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DUBLIN LGFA FÉILE DIVISION ONE FINAL
CLONTARF 0-05 CASTLEKNOCK 1-00
Report By Daire Walsh
Strong displays at both ends of the pitch paid dividends for Clontarf at the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown on Sunday afternoon as they were crowned Dublin LGFA Féile Division One champions following a tense battle with Castleknock.
While Castleknock did get their hands on plenty of possession during an initially tentative start to the action, Clontarf stood tall to keep them at arm’s length. The likes of Cara Dempsey, Stella Gilhooly and Laoise Kirwan were working extremely hard for the cause and when Maisy Healy got the ball onto her left foot in the fourth minute of the play, she curled brilliantly between the posts to give Clontarf a slender advantage.
This breakthrough effort was supplemented by a successful free from Kirwan and with her namesake Laoise Whelton also adding her name to the scoresheet, they were slowly creating daylight between themselves and Castleknock.
However, there was a set-back for Clontarf in the ninth minute when Fleur Bolger found herself yellow carded for a late tackle. Yet her team-mates dug deep during her temporary absence and despite Cara Gorman and Saoirse Cullinan doing their level best to get Castleknock up and running, their opponents were 0-3 to 0-0 in front at the midway stage in the proceedings.
Top honours were still very much up for grabs on the resumption, but it was Clontarf who continued to possess the midas touch in attack. After being picked out on the inside line, Whelton fired over her second point of the game in clinical fashion.
Clontarf were much in the driving seat at this juncture and they increased their cushion to five when Kirwan registered her second pointed free via the woodwork on 23 minutes.
Castleknock were seemingly left with an uphill task at this juncture, but fresh life was breathed into their challenge when the aforementioned Cullinan pounced on a loose ball and drilled home to the bottom left-hand corner for a 25th minute goal.
This suddenly had Castleknock within touching distance of the main prize and there were some nervy moments for Clontarf as the final whistle approached. There was a couple of dangerous balls played in towards their square, but the ‘Tarf defence dealt admirably with what was thrown at them and ultimately emerged as worthy Division One winners.
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