Milltown claim O’Neills All-Ireland Junior Club 7s title for Kildare
The Kildare side defeat to St Brigid’s of Limerick lift the Junior title
Milltown claimed the O’Neills All-Ireland Junior Club 7s title when they defeated St Brigid’s of Limerick by 4-9 to 4-3 in the final played at at Naomh Mearnóg GAA Club in Portmarnock, Dublin.
The Kildare side were among five representing their county at the event on Saturday, August 1 but were the only to take home a trophy following their superb run through the tournament. Intercounty star Lara Curran was among the winning Milltown team.
Dublin’s St Sylvester’s were crowned the Senior title winners with a host of household names in their ranks.
Syl’s stormed to a 5-2 to 0-2 final victory over Tyrone outfit Killeeshil in the final, with former Dublin star Nicole Owens helping herself to a brace of goals.
Current Dublin ace Kate Sullivan scored 1-1, with Tipperary pair Anna-Rose Kennedy and Angela McGuigan grabbing a goal each.
At half-time, Syl’s were 3-1 to 0-1 ahead, Owens opening the scoring with a point before Sullivan, Kennedy and Owens netted.
Killeeshil’s solitary point in the first half came from a Gráinne McErlean free, and she also registered a point from play in the second period.
Goals from Owens and McGuigan in the second half put the end result beyond any doubt, before Sullivan completed the scoring with a late free.
Syl’s also had Dublin legend Niamh McEvoy in fine form in an unfamiliar goalkeeping role. As the winners came through the stern challenge of Leitrim’s Glencar-Manorhamilton, McEvoy pulled off some brilliant saves, including a penalty.
Syl’s won that semi-final by 4-2 to 0-2, as Killeeshil stormed past the challenge of Antrim’s St Ergnat’s Moneyglass, 8-3 to 4-6.
McEvoy smiled: “We didn’t have far to come out of our beds this morning! We just wanted to make sure we were working on everything that we’ve been working on with our new management. We really wanted to come out and enjoy day – but delighted to win.
“It’s nice to start off the year, going into (club) championship with a bit of silverware. We didn’t have any easy games out there. We nearly lost out first game and we had to up the ante and reassess our tactics. As we got into the day, we got into the running to win it.”