Dublin U14's are Crowned All Ireland Champions!

Dublin 4-6 Kerry 1-12

Report by Anthony Newman

Dublin were crowned All-Ireland U14 Gold champions thanks to a hard-earned win over Kerry at Nenagh Éire Óg GAA Club.

Three early second-half goals in an eight-minute spell turned the game in their favour and they never looked back as they took the title for the first time since 2007.

Both sides had some impressive displays with Kasey Deegan outstanding for the winners as she led by example from start to finish.

Kerry had the first real chance when Aoibhinn O’Driscoll’s shot was well saved by Lucy Bourke.

With five minutes gone they did find the back of the net when Emma O’Connor’s hit off the crossbar before bouncing into the net.

O’Connor added a point before Dublin had their first real chance when a shot from Deegan was well blocked by Anna Mangan as she was through on goal.

Dublin got off the mark after 10 minutes when Maisy Healy scored, with Holly Costelloe replying from a free at the other end.

Deegan got Dublin’s second point from a free before they were back on level terms.

A great team move, involving Ella Mae Burns and Ruby Cosgrove, put Deegan in to score a goal, making it 1-2 each after 16 minutes.

A free from Edie Corkery put Kerry back in front and Costelloe also pointed from another free, to make it 1-4 to 1-2, with 25 minutes played.

Neither side added to their tally as the Kingdom led by two points at half-time.

Just 30 seconds into the second half and Dublin were in front. Deegan picked up the ball and played a superb pass to Cosgrove as she scored their second goal to make it 2-2 to 1-4.

Healy added a point from the restart as Dublin started the second half much the better of the two sides.

Just four minutes in and they had their third goal, when Deegan found the back of the net again. Another soon followed from substitute Ellen Stafford, who was not long on the pitch, to make it 4-3 to 1-4.

Nessa Kirby pulled a point back for Kerry from a free, with Heidi McDonnell replying at the other end for Dublin.

Stafford added a point to her goal as Dublin were now playing some great football. Kirby and Stafford exchanged scores to make it 4-6 to 1-6 after 47 minutes.

Kirby pointed another free for Kerry as they finished strongly to narrow the gap. Two more from her, along with a point from Nicole Twiss, made it 4-6 to 1-11.

Anna Lenihan reduced the deficit further, but time ran out as Dublin ran out deserving winners.

Scorers - Dublin: K Deegan 2-1 (1f), E Stafford 1-2 (1f), R Cosgrove 1-0, M Healy 0-2 H McDonnell 0-1.

Kerry: E O’Connor 1-1, N Kirby 0-5 (5f), H Costelloe 0-2 (2f), E Corkery, D Sheahan, N Twiss, A Lenihan 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: L Bourke; S Leaney, M Conlon, M O’Keeffe; T Cowap, F Bolger, B Collins; S Malone, R Haran; M Healy, E Murphy, E.M. Burns; H McDonnell, K Deegan, R Cosgrove. Subs used: E Stafford, C Gorman, A Le Blanc, A Doherty, R Byrne, S Winkless, Z Caulfield, A O’Dea, V Wilserhun, E Ryan.

KERRY: E Lynch; A McNamara Moore; A Mangan, H Mulvihill; A Duffy, D O’Sullivan, L Keane; E Barry, H Costelloe; E O’Connor, E McCarthy, C Coffey; A O’Sullivan, A O’Driscoll, E Corkery. Subs used: S Slattery, N Kirby, D Sheahan, R Reidy, A Lenihan, N Twiss.

Referee: Declan Carolan (Down).