Goals galore as Boardsmill race to emphatic victory

There were goals galore for the spectators to savour in this Girls Div 3 final at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday - and lots more besides. There was some fantastic, eye-catching moves that evoked some ear-piercing cheers from the crowd in the stand that contained, as it did for all the finals, some very anxious parents and grandparents.

With a cutting edge as sharp as a sword, Boardsmill were able to fashion a magnificent seven goals with Kyah Ashe helping herself to a hat-trick of goals to help them to a 7-9 to 3-3 victory. Mollie Kate Mahon played a real captain's role by slicing through for a further two goals while the ever alert Robin Healy and Olivia Kuma were others to hit the back of the net.

Mollie Kate was one of four Mahon sisters who turned out in the blue of Boardsmill and what a contribution this group of siblings made to their team's overall display. They were all brilliant with goalkeeper Beth, Chloe and Tess all central figures in their team's convincing victory.

Chloe and Tess between them fired over six points. Healy, Kuma and Eimear Guy were others who contributed further points to Boardsmill's highly impressive tally. Arguably the 'Mill's best goal of the day arrived in the lead up to half-time. Chloe Mahon and Tess Mahon were, not surprisingly, involved in the build up and Ashe ended it off with a lethal finish.

It's wasn't surprising either that Laura Connolly and Kayla Wall between them made up most of the St Patrick's NS tally as they were magnificent, time and again surging forward, turning defence into attack.

The Baconstown school trailed 1-2 to 3-7 at the interval but they never gave up hope and put together something of a comeback with two late goals, one superbly finished by Connolly and another top-qualify strike from the enterprising Paige Healy.

They just needed to find the net earlier and more often to derail a goal-hungry Boardsmill side who had victory in their sights early on and weren't going to let anything distract them.

Boardsmill NS - Beth Mahon; Alannah Corcoran, Annaliese Kelly; Millie Farrell, Orlaith Purcell, Eimear Guy (0-1); Robin Healy (1-1), Olivia Kuma (1-1 one free); Chloe Mahon (0-4), Mollie Kate Mahon (2-0), Fia Reilly; Tess Mahon (0-2), Kyah Ashe (3-0). Méabh Fitzsimons, Ava Cranley, Hayley O'Brien, Jessica Flood, Taylor Pratt, Áine Boyne, Emily Reilly, Áine Fitzgerald, Caoimhe O'Brien, Erin Conway, Sadie Lawless, Hannah Farrell, Annabella Dowdall, Bobbie-Lou Hanney, Alannah Walsh, Holly Canty; mentors - Marie O’Regan, Siobhán Dobie, Sarah Howard.

Baconstown NS - Éabha May Maguire; Isabelle Gaffney, Erin O’Brien; Aoibheann O’Rafferty, Lucy Dawson, Clara Lynam; Annabel Butler, Lauren Connolly (1-1); Kayla Wall (1-2 one free), Paige Healy (1-0), Eve Morrin; Penny McGuigan, Poppy Burke. Sophie Hughes, Amira Beggs, Laura Cody, Kate Cunnigham, Vanessa O’Rourke, Aoife Flynn, Caoimhe Flynn; mentors - Máire Keogh, Cathal Fenton.

Referee - Niamh O’Sullivan (St Seachnall’s NS, Dunshaughlin).