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Go Ahead Ireland Dublin LGFA Junior B Club Championship Final
Erins Isle 2-05 St Finians Swords 1-05
By Nigel McCarthy
A goal from Kate Watson nine minutes into the second half proved pivotal for Erins Isle in securing the 2025 Go Ahead Ireland, Dublin LGFA Junior B title against St Finians Swords on Friday night in St Patrick’s GAA club in Donabate.
On what was a miserable night weather wise under the floodlights by the North Dublin coast, both teams provided plenty of entertainment for the large crowd in attendance.
Both defences proved difficult to break down throughout the contest which contributed to a low scoring game particularly in the first half, with just four scores in total between the teams at the break.
The two teams had numerous stand out players on show, Nicole Mitchell, Gemma Crosby, Kate Watson, Alex Hoey, Player of the Match Shannon Russell and Lauren Duggan shone for Erins Isle, while Tara Walsh, Ciara Hanley, Claire McManamon, Aimee Timothy, Annabelle Timothy and Ellie Kane were excellent for St Finians Swords.
It was the Swords outfit who shaded the first half and a goal from Ellie Kane in the twentieth minute put St Finians five points ahead with Erins Isle still to register their first score of the game.
But that opening score for the side from Finglas arrived five minutes later when a free from Shannon Russell from the left dipped under the crossbar into the top right hand corner of the net to leave the score at half-time 1-02 to 1-00 in St Finians Swords favour.
It took Erins Isle just four second half minutes to draw level with points from Shannon Russell and Kate Watson. And the game was turned on its head just five minutes later, Shannon Russell and Nicole Mitchell hit a point apiece in the space of a minute and that was quickly followed by a Kate Watson goal to give Erins Isle a five point advantage.
That lead stretched to six when Shannon Russell scored her third point of the game to bring her personal tally to 1-03.
Surprisingly with twenty minutes to go Erins Isle failed to register another score. A pointed free from Ellie Kane as the game entered the final ten minutes left five between the sides.
Erins Isle were then thankful to their goalkeeper Kadie Martin who pulled off two outstanding saves to deny Annabelle Timothy from finding the back of the net and Timothy had to settle for just a single point.
Erins Isle were reduced to fourteen players with a few minutes to go when Shannon Russell was shown a yellow card.
But St Finians Swords couldn’t find the goal they so desperately needed to give themselves a chance to at least draw level and they had to settle for a stoppage time pointed free from Annabelle Timothy and seconds later the whistle sounded to confirm Erins Isle the winners by three points.
Both sides started the game with plenty of pace and attacking intent, but it was St Finians Swords who registered the first score of the game in the fifth minute, Rachel Church took a quick free kick to Claire McManamon who offloaded the ball to Ellie Kane and Kane kicked over the opening point.
The action flowed from one end of the pitch to the other for the next twelve minutes, but solid defensive displays from both sides curbed the opportunity to trouble the scoreboard.
That barren spell was ended in the seventeenth minute when Addison Cahill and Aimee Timothy combined down the right-hand side and Timothy cut inside to score the second point of the game for St Finians Swords.
Ten minutes before the break Addison Cahill won a loose ball just inside the Erins Isle half, Cahill switched the ball to the left to Layla Mae McNeill and McNeill hit a pinpoint foot pass to Ellie Kane in front of goal and the full forward made no mistake and finished to the net to give the side from Swords a five-point lead.
Erins Isle finally got off the mark in the twenty fifth minute, the score had a slight bit of luck to it, the Finglas side were awarded a free about twenty five metres out to the left of the goal, Shannon Russell stood up to take it and her effort dipped under the bar into the top right hand corner of the net past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Tara Walsh.
Only Russell will know if she meant it or if it was a point attempt that got a stroke of luck and dipped at the last second, either way it ensured that at the break there was just two points between the teams with the score 1-02 to 1-00.
It took just four second half minutes for Erins Isle to draw level, a pointed free from Shannon Russell was quickly followed by an excellent point from Kate Watson.
Midfielder Nicole Mitchell put Erins Isle in front for the first time in the game in the thirty fifth minute running onto a hand pass from deep and slotting the ball over the bar.
Erins Isle pushed up on the kickout and made it extremely difficult for St Finians to get out of their own half, a point from Shannon Russell stretched the lead to two.
Isle’s were awarded a 45’ from their next attack, Kate Watson took it short to Mya Hoey who returned the ball to Watson who took a couple of strides forward and let fly through a crowd of players and the ball deflected into the goal off the left leg of goalkeeper Tara Walsh and suddenly there was five points between the teams.
With twenty minutes to go in the game Shannon Russell extended the lead with a fine point, but surprisingly, even though all the momentum was on their side at this stage of the game, that was to be Erins Isle’s last score of the final.
A pointed free from Ellie Kane reduced the deficit to five points with ten minutes left on the clock.
Aimee Timothy then went on a penetrating run down the left, switched the ball to the centre to Ciara Buchanan who hit a sublime foot pass to Ellie Kane and Kane popped the ball off to Annabelle Timothy running off her shoulder, Timothy hit a powerful shot towards the top left hand corner of the net, it looked like it had goal written all over it, but Erin’s Isle goalkeeper Kadie Martin dived full stretch across her goal and pulled off a brilliant save palming the ball to the left and away from danger.
Erins Isle were dealt a blow with minutes remaining when Shannon Russell was shown a yellow card and was sent to the sideline.
St Finians Swords pushed hard in the closing minutes for the goal they needed to haul themselves back into the contest.
They were awarded a free just to the right of the goal about twenty five metres out, Annabelle Timothy stood up to take it and despite players on the line and a crowded area in front of goal hit a rocket of a shot towards the top corner of the net, but once again goalkeeper Kadie Martin pulled off a stunning save to tip the ball over the bar.
With seconds remaining St Finians Swords were awarded another free, this time to the left of the goal, Annabelle Timothy again took charge of the kick but her effort this time didn’t trouble the goal and Timothy had to settle for a point to leave a goal between the sides.
Unfortunately time ran out for the Swords side and just after the kick-out to restart the game was taken the referees whistle sounded to end the game and the Erins Isle players could celebrate their hard-fought win and securing the Junior B club championship crown.
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