Dublin Junior Championship Final
Skerries Harps 2-13 St Maurs 1-13

They say cream always rises to the top and this was certainly the case last night anyone who was lucky to be in attendance at 2015 the Junior championship final were treated to a classic game of football between two great Fingal rivals.

St Maurs who lost out last season at the same stage to Clann Mhuire appeared to be somewhat nervous as the game got under in Swords before a large crowd of supporters their opponent's Skerries Harps seized on the Rush jitters by starting the game at a frantic pace.

Naturally enough Skerries Harps were first on the score board with two points from Lyndsey Davey, one from play and another from a converted free while Aine Gilmore popped over the Harps 3rd point. 

Dublin captain Lyndsey Davey was in marvellous form and in the 12th minute she show cased all her skill, speed and prowess  when she crashed home a thundering shot past Niamh Conway to put Skerries Harps 1-03 ahead.

Davey's stunning goal appeared to awaken the jittery St Maurs team as did the introduction of Sarah Lou Brogan into the Rush defensive unit.  Eimear Conway opened the scoring for St Maurs with a well take point this score was added upon by the superb youngster Naomi Clare who tagged on two unanswered points to leave just the goal separating the sides with 17 minutes gone on the clock.

Two times All-star Davey responded with a converted free which was quickly cancelled out by a Naomi Clare free again just the goal separated these two great rivals.

The Rush girls started to find their rhythm and indeed their confidence with Sinead Moran, Eadaoin McGuinness and Eimear Conway becoming more influential in proceedings. Between the 26th and 29th minutes St Maurs tagged on 3 unanswered scores Eadaoin McGuinness from play and Naomi Clare with two converted free kicks to bring the final all square.

Eve Kehoe at centre half back was doing a tremendous job of curtailing Rush danger women Olivia Leonard while Sinead O'Mahony although named at corner forward on the Skerries line out was performing the sweeper role quite well and winning a lot of loose ball around the middle half of the field. 

As the game eased towards the interval Skerries responded with another Davey free and a point from their industrious corner forward Aine Gilmore.  At half time the Harps had pushed their lead back out to two points as the score board read Skerries Harps 1-06 (9) St Maurs 0-07.

St Maurs started the second half with a bang, following a well worked move and a series of hand passes Olivia Leonard blasted her shot beyond the reaches of a helpless Elizabeth Hughes. For the first time in this enthralling final St Maurs were suddenly ahead of their near neighbours much to the delight of the huge Rush support in the crowd.
Leonard had now found her grove tagging on her first and her sides 8th point to extend their lead further suddenly St Maurs where now ahead by 1-08 to 1-06 having scored 1-01 without reply.

Up stepped the superb Lyndsey Davey the 2010 All Ireland winner scored her sides 7th point to reduce the Maurs slender lead back to just one. Less than a minute later Davey broke through the heart of the Rush defence to score her second goal of the night blasting the ball to the roof of Niamh Conway's net.

Skerries were now back in the driving seat leading by 2-07 (13) to 1-09 (12).

To their credit Maurs responded superbly with another Leonard point to bring the sides level once more. At this point of the game it was thrilling to watch both Dublin stars Leonard and Davey in action their team mates responding to both players as they truly lead by example.

As time ebbed away Skerries Harps full forward Sinead Cullen sister of former Dublin captain Bryan started to become more and more into the game. The former County underage player popped over Skerries 8th point this was followed up by a Sinead O'Mahony point giving the Harps a slender two point lead with 41 minutes gone on the clock.

As the game entered the closing stages scores really came at a premium with both teams defending their goal line bravely you simply had to stand back and admire the fitness, determination and work rate of both sides.

Both teams exchanged a number of points as they game entered the final quarter but try as they might St Maurs could not break down or through the Skerries Harps back line as the final whistle sounded it was the team from Skerries who would be victorious.

In the end the difference between the sides was without question Lyndsey Davey, the Dublin captain scored a personal tally of 2-08 (3f) she was a constant thorn in the side of the Rush defence so much so they had to assign two players to mark her in the second half but by doing so freed up full forward Sinead Cullen who in turn linked up brilliantly with Davey.

Special mention to Dublin minor panellist Naomi Clare who finished the game with 0-07 five of which were frees that were converted with superb confidence under pressure definitely a player for the future.

Well done also to match referee Angela Gallagher who handled proceedings with aplomb.

Skerries Harps:
Elizabeth Hughes, Fiona Campion, Anna McHugh, Aishling Mcllwaine, Rebecca Davey, Eve Kehoe, Megan Parker, Emily Dawson, Evelyn Garland, Niamh Daly, Lyndsey Davey, Patricia Ferguson, Aine Gilmore, Sinead Cullen, Sinead O'Mahony

Scorers: Lyndsey Davey 2-08 (3f), Aine Gilmore, Sinead Cullen 0-02 each, Sinead O'Mahony 0-01

Subs:
Shauna Butterly for Daly, Aoimhe Downey for Ferguson

Panel:
Jane Dardis, Sarah Branagan, Kathy Gilmore, Julia Gormley, Mariana Browne, Louise Duffy, Karen McMahon, Eimear Farquharson, Sophie Clinton, Niamh Devlin, Emma Dardis, Saoirse Kavanagh, Aishling Spillane

St Maurs:
Niamh Conway, Sally Ann O Brien, Niamh Tynan, Ona Keegan, Sinead Moran, Shauna McGuinness, Gemma Thorne, Nicola Thorne, Eadaoin McGuinness, Molly Moran, Olivia Leonard, Eimear Conway, Niamh Carthy, Aine Pyne, Naomi Clare

Scorers:
Naomi Clare 0-07 (5f), Olivia Leonard 1-03, Shauna McGuinness, Eadaoin McGuinness, Eimear Conway 0-01 each

Subs:
Sarah Lou Brogan for Keegan, Leona Harford for E Conway, Laura Carthy for N Carthy.

Panel:
Clodagh Conway, Dara Brogan, Ann Casey, Lauren Owens, Dervla Ryan, Jessie Kelly, Caoimhe Leonard, Aoife Gaughan

Player of the Match: Lyndsey Davey (Skerries Harps)

Referee: Angela Gallagher (Lucan Sarsfields)

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