FULL REPORT: Twin magic as McGovern's fire Kildare to Leinster Minor title

Leinster Ladies Minor A Football Final

Kildare 1-23

Longford 3-8

Kildare are Leinster LGFA Minor A Champions after victory over Longford in an excellent final clash. It was twin magic for the Lilywhites as they were fired to victory by Raheens duo Leah and Sarah McGovern who contributed 1-15 to Kildare’s impressive final tally of 1-23.

This game was another case of don’t let the scoreboard at full-time fool you as it was Longford who got the fast start and raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after just three minutes. The scoring was relentless early on as Kildare produced a response in kind with points from Aoife Murnane and Leah McGovern.

Following a free-kick that was converted by Leah McGovern and an exceptional point from Longford midfielder Ella O’Reilly, the sides were still stuck level at 0-4 each.

Longford were causing Kildare all kinds of trouble with their short and sharp hand passing, the rotation of positions and quick exchange of possession pulled the Kildare defence all over the place. One move of such ilk saw Longford get the result they wanted from these sequences as Captain Grace Shannon was sent through on goal. Shannon was so collected when it came to the finish, a big moment in a Leinster final and she calmly passed the ball into the net to give her side the lead.

Kildare would again have to respond to what felt like a massive setback at that point in the game. They would answer back once more and a pair of quickfire scores from Leah McGovern had the Lilies back to within a point in just a few minutes.

Longford added another point to their tally but despite this, Kildare had shown their courage to fight in this game as Longford poured forward. However, just as you were about to heap praise on their response further, Kildare were carved open once more.

Ella Duggan was free having marauded forward from wing-back and she made sure it was going to be another green flag for her side. Duggan calmly hand-passed across to Grace Cullen who slapped home to make it 2-5 to 0-6.

With 10 minutes to go in the first half, things looked bleak for Kildare, the aforementioned scoreline added to the fact that there was simply no way they were winning a Leinster final with their existing level of defending was troubling.

They would prove every impression of this game so far wrong as they took it by the scruff of the neck. Towering midfielder Sarah McGovern began to command this game as she scored three points in this Kildare resurgence.

Add to that points from Aoife Murnane, Edwina Birchall and of course Leah McGovern, Kildare would somehow finish the half with a two-point lead after a half that was largely spent worrying about where the scoreline might end up for them.

The Lilywhites kicked seven points with no response in the closing 10 minutes of that half. They were smothering Longford, with pressure on the ball, excellent tackling and of course punishment on the scoreboard. It was a remarkable turnaround in the closing minutes as a switch appeared to be flicked by manager Darren Kendrick and off his team went.

Kildare went in at the break with a surprising but mightily impressive 0-13 to 2-5 lead.

Anyone with a knowledge of the typical flow of a Gaelic football game felt that Longford would come out all guns blazing in the second half. Kildare could hardly sustain this pressure and having been blitzed at the back end of the first Longford would surely bounce back.

They could. And they did. A familiar sight on the day christened the first score following the restart, a Leah McGovern point. Longford needed a titanic effort to come back but the tide wasn’t turning as Darren Kendrick’s side kept the heat on the trailing team.

This final would in truth be put to bed seven minutes into the second half as Sarah McGovern gathered possession just inside Longford territory. McGovern is tall and powerful but light on her feet as she spun her marker to see nothing but green grass between her and Aoife Cooney in the Longford goal. McGovern strided towards goal in a run that had a feeling of inevitability about it as she approached the posts. The Raheens player laced the ball into the roof of the net to give Kildare a commanding 1-15 to 2-6 lead.

Six points was not insurmountable but Kildare looked unstoppable. The Lilywhites in just over 15 minutes either side of half time had outscored Longford 1-9 to a solitary point.

The pressure didn’t stop as Mayah Doyle and Alannah Prizeman added further scores.

Kildare would prove to be as they appeared, unstoppable. They would knock over seven more points to finish this game with an astounding tally of 1-23 and despite the concession of a late goal, had been exemplary at the back. The improvement in tackling and turnovers has to be commended, adjusting in the middle of a game is incredibly difficult and this defensive unit did that.

This game looked in serious doubt for them at one stage but the quality and character of this team cannot be doubted as Kildare became Leinster Minor A Champions.

Kildare, Sarah McGovern 1-6, Leah McGovern 0-9 (0-4 frees), Aoife Murnane 0-2 (0-1 frees), Mayah Doyle 0-2, Edwina Birchall 0-2, Niamh Farrelly 0-1, Alannah Prizeman 0-1.

Longford, Kate Shannon 1-3, Elena O'Reilly 1-1, Grace Cullen 1-0, Anna Hayden 0-2 (0-1 frees), Ella O'Reilly 0-1, Sian Gallagher 0-1.

KILDARE: Sophie Knightly; Joy Duggan, Eimear Glancy, Heidi Lyons; Julie Brannigan, Laura Dunlea, Hannah Murphy; Sarah McGovern, Mayah Doyle; Edwina Birchall, Ellie Kendrick, Aoife Murnane; Leah McGovern, Abi Whelan, Niamh Farrelly. Subs: Meabh McDonagh for Heidi Lyons (20 minutes), Alannah Prizeman for Abi Whelan (42 minutes), Lara Prendergast for Sarah McGovern (50 minutes), Erin Brereton Foley for Leah McGovern (61 minutes).

LONGFORD: Aoife Cooney; Emma Farrell, Ailbhe Brady, Rachel Fallon; Ella Duggan, Katie McEntire, Fumni Talabi; Sian Gallagher, Ella O'Reilly; Megan Glennon, Anna Hayden, Sarah Macken; Grace Cullen, Tessa Tiernan, Katie Shannon.Subs: Elena O'Reilly for Grace Cullen (Half-time), Rachel Penrose for Megan Glennon (54 minutes), Caoimhe Crossan for Emma Farrell (56 minutes), Katherine Kilduff for Fumni Talabi (59 minutes).

Referee: Marion Hayden, Carlow