Crettyard's Junior Leinster campaign ends in defeat to Longford champions

Crettyard's chances of Leinster glory were crushed as St Brigid's Gaels Ardagh fired in five goals in the opening round of the Leinster Club Junior competition at Keenan Park in Ardagh on Saturday.

The slick Longford Intermediate champions cruised to a very easy win and leading the charge was impressive midfielder Sian Gallagher who clocked up a total of 2-3 with all her scores coming from play. 

St Brigid’s Gaels Ardagh 5-13    

Crettyard 1-4

The Laois Junior title winners registered the opening score in the 2nd minute with Roisin Allen shooting over the bar but St Brigid’s Gaels replied quickly with a goal from a penalty converted by Anna Hayden following a foul on Katherine Kilduff.

Sian Gallagher scored a second goal for the home side in the 13th minute, with full-forward Joanne Whyte the creator, and outclassed Crettyard ended up trailing by 2-9 to 0-3 at the break. 

The Ardagh points in the first half came from Gallagher (2), Rachel Keenan, Anna Hayden (3 frees), Rachel Fallon, Whyte and Emily Garcia in this completely one-sided encounter with Patrice Whelan and Roisin Allen (free) on target for Crettyard. 

St Brigid’s Gaels piled on the pressure in the early stages of the second half and after a cracking strike from Sian Gallagher hit the crossbar, a couple of more goals followed from Isabelle Fay and Rachel Keenan.

Roisin Allen converted a free for Crettyard in the 42nd minute but there was just no stopping the rampant Longford champions who added a further 1-4 to their most emphatic tally in the final quarter of the game. 

The points were kicked by Rachel Keenan, Claragh Shannon, Anna Hayden (free) and Sian Gallagher with Kay Curran getting a consolation goal for Crettyard in the 57th minute.

Ardagh brought the scoring to a close when Gallagher broke from midfield on another of her clinical runs on the way to planting the ball in the back of the net for the fifth goal.