Final score: Baordsmill 1-10 St Ultans 2-12
Boardsmill was the place to be on Saturday Night and Sunday afternoon where their Junior and senior teams competed in their respective championship semi-finals. On Saturday evening a well fancied Boardsmill senior team came up short against an experienced St Ultans outfit . Laura Dempsey opened the scoring for the hosts but the Bohermeen/Cortown outfit seized the initiative in the first quarter with 3 points and could have been out of sight but wasted 2 clear cut goal chances which were eventually snuffed out by a combination of good goalkeeping and last ditch defending. Boardmills Laura Griffin responded with a well taken goal having won a high ball in the St Ultans penalty area before turning and shooting calmly to the net .The hosts pushed on and recorded 3 further points through Dempsey (2) and Griffin to leave the score 1.4 to 0.3 with 25 minutes played . However St Ultans experience showed as they scored a quick 1.2 in the closing minutes to go in leading by a point at half time .
Boardsmill introduced Aideen Guy during the break but it was St Ultans who capitalised on a reshuffled Boardsmill defence to record 4 unanswered points . The hosts responded through Dempsey (free) and Laura Bagnall to leave 3 points between the team with 20 minutes remaining. Emma Troy , Edel Guy and Susan Kealey then pointed for the hosts while Katie O Brien replied for St Ultans leaving only the minimum between the teams with 15 minutes left . A fortunate rebound in the Boardsmill square presented St Ultans with a second goal which was followed by points from Ger Doherty and O Brien . Boardsmills only response was a fine long range point from Laura Griffin . The final score was Boardsmill 1.10 St Ultans 2.12.
Best for Boardsmill were Laura Griffin , Siofra Cleary and Katie Hackett .
Boardsmill E Murray , C Ashe, C Murray , K Hackett , S Bagnall , S Cleary , M Stellini , A Cleary , H Regan , R Griffin , L Dempsey (0.4) L Griffin (1.2) E Guy (0.1) L Bagnall (0.1) E Troy(0.1). Subs A Guy for Stellini , Stellini for Ashe , S Kealey (0.1) for R Griffin .
Ladies Junior Semi final
Final Score Boardsmill 2.13 Ballivor 3.3
It was left up the Boardsmill juniors to restore club pride on Sunday afternoon when they faced last years Junior Championship runners up Ballivor . This rematch was never going to be a repeat of the earlier round game where Ballivor comprehensively beat an under strength Boardsmill side.
Ballivor opened the scoring with a Denise Fitzsimons goal in the first minute . Davina Dempsey and Paula Dorian replied for the hosts before Ballivor poached a second breakaway goal after 5 minutes which was very much against the run of play. Boardsmills response was calm and clinical . Sinead McLoughlin pointed before 3 Paula Dorian frees brought the teams level. In truth their comeback owed a lot to the tenacity of diminutive full forward Alannah Hannon who won every ball played her way in the first half . A third breakaway goal from the dangerous Chloe McMahon gave the visitors a 3 point lead that they scarcely deserved . Alannah Hannon soon replied for the hosts before Ballivor tagged on another point to put the visitors ahead by 3 after 22 minutes . Boardsmill reshuffled their defence with the influential Caoimhe Bird coming on for Anna Ramirez . Hannah Tuite reverted to full back where she gave a commanding performance for the rest of the game . Dani O Sullivan then scooped up a poor clearance from the Ballivor defence and calmly shot low to the keepers right to bring the teams level. Further points from Suzy Kennedy , Dorian (free) and Caoimhe Bird put the hosts 3 points clear . They were grateful to their keeper Rhiannon Hoey who saved well from Fitzsimons on the stroke of half time.
Ballivor turned around with the wind at their backs , while Boardsmill adjusted their attack and sent Lauren Kelly on at full forward for Dorian. The opening 10 minutes were very keenly contested with Ballivor threatening to reduce the deficit on a number of occasions . Boardsmill were finding it hard to get past midfield but gradually reasserted their dominance in that area . Dempsey who had taken over the free taking from Dorian pointed after 10 minutes before the game was interrupted for 4 minutes following a very heavy clash in the middle of the field between Avril Stellini and Alannah Hannon . Stellini needed further attention and was substituted while Hannon bravely resumed her position. Ballivor subsequently missed Stellini's tenacity in their half back line. Another Boardsmill attack was frustrated on the Ballivor 20 meter line but a foul was conceded. 19 second half minutes had been played. Dani O Sullivan took the free and shot low to the net with the Ballivor defence perhaps expecting her to go for a point. Ballivor soon replied with a point from Fitzsimons and the visitors shot 4 more wides in the following minutes as they sought to regain a foothold in the game. Dempsey was replaced by Rachel Troy and Caoimhe Bird pointed with 3 minutes of normal time remaining . Dorian was reintroduced for Toni Hannon who had shown well throughout the game . It fell to the exciting O Sullivan to close out the Boardsmill account to leave the score 2.13 to 3.3 at the final whistle.
Boardsmill mentors and supporters were immensely proud of their young team . They played an intelligent expansive brand of football throughout and will provide a stern test for either Moylagh or Wolfe Tones in the Junior Final
Every Boardsmill player contributed handsomely to this well deserved victory .They were best served by D O Sullivan H Tuite , K Hannon , C Bird and A Hannon and were ably supported by D Dempsey and M Hegarty in the middle of the field .
Boardsmill R Hoey , N McEvoy A Ramirez H Tuite , K Hannon S Dowling S Kennedy(0.1) , D Dempsey(0.2) M Hegarty S McLoughlin(0.1) T Hannon A Troy P Dorian(0.5) A Hannon (0.1)D O Sullivan ( 2.1) Substitutes , C Bird(0.2) for Ramirez. L Kelly for Dorian , R Troy for Dempsey , P Dorian for T Hannon .
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