Donnelly's late point stuns Dunboyne as Yellow Furze make final return
Seneschalstown ..................2-13
St Peter’s ..........................1-15
Emma O’Donoghue's goal soon after the restart proved decisive for Seneschalstown as they stunned St Peter’s and booked their spot in the Ladies SFC decider on Saturday in Dunboyne.
It was the favourites St Peter's who started quickest with an early Anna Kane goal and a point from Katie Bermingham. Emma Duggan added to the home side's early advantage with a free.
Orla Finnegan got Seneschalstown off the mark before Duggan cancelled out that score. Anna Donnelly pulled one back for the Yellow Furze and towards the end of the first-quarter the eventual winners trailed 0-2 to 1-3.
Seneschalstown seized momentum with points from Finnegan and Emma O’Donoghue. Bermingham kept St Peter’s tally ticking over before Seneschalstown were given a huge boost when Kiah Geraghty’s shot from distance dropped under the crossbar and into the net.
That crucial score restored parity but there was still time before the interval for Seneschalstown to edge ahead and a Finnegan free gave the eventual winners a half-time advantage of 1-5 to 1-4.
Dunboyne had the wind behind them in the second-half and Duggan wasted no time in taking advantage of the conditions. She scored a fine two-pointer from a free soon after the restart.
A free awarded to the visitors was steered between the posts by Donnelly. In the 35th minute the pacy O’Donoghue put the ball past the St Peter’s 'keeper which put Seneschalstown three points ahead.
St Peter’s briefly halted Seneschalstown's momentum when a fine pass from Rachel McDermott found Anna Kane who reduced Seneschalstown’s lead back to two points. The next two scores came off the boots of Yellow Furze players as O’Donoghue and Megan Clarke both raised white flags.
Duggan then produced a brilliant individual spell and rattled off two frees, a point from play and a fine two-pointer which dragged St Peter’s right back into the contest. In the space of a few minutes, Seneschalstown’s four point lead had disappeared and the home side found themselves back in front by the narrowest of margins.
Erin Mangan increased the gap to two when she polished off a well-worked score. With only six minutes left, the experienced St Peter’s side were expected to close out the contest but Seneschalstown refused to be written off. A free from Finnegan reduced the gap back to one. Dissent from the St Peter’s camp gave Finnegan the opportunity to draw the sides level and she made no mistake with the 13-metre free.
Points from Duggan and Louise Pearl restored St Peter’s two-point advantage with not much time left. A brace of points in quick succession from Caitlin Dunne and Geraghty drew the sides level again before superb pass from O’Donoghue was well gathered by Donnelly and she fisted over to edge Seneschalstown ahead.
The full-time whistle confirmed Seneschalstown’s spot in the Ladies SFC decider where they will meet the current champions Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels on Saturday 3rd October in Bective.
St Peter’s: Jessica O’Neill; Clodagh Maher, Lea Davey, Niamh Williams; Rachel McDermott, Hannah Nolan, Keira Rogers; Louise Pearl, Katie Birmingham; Orlaith Donohoe, Caragh McCarthy, Kate Griffin; Erin Mangan, Emma Duggan, Anna Kane.