Connollys and Gaels Ladies take the Junior spoils

THERE were celebrations for Dunedin Connollys and Glasgow Gaels in the Ladies Junior Championship competitions recently, albeit only the latter were able to enjoy victory on the pitch itself.

Dunedin were the strongest of the Junior sides and raced into the Championship Cup Final with only one loss and impressive wins over Gaels, Dalriada and Tír Conaill Harps.

Gaels had their sights on facing them in that final, but a match against the Edinburgh side dealt a blow to those aspirations.

In the summer heat of the Scottish capital, Gaels started brightly, not only registering some early points but also pressuring Connollys into several wides. Katie McMillan displayed accuracy on the frees, while Aoibhinn Murphy led the defensive line well.

Connollys Ladies began to grow into the game, however, and as half time drew near, Katie Ní and Aine Cooke laid down great scores put Dunedin ahead of half-time. From that point on the Connollys pushed forward and also defended resolutely.

Dunedin’s forwards also displayed great shot selection with impressive scores coming from some of their youth players eventually sealing the deal to give Connollys the victory by a scoreline of 3-17 to 0-05.

Gaels however, bounced back with a 3-09 to 1-08 victory over Harps, but it wasn’t enough to reach the Championship Cup Final as Dalriada’s victory over them earlier on in the season proved crucial and saw them securing that berth.

The Glasgow side would therefore face Tír Conaill in the Championship Shield Final in Coatbridge—the third meeting of the sides this season. Gaels went into the final as favourites, but Harps—who have made huge strides this year, securing their first ever victory at this level against Stirling Carrigans—were more than happy with the underdogs tag.

Indeed, Harps came flying out of the traps, dominating possession early on and clipping over some fine scores. By the midway point, Gaels were under serious pressure, trailing heavily and struggling to find their groove. With no scoreboard to lean on, it was a real test of character and the Glasgow Ladies had to call on every ounce of grit and determination to keep themselves in the hunt.

With a commanding 12-point lead going into half-time, Harps looked for silverware, but a series of missed goal chances—opting instead for points—would later prove costly.

Gaels fighting spirit, however, which they had begun to show in the closing stages of the first-half, was in greater evidence after the break, as they dominated kick-outs and steadily clawed their way back into the contest. By the time the game reached the third quarter, the deficit was gone and the Gaels had nosed themselves in front.

The turning point came when Amy Chambers cooly knocked over a string of points to settle the nerves and give the Gaels a bit of breathing space. Harps, to their credit, got back on level terms with a goal, but Gaels responded with a cracking goal followed quickly by another point to restore the gap.

From there it was all about composure. Gaels’ back line stood strong, soaking up late pressure and when the referee blew the final whistle, Gaels emerged as Shield champions (above) by a scoreline of 5-08 to 3-10

Gaels had to dig deep for the win, which was built on heart, resilience and no shortage of skill and the celebrations that followed were richly deserved, especially for those competing in the sport for their first full season.

Harps, meanwhile, were disappointed, especially after such a dominant start, but the performance underlined the team’s progress. With youth and talent on their side, the signs are all pointing upwards for next season.

The Championship Cup Final, unfortunately, was a bit of a damp squib with Connollys (below) taking the silverware without even having had to kick a ball in anger as Dalriada conceded.