the interval, with Nicole Scott and Georgia Plowman on target.

Syl’s introduced Isabel Kelly and Aine McParland after the break, and while both made an impact, it was Thomas Davis who made all the early in-roads on the restart.

Sophie Palmer grabbed her second goal 50 seconds after the restart, with a brace of Caitlin Staunton points opening up an 11-point lead.

Staunton had a chance to make it three-in-a-row but was wide of the target, before HT sub Kealy grabbed a much needed goal for Syl’s.

Sarah Scott followed up with a point to cut the gap, before Staunton responded with a score.

Syl’s were hungry and found the net for a second time in 43rd minute – this time from Keela Farrell.

Thomas Davis began to struggle for scores, and fired wide, while also being denied by the crossbar.

They persevered and found the net for the fourth time – Georgia Plowman grabbing a goal to push her side 4-8 to 2-6 in front.

From there until the finish the sides were well balanced, and Thomas Davis could even afford some missed chances, as they held out for a deserved win.

Thomas Davis forward Caitlin Staunton picked up the Go-Ahead Ireland Player of the Match Award.

THOMAS DAVIS: L Carey; S Gunn, K Sweeney, D Ogbonna; G Korean, L Brothwood, H Prendergast; K Plowman, R McHugh; N Dough, C Staunton, H Byrne; S Palmer, N Scott, G Plowman. Subs used: E Lowth for Prendergast (43); A Ferns for Gunn (54); S Tyrell for McHugh (57); A Deasy for Plowman (60). Panel: E Kennedy, C Peggs, K McKiernan, A Giglione, R Murphy, L O’Donoghue, S White, S Byrne, E Ferns.

ST SYLVESTER’S: A Langton; E Griffith, R Aslett, T Ajamal; Y Dever, M Bannon, S Leonard; E McParland, M Quirke; K Farrell, S Scott, E Black; J O’Sullivan, Z Donnelly, E Heary. Subs used: I Kealy for Heary; A McParland for E Griffith; O Grace for O’Sullivan (40); A Geraghty for Ajmal (41); S Curtis for Farrell (43). Panel: S Ella Scanlon, L Langton, M Hoyne, T Dorian, L Whelan, L Reilly, R Newman Reid.

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