United Na Fianna complete drive for five

Flynn and Devine goals decisive in Senior A final

Na Fianna...................................2-15

Kilmessan....................................1-7

“We are a family,” said Na Fianna captain Erin Leddy after she accepted the trophy on behalf of her colleagues after this Senior A Camogie final had concluded at sunny Trim on Saturday afternoon.

She was referring to the club in general and the team specifically and Na Fianna certainly showed themselves to be a united, coherent force in this encounter with an espirit de corps Kilmessan simply found impossible to contain.

Leddy and her colleagues led 2-8 to 1-4 at the interval and they never looked like they were going to be caught in the second-half. Instead, they pushed on to claim their fifth title in succession and sixth in the past seven years, statistics that underline just how dominant a force they are in the local game.

Their goals in the 15th and 17th minutes were scored by two of their most potent performers – Brook Flynn and Leah Devine. Up until that double whammy Kilmessan were every bit as good as the reigning champions but the goals put Na Fianna on a different plane; another dimension.

Another big factor in Na Fianna’s success was their united, well-organised, sturdy defence. It says a lot about the problems Kilmessan had in breaking that defence down that only one of their personnel got on the scoresheet – the legendary, seasoned campaigner Aileen Donnelly. She put her team briefly in front when she found the net from a free in the opening minutes – and she was to prove to be an inspiration to her team-mates as she relentlessly battled on.

Apart from their goals, Flynn and Devine had top-quality games. Flynn caused consternation in the Kilmessan defence every time she got the ball while Devine was a major influence with her passing and surging runs. Both their goals were super individual efforts also; Flynn cutting in from the wing before firing home while Devine found the net after embarking on one of those power-packed forward surges.

Aoife Carey was another huge player for the winners finishing up with 10 points, seven from frees and one '45', but apart from that she was a central figure in many of her team’s most promising attacking moves.

Gracie Grehan and Aedin Slattery were others who capped strong, robust displays with scores as well as getting through a lot of ball-winning work around midfield. The great Shauna Ennis also came on to garner a score.

Claire Coffey and Leddy formed a strong defensive spine while goalkeeper Katie Mulvihill did what she had to do to ensure she conceded only one goal, clearing her lines cleanly and making smart saves from Donnelly and Lillymae O’Reilly in the second-half.

Players such as Megan Thynne, Rachel O’Neill, Aoibhin Lally and O’Reilly were among the Kilmessan contingent to show plenty of enterprise but they simply couldn’t stop Na Fianna from racking up the scores at a steady rate.

As well as an impressive togetherness Na Fianna also showed something else in this game– a huge hunger for success. You could be forgiven for thinking that after bagging the last four titles they might be showing some contentment with what they had already achieved but they never, not for a moment, gave that sense in this high-tempo, physically relentless encounter played out before a big crowd. They wanted another crown and badly.

In fact they resembled the Kilmessan team that, between 2008 and 2018, won 10 successive titles. Na Fianna are ‘only’ halfway towards reaching that target now – but they are team who are looking to achieve a lot more together. United. They are, as their captain said, a family.

Na Fianna: Katie Mulvihill; Sophia Payne, Claire Coffey, Aishling Byrne; Eimear Fagan, Erin Leddy, Niamh Mulvihill; Gracie Grehan (0-1), Aedin Slattery (0-1); Anna Carey, Aoife Carey (0-10 seven frees, one '45'), Leah Devine (1-1); Brook Flynn (1-1), Brodie Kelly, Katie Kelly. Subs: Orlagh Ryan for K Kelly 41, Shauna Ennis (0-1) for Devine 57m, Aoibhinn Ward for Flynn 60m.

Kilmessan: Chloe O’Neill; Saoirse Delaney, Maeve Lally, Ailbhe Gannon; Aoife Swan, Rachel O’Neill, Laura O’Neill; Aoibhin Lally, Megan Thynne; Megan Ni Choilean, Aileen Donnelly (1-7 1-5 frees, one '45'), Amelia Heather; Lillymae O’Reilly, Ella O’Brien, Nicole Reynolds. Subs: Nicole Conlon for Heather 46m, Hannah Morgan for Gannon 62m.

Referee: Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).