Rosina McManus Cup final
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 3-11 St Genevieve’s Belfast 2-6
TWO years ago, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire suffered a heavy defeat to St Dominic’s in the Rosina McManus Cup final.
Yesterday in Ahoghill, they were pushed hard by another Belfast school – St Genevieve’s – but a first-minute goal from Ella Ní Bhrolcháin set them on their way to a first title.
The Dungiven school moved the sliotar sharply through the lines and they built up a lead that the city girls couldn’t reel in, despite the best efforts of Aimee Ferris, Darcy Ward and the Munce sisters.
Niamh Nig Uiginn was a strong presence in the middle of the field, while her Slaughtneil club-mates in defence, and captain Cáitlín Nig Eocháin and Ellen Ní Mhaoláin up front kept putting the Belfast side onto the back foot.
After that early goal, St Genevieve’s pushed up and Orla Munce eventually broke through for an equalising score in the seventh minute. However, Gaelcholáiste responded with the next five scores, including three from player-of-the-match Nig Uiginn.
St Genevieve’s badly needed a score to get back into the game and got it from their captain Aimee Ferris, who finished a great solo run with a 21st-minute goal.
Gaelcholáiste hit back immediately with a solo goal from Cáitlín Nig Eocháin and they brought a 2-8 to 2-2 lead into the second half.
Points followed on the restart from Ella Ní Bhrolcháin and Niamh Nig Uiginn, but Gaelcholáiste’s defence came under pressure until half-time sub Deirbhile Ní Mhealláin raced clear for her team’s third goal 10 minutes in.
Aimee Ferris did her best to rescue her team, and they had goal chances over the last quarter. Three points from Ferris narrowed the gap, but Nig Uiginn landed her sixth point from a free and Ní Mhealláin completed the scoring with a beautiful angled point.
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire N Nig Uiginn 0-6 (0-5f); E Ní Bhrolcháin, C Nig Eocháin and D Ní Mhealláin 1-0 each; E Ní Mhaoláin & O Nic an Bhaird 0-1 each
St Genevieve’s A Ferris 1-5 (0-1f);O Munce 1-0; N Munce 0-1
Referee P Lagan
