Roche U16 girls win thriller championship final to add to league title  

Roche U16 Girls took to the field captained by Naoise McGeeney for the championship final on Saturday 02 July having been unbeaten in the previous 10 matches in the league of 2022. 

They faced a St Joseph’s team searching for their first championship win at this level. Roche were first to register a score with a fine point from Hannah McArdle following her trademark burst from midfield. 
The Joes got into their stride with 5 points on the bounce aided by a stiff breeze. The full back line of Aoife McKee, Nicole Murray and Erin Roe worked hard and were effective in limiting any shots on goal. They were well supported in defence by half backs, Eimear Traynor, Naoise McGeeney and Mollie Kirk. 
The half forward line, Erin Gorham, Ava Briscoe and Cliodhna O’Hare covered a lot of ground supporting the midfield and collecting Tina Kirk’s on point kick outs and were eager to work the ball upfield in to the hard working forward line of Aimee Dunne, Ellen Smith and Megan Roe. The ball fell to Cliodhna O’Hare, always dangerous around the breaking ball and she nutmegged the Joes keeper to reduce the deficit to a minimum. The Joes girls responded finding the back of the net themselves with a low shot putting them 6 points up but a brace of points from Ava Briscoe and a point from Ellen Smith ensured that it was a 1 score game going in to the break 1-04 to 1-07 to the Joes. On the resumption, the Roche girls used the elements now in their favour by adding 3 points from Hannah McArdle and a point from Zoe Treacy with her first touch off the bench. The Joes hit back with 2 points putting them a point up with time running out. The oppositions main threat was tamed with great defending from substitute Ffion Dolan. With the game in the melting pot, the girls in blue’s tenacity shone through and Ava Briscoe’s levelling point was greeted with a huge roar from the Roche support. Extra time looked inevitable but Roche had other ideas. The hardworking midfield pairing of Kayleigh O’Hare and Hannah McArdle won the kick out and some fine passing moves upfield found wing forward Erin Gorham 20metres out from the posts. With a quick look at the target she let fly with her goal hungry left foot and found the top corner bringing all in blue off their feet. Roche won the kick out and the Joes found themselves under more pressure in defence as Ava Briscoe found herself in a 1 v 1 with the keeper and carefully picked her spot to put the game to bed with a 6 point cushion entering injury time. The Joes, to their credit didn’t give up and came up the field in search of a goal only to be denied on the double. A fierce shot was blocked by the full back line and another effort seemed destined for the top corner only for goalkeeper Martina Kirk to pluck it out of the air and burst out of the pack of players to deliver a pass down field. The referee blew the final whistle to rapturous Roche applause and these spirited girls had added a championship title to the league title already secured.

Final score

Roche 3-09 St Josephs 1-09

Scorers 

Ava Briscoe 1-03

Hannah McArdle 0-04

Cliodhna O’Hare 1-00

Erin Gorham 1-00

Ellen Smith 0-01

Zoe Treacy 0-01