After two years in the relative doldrums, traditional powers Cooley Kickhams returned to their rightful place at the top of the Louth ladies football tree in 2005, while there were also memorable championship successes for St Patrick's and St Mary's. The doldrums for Cooley, who had previously completed a five-in-a-row of senior titles, were two losing final appearances in 2003 and 2004. On each occasion they surrendered to old rivals Naomh Malachi, who had so often been their victims in the past. But the girls from the peninsula restored the balance this time around, defeating their conquerors of the past two years and Stabannon on the way to the final, where they accounted for St Kevin's on a comfortable 3-11 to 0-5 scoreline. Kevin's had had only one previous championship appearance, a semi-final victory over senior rookies St Fechin's, so they were undoubtedly underdogs going into the decider against the might of Kickhams. And while they never gave an inch, they had no real answer to the power of the Cooley girls, with Siobhan McDonald, Katie Rafferty, Karen Kane and Player of the Match Catherine Magee in top form and long-serving star Elaine Rogan making a substitute appearance late in the game as she continued her recovery from a knee injury. The Cooley Kickhams side which regained the Louth Senior Ladies Football Championship in August was: Lynn Savage, Patsi McGuinness, Karen Kane, Lisa Maguire, Patricia Marmion, Sarah Quinn, Catherine Murphy, Siobhan McDonald, Catherine Magee Lorraine White, Nuala White, Katie Rafferty, Audrey Rafferty (captain), Roisin Hanlon, Gabrielle Ward. Cooley's victory topped off a cracking afternoon of ladies football entertainment at Haggardstown on August 8th, with the Intermediate and Junior finals also part of the triple-header at McGeough Park. And with Cooley finishing the day by reclaiming the top crown, St Patrick's made it a special day for the peninsula by lifting the Intermediate Championship earlier in the day. The Lordship side met Naomh Mairtin in the decider, and laid the foundations for a seven-point win by keeping their opponents scoreless until the break. St Pats, ahead 0-5 to 0-0 at half-time, eventually ran out 1-9 to 0-5 victors to complete the step-up to the senior ranks. Under the guidance of Glen Campbell and Aaron and Gavin Cumiskey for the second year, Pats claimed the win to atone for their defeat at the hands of St Fechin's in the 2004 final. Sharyn McArtain was named Player of the Match for Pats, with captain Catherine O'Connor lifting the trophy. The Lordship club can now look forward to locking horns with local rivals Cooley in the senior ranks in future years, when they will hope to build on the success of two titles in two years, the 2005 intermediate crowd having come on the back of the minor championship they claimed 12 months previously. The St Patrick's side which lifted the Louth Intermediate Ladies Football Championship was: Caoimhe Breen, Laura Dunne, Eimear Brennan, Laura McArtain, Denise Dunne, Orla McArtain, Sharyn McArtain, Denise Finnegan, Donna O'Hagan, Grainne Finnegan, Ashley Duffy, Nicola Connor, Catherine O'Connor, Tracey White, Karen Mulligan. Subs: Nadine Callan, Anita Flynn. While the peninsula sides dominated the Senior and Intermediate deciders, few in the attendance at Haggardstown were in any doubt as to the most entertaining of the three games down for decision on the day. That honour went to the Junior Championship final, in which St Mary's of Ardee got the better of Roche Emmets - in doing so preventing a clean sweep for the north of the county. St Mary's were the favourites going into the game against an Emmets side competing in their first ever Junior final and just their second year in the grade. While the Ardee side were also taking part in the Junior Championship for just the second time, they had already proven their aptitude by reaching the decider in their first year, when they went down narrowly to Newtown Blues. But Roche put up an exceptional performance in defeat, pushing the favourites all the way with a gallant second half revival. St Mary's struck an early blow through a goal from Emma Smith in the second minute, and Emmets had no answer to Smith's class as the Ardee girl went on to score three more goals on the day in a fine personal performance. The eventual victors led by 14 points at the break (3-7 to 0-2) but if they expected to saunter through the second half, they were to be mistaken. Roche staged a remarkable fightback after half-time, finding the net on four occasions, but two goals from Michelle McMahon put the seal on the victory and the St Mary's girls claimed the title on a final scoreline of 6-11 to 4-5,. McMahon and Smith were also on point-scoring form in the game, while Niamh Reid, Nicola Cunningham and Louise Brennan also chipped in with vital scores. The St Mary's panel which lifted the Junior Football Championship crown at Haggardstown was: Joanne Cunningham, Denise Martin, Lorraine Burns (captain), Lisa Burke, Julie O'Dowd, Joyce Cunningham, Lisa McCabe, Una Coleman, Gillian Kelly, Michelle McMahon (2-2), Niamh Reid (0-4), Nicola Cunningham (0-2), Terri Englishby, Louise Brennan (0-1), Emma Smith (4-3), Leah Gallagher, Elaine Weldon, Wendy Cheung, Aoife Breen, Arlene McCormack, Leonie Conroy, Emma Conlon, Laura Rooney, Eadaoin Carroll, Alison McCabe. Tweet

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