February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Pierce O’Reilly
Scoreline:
Leinster-Munster 2-10
Ulster-Connaught 1-10
It was a fitting finale for the New York Ladies GAA Sunday at Gaelic Park. Grudges were buried long before the kickoff and even Mayo and Cavan players managed to stand shoulder to shoulder for once.
On the field of play the clashes were committed and brave. The eventual winners of this Railway Cup contest, Leinster-Munster, were first off the mark, with Deirdre Maher and Ger Mahon pointing from play. Mahon had a fine hour and her ability to swivel away from her opponent and set free was the highlight of an otherwise pedestrian first half.
Never miss an issue of The Irish Echo
Subscribe to one of our great value packages.
Player of the Game Denise Dunnion plowed a lone furrow up front for the Ulster-Connaught women in the first quarter. After 15 minutes she rattled the net for a great goal to keep her side in contention at the changeover. However, the Leinster-Munster women were still 1-6 to 1-3 ahead at this stage. Mags Fitzgerald had goaled and points from Mahon, the industrious Sue Bennett and Marie Curran Melly gave them the advantage at the short whistle.
The second half was back and forth. Bennett and Dunnion swapped points before Ellen McGreal, Grace Kelly and the determined Fiona Ward took control. Points from Kelly, Dino Doherty and Dunnion leveled the game midway through. A minute later, Dunnion put the Ulster-Connaught women in front for the first time with a great goal. Game on. Substitutes arrived on both sides, but none had the impact of Lorraine Lacey. After Ger Mahon pointed from play, Lacey set up Sue Bennett for an opportunist goal — flicking the ball to the net from close range. Both sides attacked at will, but they simply couldn’t steal in front. Fiona Ward, Aoife Gibson and Pauline Coleman were watertight for the Ulster-Connaught women.
At the other end, Ger Mahon and Sue Bennett slipped their defenders to point from play and push their side three in front. It was hectic until the finish, but the more accomplished forwards for Ulster-Connaught was the difference at the finish.
Ulster-Connaught: Mairead McGahon, Eleanor Fox, Grace Kelly, Pauline Coleman, Louise McMahon, Fiona Ward, Aoife Gibson, Ellen McGreal, Justine Clifford, Rosie O’Reilly, Denise Dunnion 2-3, Annette McKenna, Caroline Kelly 0-2, Dino Doherty 0-1, Joanne McKenna. Sub: Tracey Rice 0-2.
Munster-Leinster: Sharon Levins, Ann Ryan, Mary McEvoy, Elaine O’Donovan, Teresa Lynch, Mary Maguire, Frances Brennan, Lorraine Lacey, Mags Dineen, Caroline O’Sullivan, Sue Bennett 1-3, Mags Fitzgerald 1-0, Deirdre Maher 0-1, Ger Mahon 0-5. Sub: Marie Curran Melly 0-1.