Dublin Ladies win semi final of league and are promoted

Dublin 3-12 Cavan 1-9.

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This Bord Gais National League Division 2 semi-final was limbering along like a decent training session until the introduction of super sub, Sinead Aherne, to the Dublin ranks, seven minutes into the second half. Sinead who was returning from injury had an immediate impact and took the game by the scruff of the neck, injecting new life into a forward line that had become lethargic. In the first half five of the forwards were on the score sheet with Lyndsey Davey, Noelle Healy and Siobhan Woods quite impressive. The Jackies who had weathered the early surge from Cavan had built up a six-point cushion by half-time and led by 0-9 to 0-3. Ten minutes into the second half with the lead down to three points, there was a great sense of restlessness and unease among the Dublin supporters at the Ardee venue. Many of them had witnessed Cavans comeback in the earlier meeting between the sides at Maghera GAA Club grounds in Virginia and possibly feared the same again.

Then enter Sinead and suddenly the Jackies came to life. Elaine Kelly who was reasonably quiet up to that point suddenly sprung to life when moved to left half-forward. Three minutes after the substitution, Noelle Healy, who worked tirelessly throughout both in attack and defence picked up the ball inside the Cavan fifty metre line and set off on a mazy solo run, leaving defenders in her wake, before rifling the ball past the helpless Caron Fay in the Cavan goal. A minute later Lyndsey Davey missed a great opportunity to add another goal but her effort shaved the post. All of Dublins attacking options were either going through or being generated by Aherne. A point from a free and a cracking goal in the eighteenth minute by Sinead wrapped this up as a contest. A third goal eight minutes from time by the up and coming Siobhan Woods put the icing on the cake for the Jackies. But Cavan never gave up and battled gamely to the end finishing with a fine goal from Aisling Traynor with the last kick of the game.

The scoreline at the end doesnt do justice to a battling performance by the Cavan team. Captain Aishling Doonan lead by example and took the game to Dublin all through with great support from Bronagh Sheridan, Grainne McGlade and half backs, Renee Murphy and Sinead Green. Subs, Aisling Traynor and Ailish Cornyn battled hard for the cause. This Cavan side had just three changes to the team that had beaten Dublin earlier in the league while Dublin made eight. Despite a strong start by Cavan their first point from play didnt arrive until the twenty-fourth minute from attacking half back, Sinead Green. A few good scoring opportunities had been missed before that and they registered six wides in total in the first half. Dublin had four but their forwards were far more accurate when the opportunities presented themselves thus, building up that six point lead. Olivia Leonard and Amy Ring both made valuable contributions to the Dublin attack and will benefit from playing regularly. Amy scored Dublins sixth point in the fourteenth minute with a fine long-range effort that bisected the posts. Dublin outscored Cavan by six points to one in the first fourteen minutes and had increased that to nine after twenty. They then went twenty-two minutes without scoring prior to Ahernes entrance. Denise Masterson and Niamh McEvoy won the midfield battle against Rosie Crowe and Donna English while Gemma Fay and Sorcha Furlong were rock solid throughout providing plenty of protection for the fullback line of Sinead Goldrick, Joanne O Sullivan and Ailish McKenna which coped well when under pressure. Goalkeeper, Cliodhna O Connor, was only called into action twice during the course of the game. Be that as it may the Jackies are back in Division 1 of the Bord Gais National League for next year which is where Manager Tommy Brown would want them. They now await the winner of the second semi-final between Meath and Kerry in the Division 2 decider.

Player of the Match – Sinead Aherne.

Dublin – C. OConnor, (Naomh Mearnóg), S. Goldrick, (Foxrock/Cabinmteely), J. OSullivan. (Ballyboden St. Endas), A. mcKenna, (St. Brigids), G. Fay, (Ballyboden St. Endas), S. Furlong, (St. Brigids), S. McGrath, (Thomas Davis), D. Masterson, (Naomh Mearnóg), N. McEvoy, (Parnells), (0-1), L. Davey, (Skerries Harps), (0-2, frees), E. Kelly, (St. Brigids), (0-1), N. Healy, (St. Brigids), (1-1), S. Woods, (Raheny), (1-3), O. Leonard, (St. Maurs), (0-1), A. Ring, (Foxrock/Cabinteely), (0-1).
Subs – S. Aherne (1-2, 1 free), (St. Sylvesters) for O. Leonard, F. Hudson, (Fingallians) for Gemma Fay, A. Connolly, (Foxrock/Cabinteely) for A. Ring, C. Barrett, (St. Brigids) for S. Furlong and G. OMalley, (Ballyboden St. Endas) for J. OSullivan.

Cavan – C. Fay, C. Reilly, G. McGlade, C. Grey, R. Murphy, P. Crowe, S. Green, (0-1), R. Crowe, D. English, G. Smith, B. Boylan, B. Sheridan, (0-1), C. Reilly, (0-1), A. Doonan, capt., (0-5, 4 frees), D. Clerkin.
Subs – A. Traynor (1-0) for G. Smith, A. Cornyn (0-1) for B. Sheridan and B. Sheridan for S. Green.

Referee – J. Niland, Sligo.