Victory for Faughs Celtic in senior 2 championship final upon win over castleknock

Senior 2 Championship Final
Abbotstown
Sunday 19th October 2025
Castleknock v Faughs Celtic

On a reasonably calm afternoon, following a very wet morning, this final took place on a perfect pitch in slightly damp conditions. Captains Sarah Murphy (Castleknock) and Kerrie Finnegan (Faughs) took the coin toss from referee Jenny Casserly.

In the 1st minute, Kerrie Finnegan (wearing 14 but playing in half forward position) registered a point in her trademark style from the right wing. Kerrie was to go on and score 1-2 and be awarded Player of the match. Three minutes in Castleknock responded in the best possible way as Sadhbh Duffy crashed the ball to the Faughs net. Duffy then popped over the next score from a free.
Even with only 6 mins gone both goalies had already been called into action twice each. The next 2 scores were from dead balls, Helen Duingan for Faughs and Saoirse Behan for Castleknock which maintained the gap at 3 points. On 18 minutes Duffy extended this to 4 points.

Then on the 22nd minute, Faughs were forced into a significant change as Amber Finnegan was forced to the sideline with a leg injury. Maria Hennelly came on a did a fine job for the rest of the match. While losing your full back might be unsettling, the opposite was true as Duignan popped over a free followed 2 minutes later with a goal as a speculative free dropped into the bottom corner of the Castleknock net bringing game back level.

This time it was Castleknock’s turn to respond. Points from Aoife Byrne, Behan & Aisling O’Neill regained their 3 point lead.
This game was typical seesaw as Duignan for Faughs claimed the final 2 points of the half leaving the bare minimum between the teams at Half Time

Castleknock 1-06;
Faughs 1-05.

The second half saw O'Neil move out the field for Castleknock to hopefully deliver targeted ball into the forward line.

Isabelle Costello scored her first of the day for Faughs before Kerrie Finnegan won a ball in a ruck on the Castleknock 20m line before bursting towards the goal and smashing the sliotar past Finney in the Castleknock net who had no chance of stopping it.

Faughs had the lead back for the first time since the 2nd minute and were never to surrender it after this. Behan and Finnegan swapped points before Faughs delivered what turned out to be the killer blow as Costello raced onto a low ball into the Castleknock box and was determined enough to flick the ball past Finney in goal before calmly sending a confident ground strike from her left into the Castleknock net. 20 minutes remained and Faughs had a 6 point lead.

Over the next 15 minutes, Castleknock scored 3
points to Faughs 1 but with 5 minutes left on the clock they seemed to change strategy and go for goal even though the gap was only 4 points.

At 26 minutes, Castleknock’s No 9,
Eimear Sutton’s shot was heading for the top corner before McNamara in the Faughs net produced a great reaction to deflect the sliotar over the bar. The gap was down to 3 and then a minute later McNamara pulled off another fine save as she touched a dropping ball around the post for a 45.

90 seconds later the final whistle blew and Faughs had claimed the Division 2 title.

Full time score: Faughs 3-08, Castleknock 1-11

Kerrie Finnegan graciously accepted POTM and during her captain’s speech she acknowledged McNamara’s performance which certainly played a major part in their victory.

Congratulations to both teams and managements on a very entertaining final and of course best of luck to both teams in the senior championship next year.