Intermediate Co. Championship Rd 1 – Austin Stacks V Beaufort – This game was played on a beautiful sunny Monday evening (Aug 8th) in Connolly Park. The game started brightly and the sides were level 0-2 to 0-2 after 15 minutes. Stacks scorers Nicola O’Sullivan and Caoimhe Barry Walsh. Stacks then took over for the remainder of the 1st half adding a further 1-2 (points from play by Aoife Dillane and Caoimhe Barry Walsh and a well worked goal by 16-year-old Grace Lucid). Beaufort scored another pointed free to leave the HT score Stacks 1-4 Beaufort 0-3.
It was Beaufort who struck first in the 2nd half with a beautiful goal from play by Bronagh Dorian and suddenly there was only a point between the sides. Kerry minor Grace Reidy raced through to score a lovely individual point before Grainne Kennedy pointed a close range free for Beaufort. Stacks County Star, Aoife Dillane, was rewarded with a fine point from play following a great run from mid field. Then came the vital score of the game, a beautiful move out of defence, worked excellently through the Stacks lines found Nicola O’Sullivan who completed the move to perfection with a beautifully struck goal. Stacks substitute Mary Moore scored a fine individual point from play to leave the score 2-7 to 1-4 with 10 minutes remaining.
Great credit goes to the Beaufort team who never gave up and were rewarded with a goal scored from distance by Lon O’Connor on the 23rd minute to leave just 3 between the sides and some anxious looks around Connolly Park. But Stacks stuck to their guns and just 2 minutes later when Ciara Nix found herself one on one with the Beaufort keeper, she made no mistake converting a goal to widen the gap between the sides back to 0-6 with 5 minutes left on the clock. The hard-working Norma O’Connor got her name on the score sheet with a fine point from play in the 25th minute. Norma’s score was quickly followed up by a lovely individual goal by Aoife Dillane capping off a very good evening for the Kerry Senior player. There was still time for 2 more scores – a long range point by Kerry Minor Clodagh Murray and a Beaufort free scored by Lon O’Connor before referee Mike Hennessey blew for FT. Final score Austin Stacks 4-9 Beaufort 2-5. We wish a speedy recovery to Lucy O’Donnell who unfortunately suffered an injury in the 1st half.
Austin Stacks: Jemma O’Connell, Karena Slattery, Lara Flynn, Lilly Collins, Ellen O’Connell, Eimear O’Sullivan, Nicola O’Sullivan (1-1) Caoimhe Barry Walsh (0-2 (1f), Grace Lucid (1-0), Mary Moore (0-1), Ciara Nix (1-0), Aoife Dillane (1-3) Norma O’Connor (0-1), Clodagh Murray (0-1), Lucy O’Donnell, Katie Nagle.
Beaufort: Maura O’Sullivan, Caoimhe Foley, Fay O’Donoghue, Maeve Kissane, Ciara Cronin, Tara Clifford, Lily Kerins, Holly Clifford, Orla Murphy, Emma Breen, Ciara O’Connor, Niamh O’Sullivan, Bronagh Dorian (1-0), Lon O’Connor (1-1), Grainne Kennedy (0-4)
Rd 2 away V Corcha Dhuibhne at 7.30pm this Monday Aug 15th in Gallerus.
