Magic McGeeney seals Leinster Minor ‘C’ title for Louth against gallant Wicklow after cracker

Louth 3-13

Wicklow 2-15

Louth substitute Naoise McGeeney was the hero of the Leinster LGFA Minor ‘C’ football championship final in Maynooth on Saturday afternoon when she fired over the winning score right at the death of extra-time at the end of a superb decider against a gallant Wicklow side who died with their boots on.

As epic and entertaining an encounter as you are ever likely to see unfolded on a pleasant day at the Maynooth University campus with Martin Rice’s side first rescuing the fixture at the end of normal time from the boot of Kayleigh Goss before the mighty McGeeney stepped up and slotted over a stunning point to seal a magical victory for the Wee County after 80-odd minutes of enthralling football.

McGeeney’s opportunity came about because of one of the umpteen surging runs up the field by the outstanding Lucy White of Cooley Kickhams who deservedly received the player of the match award after the game. Her pace and skill level were a joy to watch from start to finish in this game.

Wicklow’s hearts were broken when Paul Meaney sounded his full-time whistle. The first thought as the Louth players celebrated wildly and the Garden County soldiers slumped to their knees was that if ever a game didn’t deserve a loser, then this was it. But Jess Brennan’s side will look to two late wides as big factors in not putting this game to bed and leaving Louth in with every chance of grabbing a late winner.

It was the Wicklow girls who hit the ground running on what was a decent pitch but surely a bizarre choice of venue for a provincial final with the players having a lengthy walk to the field and no facilities for spectators. Indeed, two Louth players had to seek the permission of the referee to go back to the dressing rooms during the break in extra-time and they were gone for close to five minutes such was the distance.

Granted, securing facilities and grounds can’t be easy, but teams who reach Leinster finals surely deserve better.

Jess Brennan’s side were 0-3 to 0-0 up after 10 minutes, Katie Wafer, Ruby Keogh and Áine D’Arcy firing the Garden County side into an early lead.

However, Louth rampaged back into proceedings with a rapid-fire 1-4 courtesy of two frees from the tidy Misha Rooney at full-forward, a wicked goal from midfielder Lucy Sheridan and a tasty point from Grace Stafford.

The lively Robyn Brennan at full-forward for Wicklow pointed for Wicklow after good work from Annacurra’s Sarah Doyle and the Garden County star of the day, Blessington’s Aibhe King.

Mischa Rooney profited from a hopping ball that deceived the excellent Alannah Sheridan to gather possession way out from the Wicklow goal, but the Hunterstown Rovers attacker galloped into the open space and blasted low and hard past Anna Carylon for Louth’s second major of the day with 22 gone in a frantic opening half.

The Wee County side could have inflicted further damage of the green flag variety moments later when they overturned the Wicklow girls only for Grace Stafford’s wicked shot to be pushed onto the crossbar by the alert Carylon and Mischa Rooney’s follow up effort come crashing back off the butt of the upright.

Wicklow were dealt a blow in the next move. Half-back Isabel Ledesma who was having a super game suffered a heavy knock and had to leave the field with a suspected broken collar bone, but the St. Patrick’s player was replaced by the busy Aoife Cullen from Blessington.

An Aibhe King pointed free left five points between the sides at the break, Louth 2-4, Wicklow 0-5, and the Garden County turning around to play with the aid of the stiff breeze.

Within eight minutes of the restart, Jess Brennan’s side had retaken the lead, a sweetly struck Áine D’Arcy penalty and points from Eadaoin O’Keane (her shot for goal deflected over brilliantly by the retreating Moya Corrigan) and two points from the outstanding Aibhe King who Louth simply had no answer for.

Anna Carylon had also come to Wicklow’s rescue in this period, with an excellent save from the boot of Grace Stafford.

Lucy Sheridan then bagged something of a clumsy goal for Louth 10 minutes into the second half, the groundwork being put in by Brigh McEntaggart, Mischa Rooney and Amy Murray.

But Wicklow showed remarkable resilience to bounce back from this blow and but for the brilliance of Molly Savage in the Louth goal would have been on their way to a Leinster title with the St. Fechins goalkeeper getting down to stop a low Robyn Brennan effort that seemed destined for the bottom corner.

Nevertheless, points from Áine D’Arcy, Aibhe King and a stunner from Robyn Brennan pushed Wicklow back in front 25 minutes into the second half with Mishca Rooney firing wide from a penalty in between to leave the supporters desperately chewing their fingernails on the sideline.

