Royal Gaels' Niamh Gallogly who won the 'Player of the Match' after the Ladies IFC final.

Royals give majestic display

Helped along the way by some outstanding individual displays Royal Gaels marched to a comprehensive 2-19 to 3-6 victory over Dee Rangers in the Ladies IFC final at Ashbourne this evening.

This was a majestic display by Gordon Weldon's side as they took control early on and continued to add to their account.

Right up there in levels of performance was Niamh Gallogly who won the 'Player of the Match' award but there were others who contributed handsomely to the comprehensive victory.

The Gaels were already well on the way to victory at the break when they led 2-12 to 0-0 with a strong breeze helping along the way.

Petra Reilly and Meadbh Byrne found the net for the Royal Gaels and while they found it a lot tougher to find the scores in the second-half their supremacy was never seriously threatened.

Gallogly, the outstanding Niamh O'Sulllivan, Ciara Gorman, Byrne and Lisa Mooney all contributed points to the winners' final tally in what was, by any yardstick, a super team display.

Dee Rangers never stopped battling and working for each other and were rewarded by a very respectable scoreline against super-sharp opponents.

Emma Halpenny had the consolation of firing home a hat-trick of goals in a very enterprising display while Lisa Young, Lara O'Neill and Kelly Farrelly also contributed points.

However, there was just no stopping Royal Gaels as they marched to a deserved victory.

SCORERS

Royal Gaels - Meadbh Byrne 1-4; Niamh O'Sullivan 0-6 three frees; Niamh Gallogly 0-5; Clara Gorman 0-3 one free; Lisa Mooney 0-1.

Dee Rangers - Emma Halpenny 3-0; Lisa Young 0-3 one free; Lara O'Neill 0-2; Kelly Farrelly 0-1 free.

Royal Gaels - Laura Bourke; Caitlin O'Neill, Mary McDonagh, Sadhbh O Muiri; Karla Kealy, Laura Quinn, Niamh Gallogly; Rachel Huijsdens, Niamh O'Sullivan; Petra Reilly, Clara Gorman, Kelly O'Dwyer; Meadbh Byrne, Carla Creegan, Lisa Mooney. Subs - Ava O'Brien for O'Dwyer 42 mins, Ciara Galvin for Gorman 47m, Laura Ryan for McDonagh 54m, Megan McCarthy for Reilly 59m.

Dee Rangers - Emma Rafferty; Orlaith Sheehy, Aoife Conlon, Anna Myles; Ellen Cassidy, Grace Malone, Alannah Reilly; Briona Rowe, Sarah Halpenny; Emma Halpenny, Lisa Young, Lara O'Neill; Eve McConnell, Kelly Farrelly, Alannah McNulty. Subs - Emma Carry for Cassidy 45 mins, Tess Meade for McConnell 46m.

Chronicle Choice (Player of the Match) - Niamh Gallogly (Royal Gaels).

Referee - Joseph Curran (St Michael's)

See full report and photographs from match in next issue of the Meath Chronicle.