Glory for the Goosebank as Kilcoole storm to Wicklow LGFA Junior crown with victory over Éire Óg

Éire Óg Greystones 0-3

Kilcoole produced a stunning second-half performance to see off a gallant Éire Óg Greystones side and claim the Germaine’s Bar Wicklow LGFA Junior Football Championship crown in the first of three county finals in Bray Emmets GAA Club on Saturday afternoon.

After a low-scoring but entertaining opening half that saw the sides retired level at 0-2 apiece, Kilcoole rampaged into the second half, firing three majors past their opponents in the third quarter and limiting the neighbours to a single point over the second 30 minutes, that coming almost at the death from the boot of Orla Minogue.

Key to the comprehensive victory for John Byrne’s side was the outstanding Taylor Brandon, the hugely influential team captain Lucy Phipps Rooney, the very impressive Charlotte Nagle and a formidable work ethic that should stand this team in good stead when they begin life at Intermediate level next season.

An early burst of wayward shooting did Éire Óg Greystones no favours whatsoever as they registered four wides on the bounce that had they been converted could have given this game a different outlook when it came to the final whistle.

However, it was Kilcoole who got the scoreboard up and running with a cracking score from Taylor Brandon when the talented corner-forward collected a ball from Lucy Phipps Rooney and blasted over Rachel Purcell’s crossbar.

The Goosebank side would harvest their own collection of misses in the next five minutes, clocking up four wides of their overall tally of 11 before Orla Minogue slotted over a free for Éire Óg after overcarrying by the Kilcoole defence.

Éire Óg took the lead after 19, a Minogue free, while Rachel Purcell was proving to be in superb form at the other end, disrupting a dangerous Kilcoole attack after 23 and saving smartly from the busy Aoife Keddy after 27.

A sweet score from Robyn Rooney pulled Kilcoole level after 31 minutes of a frantic opening half and the sides would retire all square ahead of what promised to be a thrilling second half.

But whatever was said in the Kilcoole huddle at the break transformed the Goosebank women on the restart and they laid siege to the Éire Óg goal. Aoife Keddy opened with a free after 45 seconds before winning the penalty which Taylor Brandon dispatched low and hard to make it 1-3 to 0-2 after six.

Brandon is a quality footballer, capable of kicking scores off both feet, and when she gathered an Aoife Keddy ball and blasted home after seven minutes, Éire Óg were in serious bother, Bronagh Byrne turning the Greystones women over in the lead up to the major.

Éire Og tried switches and subs and had a wide from a free after 12 in a rare foray into the scoreboard end but when Brandon rifled to the top corner of Purcell’s net after 15 to make it 3-3 to 0-2 it was all over bar the shouting you felt.

A flurry of points, from Charlotte Nagle, Taylor Brandon after a stunning catch, Nagle again and substitute Maeve Butler in what was surely the score of the game pushed the Kilcoole lead out to an unassailable 3-7 to 0-2.

Grace Murphy would bag the fourth goal for the Goosebank side who would also add points from the boots of Nagle and Robyn Evans while Minogue’s converted free late on would prove the only score of a disappointing second half for the Éire Óg women who battled bravely throughout.

After the final whistle, Kilcoole captain Lucy Phipps Rooney was presented with the player of the match award and the Kathleen O’Neill Trophy by Stephen McNulty to the delight of the wonderful supporters.

Kilcoole: Katie Hannon; Grace Drumgoole, Leanne Hannon, Sadhbh Furlong; Charlotte Nagle (0-3), Chloe Byrne, Holly Martin; Lucy Phipps Rooney, Bronagh Byrne; Grace Murphy (1-0), Aoife Keddy (0-1, f), Kayla Devlin; Robyn Rooney (0-1), Robyn Evans (0-1), Taylor Brandon (3-2, 1-0 pen). Subs: Maeve Butler (0-1) for K Devlin (41), Nessa Drumgoole for R Rooney (45), Lucy Nagle for H Martin (48), Marie Joyce for B Byrne (50), Ella Mackey for G Murphy (60+2). Panel: Chloe Lowry, Marie Joyce, Laura Hannon, Laura Murphy, Lucy Nagle, Clodagh Jordan, Amy Byrne, Kate Ward, Kate Wilson, Ella Ryan, Jess Lynch, Angie Prendergast, Raynah Byrne.

Éire Óg Greystones: Rachel Purcell; Eva Moore, Siobhán Darcy, Aisling Duggan; Katie Bourke, Megan Healy (capt.), Shauna Dillane; Katie Lawless, Eleanor O’Malley; Ella Horgan, Orla Minogue (0-3, 2f), Ella Andrews; Erica Somers, Holly Sheehy, Sophie King. Subs: Aisling Roche for E Horgan (41), Tracy O’Halloran for E Andrews (60). Panel: Katie Lawless, Abbie Smullen, Julie Rose O’Brien, Beth Murray, Lisa Murphy, Sophie Gummerson, Alana Johnson, Grace Carey, Hazel Roche, Megan Maguire, Polly Demary.

Referee: Terry Canavan (AGB)