A sweet pointed free from Rooney – not an easy kick on her wrong side and shortly after missing a penalty – was answered by a class Lily Somers score that was started with a magnificent interception by Leah Manley at the other end. The Baltinglass defender had a superb game throughout.

When Somers kicked that score it was 31.30 on the second-half clock, with three added. Louth attacked. Wicklow full-back Alannah Sheridan plucked a high ball out of the sky, but the Garden County coughed up possession out the field and Eimear Callaghan and Rooney combined to release Kayleigh Goss whose wicked strike on the gallop sailed majestically between the posts to send this cracker to extra-time.

With Áine D’Arcy collecting a yellow card near the end of full-time, Wicklow sent in Sadhbh Furlong for the attacker so as to have 15 on the field.

Two points apiece were registered in the opening half of extra-time while Wicklow left two efforts behind them compared to Louth’s one and Anna Carylon saved smartly from Lucy White.

Into the second half we went, amazed as we were at the energy levels, the composure and the skill levels of these players, and Lily Somers grabbed what looked to be a massive goal for the Garden County to leave it 2-14 to 3-9.

Naoise McGeeney’s impact on this game began when she answered that goal with a cracking point which was followed by Mischa Rooney’s rocket for the roof of the Wicklow net being pushed over by Carlyon to leave the sides level again.

The Wicklow netminder landed her next kick-out into the path of Eadaoin O’Keane and the St. Pat’s woman started a move that ended with Aibhe King splitting the posts.

Lucy White, who had tormented the Wicklow defence from the very start of the game, drew the sides level with a fine score.

Orla Fee shone brightly in the full-back line when intercepting a dangerous Louth move as the minutes ticked by, but Wicklow fired wide twice late on for what would have been crucial scores.

With time just up, Louth launched one last attack. Molly Savage’s kick-out found Eimear Callaghan who released the speed demon White into space. The Cooley Kickhams star ripped through the Wicklow defence before finding Kayleigh Goss and the St. Patrick’s player picked out McGeeney and the rest, as they say, is history!

A truly epic encounter between two very impressive sides.

Wicklow: Anna Carlyon (Blessington); Leah Manley (Baltinglass), Alannah Sheridan (St. Nicholas), Orla Fee (An Tóchar); Isabel Ledesma (St. Patrick’s), Erin McMahon (Blessington), Sarah Doyle (Annacurra); Leila Shannon (Blessington), Katie Wafer (0-1, Carnew Emmets); Eadaoin O’Keane (0-1, St. Patricks), Aibhe King (0-5, 1f, Blessington), Aisling Brennan (Blessington); Áine D’Arcy (1-2, 1-0 pen, Tinahely), Robyn Brennan (0-4, 2f, Blessington), Ruby Keogh (0-1, Coolkenno). Subs: Aoife Cullen for I Ledesma (inj, 25), Doireann Killoran (AGB) for S Doyle (38), Niamh Kavanagh (AGB) for A Brennan (42), Lily Somers (1-1, AGB) for R Keogh (50), Sophie Kavanagh (Baltinglass) for K Wafer (57), Sadhbh Furlong for Á D’Arcy (60), Áine D’Arcy (Tinahely) for N Kavanagh (60+10), Deirbhile Gavaghan (AGB) for S Furlong (60+17), Sophie Murphy Rathnew) for D Killoran (60+19), Aine Donoghue (Coolkenno) for E McMahon (60+19).

Louth: Molly Savage (St. Fechins), Moya Corrigan (St. Fechins), Vanessa Brennan (St. Kevin’s), Aine Murray (Naomh Fionnbarra); Amy Murray (St. Kevin’s), Kate Mulligan (St. Joseph’s), Meabh Butterly (St. Patrick’s); Lucy Sheridan (2-0, St. Kevin’s), Eimear Callaghan (St. Mary’s); Lucy White (0-1, Cooley Kickhams), Chloe McCarragher (Cooley Kickhams), Zara Sweeney (Stabannon Parnells); Grace Stafford (0-2, Glen Emmets), Mischa Rooney (1-6, 4f, Hunterstown Rovers), Maggie Holland (St. Patrick’s). Subs: Brigh McEntaggart (capt., Kilkerley Emmets) for C McCarragher (36), Ciara Boyle (Cooley Kickhams) for G Stafford (36), Kayleigh Goss (0-2, St. Patrick’s) for Z Sweeney (57), Naoise McGeeney (0-2, Roche Emmets), Maggie Holland for C Boyle (60+19).

Referee: Paul Meaney (Dublin)