Loreto on top in Leinster schools decider

Loreto Kilkenny won their 15th Leinster Senior A post-primary schools title when beating Coláiste Abhainn Rí Callan in Palmerstown last Saturday.

Aoife Shealy opened the scoring with a point from play in the second minute for Loreto. She added another two points from play by the seventh minute.

Lucy Boyd and Caoimhe Keher Murtagh added another two points for Loreto and they led 0-5 to 0-0 after 10 minutes.

In the 11th minute, against the run of play, Coláiste Abhainn Rí got a lifeline when Aisling O’Shea charged towards the Loreto goal.

Ali Kennedy came off her line to narrow the angle, but O’Shea slotted the sliotar past her into the back of the net.

Then Ciara O’Shea converted a point from a free to leave only a point between the teams.

Having failed to register a score for 10 minutes the Loreto came back into the game. They scored the next three points through Aoife Shealy, Lucy Boyd (free) and Ciara Dunne.

Then approaching half-time, Callan scored two points through Ciara O’Shea (free) and Tara Cody to leave the interval score 0-8 to 1-3 in favour of Loreto.

On the resumption of play, Lucy Boyd tacked on another point for Loreto. Over the next nine minutes both defences stood strong with neither team conceding any scores.

Loreto then introduced Rachel Dowling - and what a difference she made! Dowling converted a point a free in the 36th minute before  Lucy Boyd added a point for Loreto after a neat pass from Aisling Browne.

Rachel Dowling, who added another pointed free for Loreto, was everywhere on the pitch, covering back in defence and up in the forwards.

Aisling O’Sullivan added a point for Callan to stop the rot, but Rachel Dowling converted two placed balls, one from a 45 after Ciara Dunne’s rasping shot was deflected out for a 45 by the Callan ’keeper.

Aisling Browne tacked on a lovely point after being placed by Lucy Boyd.

Ciara O’Shea converted a pointed free for Callan before Rachel Dowling added another pointed free for Loreto after she was fouled herself.

Aoife Shealy scored a great point for Loreto from play from a very tight angle.

Heading towards full-time Ava Brett scored a point for Callan, but from the puckout, Loreto worked the sliotar upfield and Aisling Browne found Caoimhe Keher Murtagh and she hit a bullet past the Callan goalkeeper to leave the full-time score 1-17 to 1-6.

Loreto will play the Ulster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final at a Kilkenny venue on Saturday, January 27.

Teams and Scorers

Loreto Kilkenny – Aoife Shealy 0-5, Rachel Dowling 0-5 (5f), Caoimhe Keher Murtagh 1-1, Lucy Boyd 0-4 (1f), Ciara Dunne, Aisling Browne 0-1 each

Coláiste Abhainn Rí Callan – Aisling O’Shea 1-0, Ciara O’Shea 0-3 (3f), Aisling O’Sullivan, Tara Cody, Ava Brett 0-1 each

Loreto Kilkenny – Ali Kennedy (Windgap), Marie O’Keeffe (Young Irelands), Angela Carroll (Dicksboro), Orlaith Kirwan (Thomastown), Emma Corr (Clara) (Capt), Anna Doheny (Tullaroan), Emily Smith (James Stephens), Ambar Laherty (Mullinavat), Sarah Kehoe (Mount Leinster Rangers), Louisa Gilmore (Danesfort), Caoimhe Keher Murtagh (Rower Inistioge), Aisling Browne (Dicksboro), Aoife Shealy (O’Loughlin Gaels), Ciara Dunne (Tullaroan), Lucy Boyd (Clara).

Subs – Rachel Dowling (Dicksboro) for Louisa Gilmore (Danesfort), Tara McGrath (Dicksboro) for Lucy Boyd (Clara).

Coláiste Abhainn Rí Callan – Jenny Saunders (Windgap), Sal Ryan (John Lockes), Megan Kenneally (Windgap), Ria McCormack (Carrickshock), Molly Conroy (St Brigid’s), Jessica Cuddy (Tullaroan) (Capt), Aileen Gleeson (Danesfort), Caoimhe Power (Windgap), Rachel O’Meara (Mullinahone), Ava Brett (St Brigid’s) (Vice Capt), Ciara O’Shea (Windgap), Aisling O’Sullivan (John Lockes), Tara Cody (St Brigid’s), Aisling O’Shea (Windgap), Chloe O’Donovan (John Lockes).

Subs – Rachel Hartley (John Lockes) for Rachel O’Meara (Mullinahone), Ally Audoire (John Lockes), Lauren Hartley (John Lockes), Eleanor Hayes (Windgap), Elly Holland (Tullaroan), Caoimhe Kelly (John Lockes),, Emma Bibby (Tullaroan), Holly McGowan (Mullinahone).

Referee – Eamon Mansfield