Limerick 2012 - MLGFA Munster Ladies Gaelic Football Association

1st Limerick school to reach LGF All Ireland A final

Coláiste Íde agus Iosef are through to the all ireland final of the Senior Ladies football A championship after a convincing win over reigning champions St. Leo's of Carlow in Nenagh on Saturday. The new community college which opened in September 2011 will now compete in the All Ireland final versus Loretto from Omagh. The semi final was played in blustery but dry conditions. The strong wind caused some early problems for both teams and the first ten minutes only produced two
scores- a point each, Duagh's Laura Sheeran scoring the Abbeyfeale score. Carlow however soon managed to use the wind to their advantage and in the following 10 minutes scored four more points without reply.
Then following a long build up which involved good interlinked play for over half the pitch, centre half back on the Abbeyfeale team, Sinead Guiney from Brosna finished the move by slotting the ball low into the left corner for a goal that brought Abbeyfeale back into contention.
However the experience that had brought St Leos the all Ireland title in 2010 and 2011 showed and within a minute they had a point scored at the other end to leave the half time score, 0-6 to 1-1 in their favour.

The start of the second half changed everything though as the Abbeyfeale ladies scored 2-3 in the first five minutes. Munster final matchwinner, Eibhlis Dillon scored the first point before Rebecca Daly and Leanne Mangan (Knocknagoshel) both got goals in quick succession.
Leanne Mangan then got two more points before a shell shocked St Leos got their first point of the second half from a free to leave the score 3-4 to 0-7.  For the remaining 20 minutes it was a more even game as Carlow put over another three points with only a Leanne Mangan free in response. However with only four points between the teams and ten minutes left, Leanne Mangan scored her second goal to ensure Abbeyfeale's path to the final. A late flurry by Carlow in the final 5 minutes saw them score 1-3 but with a point in dying seconds from Tina Mangan, Abbeyfeale were victorious on a scoreline of 4-6 to 1-12. The final against Omagh takes place on Saturday March 24th.

Team
Melissa Holland, Chloe Dalton, Sorcha McNulty, Sarah Sheehy, Tina Mangan, Sinead Guiney, Barbara Browne, Eibhlis Dillon, Laura Sheeran (captain), Megan Carroll, Mariah Stack, Shannon Sheehan, Rebecca Daly, Leanne Mangan, Tara Zgaga Subs: Lisa O'Connell, Aoife O' Connor, Katie O Connor, Siobhan McCourt, Jean Scannell, Megan Roche, Shauna McAuliffe, Hannah Morrissey

Report by Shane Curtin  CII