Naomh Ciaran 3-16 Royal Gaels 3-13

A place in the Leinster Intermediate Final at stake, Royal Gaels travelled to face Naomh Ciaran, Offaly, on their home turf. The Offaly side who play at senior level were always going to be tough opponents, having reached the Leinster Intermediate Final last year.

Naomh Ciaran got the dream start on the visitors, clocking up 1-2 before Laura Murray registered the first score for the Gaels, The experience of the home side shone through as they linked up to pick off some excellent scores. Niamh Gallogly & Tara Ryan added their names to the score sheet with some fine points for the Dunshaughlin side, who trailed 2.10 to 0.6 at the half time whistle.

A powerful second half performance that any team would be proud of brought Royal Gaels right back into the game, the Dunshaughin side fought a titanic battle to come within a point of the home side with only five minutes left on the clock. The never say die attitude of the girls in Black and Amber came to the fore as they began to pick up some excellent points from play courtesy of Murray, Ryan, Niamh O'Sullivan & Niamh Gallogly.

Two super goals from Tara Ryan and a third from Emma Kennedy giving hope to the large crowd of supporters who had made the journey to Ferbane. Solid performances from Rebecca Considine, Niamh O'Sullivan, Ciara Jordan and Maeve Scanlon throughout kept the Gaels in contention, however their unbeaten run in the Championship came to an end as Naomh Ciaran pushed forward to put two further points between the teams and secure themselves a place in the Leinster Intermediate Championship Final next weekend vs Clan na Gael Fontenoy.

The Dunshaughlin girls can be very proud of their achievements this year, regaining Senior status for 2017, this very young team show a lot of promise which Manager, Hugh Mc Carthy will hope to build on next year. Many of the girls will now return to compete in the Minor Championship which is currently under way.

Royal Gaels: Orlagh McLaughlin, Laura Ryan(C ), Gemma Donoghue, Laura Quinn, Alannah Chalkley, Rebecca Considine, Sarah Darby, Niamh Gallogly (0-2), Niamh O' Sullivan (0-2), Ailis Bruce, Laura Murray(0-4), Sarah Kelly, Maeve Scanlon Tara Ryan(2-4), Ciara Jordan. Subs: Sadhbh O' Muirí for Sarah Darby, Emma Kennedy(1-1) for Sarah Kelly, Eimear Traynor for Gemma Donoghue, Mary Mc Donagh for Ailis Bruce, Hayley Reynolds, Kelly O'Dwyer, Rachel Huijsdens, Emma Murray, Laura Costello, Rachel Ennis, Niamh Curtin, Jessica O'Brien, Ava Fox, Caoimhe Rooney, Orlaith Moyles.

Referee Des McEnrey

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