Leinster U16 A Championship Final

Dublin 3-9

Meath 2-6

By Aisling Clery

Eimear Kehoe hit 2-3 as Dublin were crowned Leinster U16 Champions in terrific sunshine in Fingallians on Saturday afternoon. Both of Kehoe’s goals came in the opening half where Dublin held a 2-5 to 0-3 lead at the break with the industrious Rebecca Nolan earning Player of the Match. Meath, to their credit, were unrelenting and put intense pressure on the Dublin defence in the second half, yet Dublin dug deep and ran out six point winners.

The game opened at a frantic pace and Dublin didn’t waste time in taking a commanding lead. Karrie Rudden opening the scoring on three minutes before adding a second point from a free moments later. Rudden was a potent threat and her high fielding set up an oncoming Siobhán Birnie, the Lucan Sarsfields player extended Dublin’s lead to three points after nine minutes of play.

Meath were finding it difficult to get the ball across their own half way line such was Dublin’s initial dominance and Eimear Kehoe pushed Dublin into a four point lead when she split the posts. However, Meath were patient and two quickfire frees from Poppy Byrne brought the Royals back to within two points after 20 minutes of play.

Dublin, however, finished the half strongly and Eimear Kehoe hit 2-1 in a devastating four minute spell which stretched their lead to nine points. Laura Campion did point for Meath before the half time whistle to leave them eight adrift (2-5 to 0-3) at the break.

The game was played at a slightly slower pace in the second half owing to the heavy sunshine and points from Kehoe and Rudden stretched Dublin’s lead. Lauren Woods pulled a point back for the Royals but this was cancelled out when Rudden hit her fourth point of the contest from a free. Meath were starting to push hard on the Dublin defence and were duly rewarded when Campion got in for her second point.

Rudden added her fifth point from a free and Dublin looked to be in total control, however the Royals had other ideas and while they saw several efforts go wide of the post, Laura Campion found the back of the net to ignite the Royal comeback. And the Royals would have gotten closer too but for a brilliant save from Dublin netminder Siobhán Cassidy Fagan. Dublin added their third goal when Sophia O’Brien found the back of the net with aplomb.

Meath finished the game strongly adding a second goal through Laura Mangan and a point from an impressive Campion to set up a nervy finish, but Dublin hung on and finished six point winners.

Scorers: Dublin: E Kehoe 2-3, K Rudden 0-5 (3f), S O’Brien 1-0, S Birnie 0-1.

Meath: L Campion 1-3, L Mangan 1-0, P Byrne 0-2 (2f), L Woods 0-1.

DUBLIN: S Cassidy Fagan, T Lambe, E Kearney, E Kehoe, LM Conaty, A Robertson, E Doyle, E Moran, S Birnie, E Joyce, E Leddy Doyle, R Nolan, K O’Toole, K Rudden, L Murphy.

Subs: A Canty, L Ahern, AM Durkan, M le Roux, Z Donnelly, M Moran (C), A Falvey, S O’Brien, A Bresnan, A Dundon, I Dowling, A Smyth, EJ O’Connell Bell, R Hargan, A Garvey.

MEATH: R Crowley, E Comerford, Z Harte, S Cleary, E Morgan (C), M Canny, A Lambert, E Lynch, A Carroll, A Kane, E Brogan, E O’Sullivan, L Campion, P Byrne, L Woods.

Subs: A Connor, E Tuckey, I Thorp, O Hetherton, O Reilly, S Cooke, K Butvilaite, L Mangan, A Moyles, S O’Gorman, S Deegan, C O’Neill, S Delaney, C Smith, A McLoughlin.

Ref: Ciarán Groome (Offaly).

Photo Credit: Maurice Grehan