Simonstown 8-6  Boardsmill 2-5

The weather may not have known what to do between the wind, the sun and the showers, but the young minors of Simonstown were in no doubt about what they had to do today.

Today's match was the 2015 minor final, postponed from the end of last year and from the throw in it took only 40 seconds for Lauryn Grier to find the back of the Boardsmill net and thereby registering the first of Simonstown's eight goals.  With a gusty wind at their backs, the Navan girls stamped their authority on this game and by the 15th minute led by 3 goals to no score, with Kelsey Nesbitt and Tara Berigan also getting their names on the score sheet.

Boardsmill registered their first score of the day with a well taken point which was immediately cancelled out by 2 - 01 (a lovely point from distance from the boot of Niamh Donnelly and two well taken goals from Tara Berigan and Mollie Byrne).  Boardsmill showed the threat they could be by finishing the half strongly with 1 - 01 from Dani O'Sullivan (point) and Kim Garrigan (goal). Simonstown went into the break with a commanding lead of 5 - 01 to 1 - 02.

At the start of the second half with the wind changing direction and favouring neither side, the Navan girls started strongly and scored 1 - 05 ( goal Kelsey Nesbit and points from Niamh Cassidy (free), Lauryn Grier, Katie Bellew and Niamh Hand (2) before Boardsmill registered their first score of the half, another well taken goal from Kim Garrigan.  With Niamh Cassidy and Katie Bellew controlling matters around the centre field Simonstown retained a firm grip on affairs and scored two more goals to Boardsmill's three points to end the match on a winning margin 8 - 6 to 2 - 05.

This was an outstanding display of football with all bar 3 of the panel eligible for minor again this year. It was great to see the teamwork and support play displayed by this team. There were great performances from some of the younger girls (Aoife Farrell and Meabh Hanrahan) to the ever reliable Nicole Byrne in goals and Rachel Gardiner who was playing a true captains role until forced off through injury in the first half. There were strong performances also from Regina Hand and Shona  Lister and it was great to see Emma Cassidy play her first competitive game since the 2014 minor final due to a long layoff with a knee injury.

All in all, a great day out for the NSB girls!

Simonstown: Nicole Byrne, Laura Barrett, Regina Hand, Lauren Kearney, Shona Lister, Katie Bellew (0-1), Aoife Farrell, Niamh Cassidy (0-1f), Niamh Donnelly (0-1), Niamh Hand (0-2), Lauryn Grier  (1-1), Rachel Gardiner (C), Mollie Byrne (1-0), Tara Berigan (4-0), Kelsey Nesbitt (2-0). Subs Meabh Hanrahan for Gardiner, Emma Cassidy for Barrett, Leanne Harris for Nesbitt,  A. Lyons for Kearney, Sinead Mooney for Byrne, Ella Devine, Matilda Ryan, A Farrell,  S. Rennicks , M. Gorman, S. Shalvey,  L. McCabe.

 

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