St Conor's disappointed in Senior Medallion Shield final

Senior Medallion Shield final 

Assumption Ballynahinch 1-9 

St Conor's Clady/Kilrea 1-5

THE Assumption Ballynahinch team that St Conor’s Clady/Kilrea faced in Monday evening’s Senior Medallion Shield final was a lot different and more compact that the one that they crushed by 9-9 to 4-4 at Mallusk in the opening round of the group games back in November.

There was simply no chance of St Conor’s running in nine goals in the final. Their route to goal was closed by a formidable Ballynahinch defence, marshalled by Caitlin McGrattan and Erin Daly. Indeed the only goal that Assumption conceded was rather lucky as Leah Marron’s effort at a point dipped into the net in the fourth minute.

That score definitely gave St Conor’s confidence and Ellie McCartney, Éabha Mullan and Conla Kerr took the game to Assumption during the first quarter. It took 14 minutes for Assumption to open their account and McCartney fired over an excellent long-range point in response to Croskery’s score.

However the rest of the first half belonged to Ballynahinch.

In the 17th minute Caileigh McConnell got on the end of a good team move and poked the sliotar past Ciara O’Neill. It lifted the Down side and they built up a 1-6 to 1-1 interval lead with four points, three from frees, from Daire O'Shea and an excellent score from Alannah McKay.

St Conor's were marginally the better team in terms of possession during the second half, but they found it very difficult to break down the Assumption defence in which Caitlin McGrattan and Erin Daly were outstanding.

It was left to St Conor's half-back Ellie McCartney to inflict the wounds; she brought her tally to four points, all struck from outside the 45 metres line, and a free into the danger area was touched over the bar by Sinéad O’Connell.

That performance was good enough to win the Swatragh defender the Player of the Match award, but sadly those scores made no impression on the lead that Assumption held.

There was a goal chance or two in injury time with just four points between the teams, but both shots flashed wide while Erin Douglas plucked a couple of high balls out of the night sky to thwart St Conor’s late in the tie.

McCartney’s fourth score closed the gap to three points two minutes into injury time. But Assumption broke from the poc-out and Alannah McKay made the game safe with a very late point.

Assumption: Erin Douglas, Emma McLaughlin, Caitlin McGrattan, Tara O’Neill, Ellie McCabe, Erin Daly, Alanna McLaughlin, Lena Mason, Shannon Coulter, Áine O’Neill, Corra Croskery 0-1, Alannah McKay 0-2, Rose Carson, Caileigh McConnell 1-1, Dáire O’Shea 0-5, 4 frees.

Subs: Olivia Sharvin for Áine O’Neill, Clodagh Cultra for Rose Carson

St Conor’s: Ciara O'Neill, Rionach Kearney, Anna Mullan, Anna O'Neill, Ellie McCartney 0-4, Éabha Mullan, Anna Quinn, Leah Marron 1-0, Conla Kerr, Annie Leadon, Grace Draine, Ellie McAfee, Sinéad O'Connell 0-1, Roise Smyth, Naoise Henry

Subs: Hannah O'Neill for R Kearney, Anna Graham for A Quinn, Jojo Darragh for S O’Connell, Clare Henry for E McAfee.

Referee: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)