Senior A Semi Final Spot for Moate CS Senior Girls

By: Alexandra Roche

 

 

MOATE CS 9-18
MERCY 4-15

 

It was a thrilling match ending in emphatic triumph on November 11th as Moate CS recorded yet another well-earned victory in their second game of the PPS Leinster Schools Senior A Championship against Mercy, Ballymahon to top their group and secure a semi final spot.

 

Playing on home turf, Moate started off on the front foot with the unstoppable midfield duo, Megan Clinton and Anna Sheerin, winning the throw-in, asserting their dominance in the match from the get-go. It was a sign of things to come, as the team played fluently through the entirety of the match.

 

The girls showed great teamwork and perseverance, knowing how to assist each other in both defence and attack, which can be credited to the dedicated management and both captain, Áine Gaynor and vice-captain, Shannon Mulvihill.

 

The captains made quite the impact on the day, accumulating two goals and seven points between them while also giving an abundance of verbal and physical support to their fellow teammates. The team’s hard work and dedication in the first half paid off, and was reflected in the half time score of 5-10 to 3-8.

 

The team continued to work as a whole right through the second half, refusing to give Mercy a whiff of encouragement, hammering in four more goals and a further eight points, with Ella Grennan, Ava Cornally, Shannon Mulvihill, Hazel Kelly, Áine Gaynor, Saoirse McGuinness and Kate Whyte all contributing either scores or assists.

 

Half-backs Hannah Doolan, Chloe Moran, Holly Keenan and Claire O’Donohoe linked together intelligently, knowing how and when to advance play into the hands of midfield and the half-forward line.

 

Full-backs Amy Murphy, the tenacious Clíona McCormack, Joyce Conway and Claire Conlon showed great organisation, stood firm in the face of numerous Mercy attacks, offering great protection to ‘keeper Emma Quigley – who also had a great match.

 

The U16 girls, Claire O’Donohoe, Aoife Collins and Kate Whyte played fearlessly, in particular Whyte who amassed 1-3 after coming on midway through the second half. Moate’s dominance was summed up by the final winning margin of 18 points.

 

This match’s result and, even more so, the performance gives a firm indicator of the team’s potential to have a crack at silverware this season.

 

Moate CS now look forward to a Senior A semi final clash with old rivals Scoil Chriot Ri, Portlaoise. The last time the pair met was that historical day in December 2019 when the Moate CS ladies won their first ever Leinster Senior A title.

 

The semi final is fixed for Moate CS pitch on Thursday, December 9th @11:45. In the other semi final, Ballymahin face the hot favorites Loreto Navan.