East Cork Ladies’ Football Junior “B” Final.
Midleton edge out Aghada in Twelve Goal Thriller
Midleton 6-10 Aghada 6-07.
The East Cork Final of the Junior B Ladies’ Football championship was played in ideal conditions at a beautifully prepared Rostellan venue last week.
Following on from their recent good performances in the county leagues and their wins in the semi finals over Lisgoold and Bride Rovers both sides were anxious to take the title.
Midleton were first out of the blocks with a point from full forward Karen Ring in the opening minute and followed this with two great goals from Leanne Ahern and Orla Farmer before Hannah Looney opened Aghada’s account with a pointed free in the thirteenth minute. The introduction of Sorcha Phelan for the injured Aisling O Connor appeared to kick start Aghada and goals from Amanda Bennett, Hannah Looney and Jennifer Lewis gave the sea side girls the lead. Aghada were now playing some great free flowing football driven on by their centre field pairing of Hannah Rose and Roisin Phelan and this resulted in another great goal from Amanda Bennett. Not to be out done Midleton struck back with a goal and a point from Zoe McEvoy. Both sides played some mighty end to end football in the second quarter and it was Midleton who broke the dead lock when full forward Karen Ring scored from the penalty spot after the Aghada keeper was adjudged to have fouled the ball.
Amy McCarthy scored from the resulting kick out for Midleton before Amanda Bennett scored her third goal for the sea siders. With the half time whistle fast approaching the Midleton girls scored two further points to lead at the break by a single point.
It was all square from the throw in with Siobhan McCarthy levelling the match with a long range point for Aghada but it was the girls from the town who settled the better and put the scores on the board. Cork ace Orla Farmer started to take a grip of the game ably assisted by the McEvoy girls Leah and Zoe and star centre back Leanne Ahern was ever present. Goals from Karen Ring and Orla Farmer and a points from Leah McEvoy and Farmer put them in a commanding lead but the tie was not over as back came Aghada with three points from Hannah Looney, a point from Sorcha Phelan and a good goal from their captain Jennifer Lewis to narrow the gap to just a single goal. Time eventually ran out for the sea side girls with Midleton deserving winners on a score line 6-10 to 6-07
So it ended in joy for Midleton and heartbreak for Aghada who had already lost in the league final earlier in the season. This was as good a ladies’ football game that one could hope for with all the players on both sides giving their all and playing in a fantastic spirit.
Midleton
L Downey, R Goulding, L Daly, E Morrissey, A Madden, L Ahern, N O Farrell, J Keating, A McCarthy, O Farmer, L McEvoy, Z McEvoy, C Ryan, K Ring and N Maloney.
Aghada.
K Ring, S Bawden, L Savage, L Ring, S McCarthy, C Tynan, S O Driscoll, H Rose, R Phelan, A O Connor, R Culligan, S McCarthy, H Looney, J Lewis, A Bennett and S Phelan.
Referee
Maurice Mulcahy (Lisgoold).
East Cork Ladies Gaelic Football 