The introduction of Ciara Ruddy in the 2nd half turned what seemed like a mountain into a mohill to climb for the Ballyboden girls on Wednesday night in the sun soaked firhouse venue, Na Fianna to their credit showed why they are champions in the first half with excellent performances from Donegal inter county stars Nadine Doherty at centre forward pulling the strings and the solid Lorraine O'Sullivan at centre back providing the platform for impressive play from the mobhi road women in the but the pressure they had exhorted on the Ballyboden women couldn't be capitalised on the scoreboard with the lack of composure from the Na Fianna inside forwards costing them at vital times in front of goal and was very telling on the scoreboard which was down to some terrific pressure put on them from the classy full back and Dublin "B" star Grainne O'Malley.

The match started at a terrific pace and although Ballyboden drew first blood with a score from Captain and former inter county star Fiona Corcoran the Na Fianna girls pressed on and began to tackle Ballyboden very high up the pitch and not even Ballyboden's plan to play full forward Natalia Hyland as a roving 3rd midfielder worked, the impressive Doherty was running riot on the 40 and perplexed Ballyboden manager Finnan Hyland was beginning to get worried about his team's chances but Corcoran and the tricky wing forward Teresa Mollohan raised their team from the dead on more than one occasion and brought back to within 3 points at the break.

The ding dong battles around the pitch were a joy to behold and a great advertisement for the sport, former All Stars Bernie Finlay and Mary Nevin were opening up the Ballyboden backs with ease with marauding runs and left the Ballyboden management with severe problems in their half back line but Ballyboden were not going to lie down and midfield maestros Gemma Fay and Corcoran rolled back the years to put it up to the Na Fianna women with inspired performances.
However, Ballyboden did not seem to bring along their shooting boots in the first period with the Ballyboden faithful cursing their team's luck in front of goal, Dublin county star Edel Drury was having a frustrating time of it where she was creating alot of chances but was finding it difficult to knock them over. The Ballyboden forward line however kept at it and going into the break they felt they could still sneak back into this game with a little bit of luck.

The masterstroke substitution of bringing Ruddy in during the 2nd half however seemed to push Ballyboden over the line in this epic battle that history will note as a battle between two ladies GAA giants, the half time score left Ballyboden 0-8 to 0-5 in arrears but the inspired Mollohan along with Ruddy started to make the chances count in front of goal leaving her with a tally of 0-4 for the day and Ruddy with 0-1, Mollohan's coolness from frees that were at unlikely angles left Na Fianna feeling nervous and edgy going into the final quarter with just a point between the two sides and the general consensus from the supporters was going to be the team with the cooler head was to be first over the line.

Unfortunately a questionable decision rears its ugly head in games of extreme importance like this and Wednesday's evening's game was no exception, the infamous handpass rule was implemented somewhat wrongly leaving Na Fianna management very aggrieved but in truth Na Fianna's tally of just one point in the second half left them with too much to do, the work rate of Ballyboden to take themselves back from the brink left the faithful filled with pride and now Ballyboden look forward to staking a claim for a ninth title in 10 years against Fingallians who accounted for St Brigids in the other semi final.

Ballyboden: Alice Gillen, Aisling Farrelly, Grainne O'Malley, Rachel Nugent, Rachel Ruddy, Joanne O'Sullivan, Mags Fitzgerald, Fiona Corcoran (Capt) 0-1, Gemma Fay 0-2, Caroline Conway, Edel Drury 0-1, Teresa Mollohan 0-4 (3 f's), Orla Scollard 0-1, Natalia Hyland 0-2 (1f), Sarah Denvir.
Subs: Rachel Ruddy (0-1) for Conway, Sarah O'Brien for Denvir, Sorcha Farrelly for Farrelly.

Na Fianna: Sorcha Turnbull, Niamh Colleray, Eimear Cassidy, Denise Cassidy, Sarah Quinn, Lorraine O'Sullivan, Fiona May, Laura Walsh, Ciara McDermott 0-1, Mary Nevin 0-5 (3f's), Nadine Doherty 0-2, Arlene Cushen, Sinead O'Donnell, Bernie Finlay 0-1, Orla Egan.
Subs: Roisin Grogan for O'Donnell.

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