Rossas rise to rule Munster

History-making Skibb ladies capture club’s first provincial LGFA crown 

O’Donovan Rossa 0-12

Clounmacon/Moyvane 1-7

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

IT all appeared to be going according to plan for O’Donovan Rossa 25 minutes into the Munster LGFA club junior championship final at Mallow on Saturday.

Having bagged five points on the trot to go 0-6 to 0-3 up, they looked to have the measure of Clounmacon/Mahon, who were flattered to be so close at that juncture.

The complexion of the contest changed, however, after a goal from Ava Fitzgerald earned the Kerry kingpins parity, and free-taker Erin Finucane tacked on a point to nudge them ahead before half time.

O'Donovan Rossas's Kate O’Connell is challenged by Clounmacon/Moyvane's Muirne Wall.

As O’Donovan Rossa struggled to regain their composure, Clounmacon-Moyvane stretched the gap to three points within ten minutes of the resumption.

While it looked ominous for the Skibbereen side, manager James O’Donovan revealed he wasn’t unduly concerned by the situation, despite the profligacy displayed by his charges when on top earlier

‘I still felt we were capable of winning, because there was loads of time remaining, and I believed we’d create the chances to get the scores we needed,’ he remarked afterwards.

O’Donovan’s confidence proved to be fully justified, as the Rossas reasserted their authority in no uncertain manner during the last 20 minutes.

Although they continued to waste chances, and were denied a legitimate goal, they put five unanswered points on the board to record a historic and richly merited victory.

It was an enthralling contest, with free-flowing football very much the order of the day.

Slow to settle, O’Donovan were two points in arrears before Fiona O’Driscoll, following a cohesive seven-player move, got them off the mark in the seventh minute.

Clounmacon/Moyvane went two points up again, but O’Donovan Rossa took control for a lengthy spell, which yielded three points from impressive full-forward Kate O’Donovan and one apiece from Eabha O’Donovan (free) and Emma Hurley.

O'Donovan Rossa's Laura O’Mahony in full flight against Clounmacon/Moyvane.

The incisive running from dynamic midfielder Laura O’Mahony was a key factor in O’Donovan Rossa’s dominance, while Michelle O’Donovan and Lisa Harte regularly caught the eye in a defence that tightened up as the first half progressed.

Just when O’Donovan Rossa looked set to go in at half-time with their tails up, a sloppy turnover at the back led to Ava Fitzgerald’s revitalising goal for the losers.

Trailing by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break, the Cork standard-bearers drew first blood on the resumption through Eabha O’Donovan, but Clounmacon/Moyvane, benefiting from the boost of Fitzgerald’s goal, managed to keep the momentum going early in the second half.

It certainly seemed as if it wasn’t destined to be O’Donovan Rossa’s day when Kate O’Connell, placed by Laura O’Mahony, sent a cracking shot past Clounmacon/Moyvane netminder Clemmer in the 40th minute only for the umpires to keep the green flag down after the ball came back into play off the far stanchion.

Undaunted, the Skibb girls gained a pronounced territorial edge during the ensuing ten minutes, but their progress was limited due to poor shooting, not to mention Clounmacon/Mouvane’s defiance, which ensured that most of Laura O’Mahony’s probing runs from midfield ended in frustration.

O’Mahony did land a spectacular point to make it 1-7 to 0-9 before Clounmacon-Moyvane eventually lifted the siege to create a goal-chance in the 51st minute. Much to the winners’ relief, Skibb goalkeeper Christine Fitzgerald proved equal to Ava Fitzgerald’s shot from almost point-blank range.

Eabha O’Donovan pointed for O’Donovan Rossa in the resultant counter-attack, and she tacked on two more in a gripping finale to secure their first provincial triumph, no mean achievment for a club formed as recently as 2010.

Scorers

O’Donovan Rossa: E O’Donovan 0-6 (3f); K O’Donovan 0-3; F O’Driscoll, E Hurley, L O’Mahony 0-1 each.

Clounmacon/Moyvane: E Finucane 0-4 (f); A Fitzgerald 1-0; M Mulvihill, K Enright, C Mulgrave (f) 0-1 each.

O’Donovan Rossa: C Fitzgerald; M Donnellan, E McCarthy, A Tobin; F Leonard, S Hurley, L Harte; L O’Mahony, K O’Connell; J Beechinor, E Hurley, T Murphy; E O’Donovan, K O’Donovan, F O’Driscoll.

Sub: A O’Driscoll for Beechinor (43).

Clounmacon/Moyvane: C Clemmer; C Flavin, A Sheehy, O Wall; T Enright, C Hudson, M Wall; A Quinn, L Sheeran; K Enright, M Mulvihill, L Stack; A Fitzgerald, E Finucane, G Musgrave.

Sub: F Duffy for Sheehy (55), C Haugh for Stack (58).

Referee: D Grogan (Tipperary).