No Eureka moment for Kells side

SCHOOLS GAA

Reigning All-Ireland winners Moate CS retained their Ladies Leinster Schools JFC title with this 6-6 to 3-5 victory over Eureka SS, Kells in a downpour at Kinnegad last Thursday.

Despite the horrendous conditions both sides served up a pre-Christmas cracker, but the concession of six, three in each half, proved to be Eureka's downfall.

Boosted by underage county players from Meath and Cavan and Republic of Ireland u-17 international footballer Hailey Twomey Eureka had their moments early on.

Riona Murphy (a daughter of former Meath player Ollie Murphy) and Twomey were both very impressive for Eureka, but they only managed to put two scores on the board from Murphy and Twomey, that wasn’t near enough from their period of dominance and it did come back to haunt them.

Once Moate settled they scored 2-2 in the space of a few minutes. Their first two genuine attacks both led to goals from Anna Ryan and Lucy Martin.

Ally Duffy added a quick fire 1-1 to boost Moate to a 3-2 to 0-2 lead. Inspired by Murphy Eureka stayed in the game as the Carnaross player grabbed a goal and she quickly added a couple of points to close the gap to 1-4 to 3-2 at the break.

Moate were the dominant team in the third quarter with Duffy bagging two more goals to make it 5-5 to 1-5 and leave Eureka with no way back.

Murphy with a couple of points and Twomey with a goal have Eureka brief hope heading into the closing stages and they really started to believe when Ava McGlue hit a third goal for the Meath school.

However, any thoughts of a Eureka comeback were put to bed when Martin hit her second goal for Moate and despite a brave finish by the Kells girls it was not to be their day.

Moate CS - Lilly Daly; Grace David, Riona Foley, Libby McHugh; Hannah Pratlett, Daisy Bucys McLoughlin, Mella Casey; Chloe Malone (0-4), Lucy Martin (2-0); Anna Ryan (1-0), Heidi Murray, Kelly Lynam; Ally Duffy (3-2), Wiktoria Wziatek, Heather Touhey. Subs - Aoibheann Kelly, Ellen Madden, Gemma Turley and Diana Heavin.

Eureka SS, Kells - Mikaela Farrell; Ella Gilsenan, Cliona Durcan, Ciara Clarke; Rose Martin, Aine Harney, Eleanor Fallon; Leana Coyne, Ava McGlue (1-0); Elena Ormazabal, Rebecca Farrelly, Emer O’Reilly; Riona Murphy (1-3), Lauran Reilly, Hailey Twomey (1-1). Subs: Kayla Coyne, Leah Codd, Eabha Mae Connolly and Pippa Lee Gordon.

Referee - Gerard Egan (Longford).