Cumann na mBunscol Finals: Stackallen back in the winners enclosure with stylish win
Image 1 of 5
Stackallen NS’s Sophie Brien on the charge during the Girls Div Shield final against St Anne’s at Ashbourne on Sunday. Photo: Gerry Shanahan / www.cyberimages.net Gerry ShanahanImage 2 of 5
The Stackallen NS players (from left) were: back - Rebecca Howard, Ellen Gray, Kate Timmons, Erin Rose Halpenny, Ellie Cournane, Ellen McGonigle, Anna Mullery, Kate Galligan, Sophie Brien, Siobhán Esmonde, Hollie Roche, Saibh McCormack, Megan Wall; front - Amelia May Lenehan, Annie Kealy, Lauren Flanagan, Ellie Burke, Abbi Fay, Erin Kavanagh, Ava Flynn, Lily Devin. Photo: David Mullen / www.cyberimages.net David MullenImage 3 of 5
St Anne’s NS players (from left) were: back - Anna Dinnu, Wonoula Akinmutimi, Zoe Meade, Ruby Fennessy Tobin, Emily Boylan, Merrissa McEntaggart, Katie Dardis, Felicity Doyle, Kate Forde, Libbie Horan, Isabel Nixon, Hannah Rennicks, Eniola Akinmutini; front - Maryam Awan, Emili Babic, Michelle Joby, Angela O’Leary, Annie Sheils, Zoey O’Leary, Holly Murphy, Sofia Al-Hussein, Holly Dunphy, Sarah Good, Xingyu Chen. David MullenImage 4 of 5
Stackallen NS’s joint captains Kate Timmons (left) and Ellie Cournane received the Girls Div Shield from their coach and former winning captain with Stackallen Aisling Burke. Gerry ShanahanImage 5 of 5
Stackallen NS’s Ellie Cournane received the Spirit of the Final award from Meath Chronicle’s Fergal Lynch. Gerry ShanahanGIRLS DIV 2/3 SHIELD
Almost 30 years after their coach Ashling Burke last lifted a title for Stackallen NS they were back in the winner's enclosure again on Sunday as they saw off St Anne's Navan by 4-8 to 1-5 to claim the Girls Div 2/3 Shield at Ashbourne.
Stackallen got off to a dream start with Ellie Cournane blasting a brilliant goal inside 30 seconds. St Anne's replied with a point from Katie Dardis, but then they became particularly wayward hitting five wides in five minutes as Stackallen were much more economical.
Cournane added a point to her tally before Katie Timmons hit three in a row with a pair of frees sandwiching a fine score from play.
Sophie Brien made it 2-4 to 0-1 with a close range finish for her side's second goal and even though Holly Dunphy converted a free to close the gap to 0-2 to 2-4 at the break St Anne's were left to rue their nine first-half wides compared to just one effort off target for Stackallen.
Scores weren't as frequent in the second-half, but Stackallen continued to dominate although the outstanding Katie Dardis kept St Anne's dreams alive with some brilliant scores.
Just as they did at the start of the first-half Stackallen's opening score of the second period was a goal with Abbi Fay netting after her initial shot was saved.
Cournane added two points while Saibh McCormack also pointed to stretch Stackallen's lead to 3-7 to 0-2.
St Anne's never gave up and Dardis was superb, scoring the point of the game before added a third to her side's tally.
Holly Dunphy kicked one from play before Cournane responded for Stackallen.
Dardis blasted a brilliant goal to add to St Anne's tally, but fittingly it was Cournane who responded with Stackallen's fourth goal and the closing score of an entertaining contest to seal the win.
Stackallen NS - Anna Mullery; Ellie Burke, Amelia-May Lenehan; Annie Kealy, Siobhán Esmonde, Ellen Gray; Kate Galligan, Ellie Cournane (2-4); Ellen McGonigle, Kate Timmons (0-3 two freeS), Erin-Rose Halpenny; Abbi Fay (1-0), Sophie Brien (1-0). Subs - Lauren Flanagan, Saibh McCormack (0-1), Hollie Roche, Erin Kavanagh, Lily Devin, Ava Flynn, Rebecca Howard, Megan Wall. Mentors - Ashling Burke, Siobhán Downey.
St Anne's PS Navan - Eniola Akinmutimi; Michelle Joby, Zoe Meade; Isabel Nixon, Libbie Horan, Hannah Rennicks; Holly Dunphy (0-2 one free free), Katie Dardis (1-3); Zoey O’Leary, Felicity Doyle, Holly Murphy; Annie Sheils, Emily Boland. Subs - Xingyu Chen, Wonoula Akinmutimi, Kate Forde, Angela O’Leary, Sofia Al-Hussein, Emili Babic, Unathi Laleti Nyamwanza, Merrissa McEntaggart, Ruby Fennessy-Tobin, Anna Dinnu, Maryam Awan, Sarah Good. Mentors - C Kelly, M Brennan, M Leavy.
Referee - Cathal O Bric (Boyerstown NS).