Brave Scoil Chríost Rí Portlaoise effort falls short against Moate in Leinster PPS Final

Lidl Leinster LGFA PPS Senior A Championship Final 

Scoil Chríost Rí made the journey from Portlaoise to Kinnegad on a frosty Tuesday morning to face Moate C.S. in the Lidl Leinster LGFA PPS Senior A Championship Final.

The game was neck and neck until Moate took over in the second-half outscoring Scoil Chríost Rí by 4-3 to 2-2. 

Moate C.S. overcame St Mary’s of Naas in the semifinal stage while Scoil Chríost Rí defeated Eureka Kells. Moate were in this competition's final last year, also, where they lost out to Maynooth E.C., while Scoil Chríost Rí hasn’t lifted the trophy since their victory in 2019. 

Alex Kelly got the scoring underway for Moate C.S when she pointed a free in the third minute of play. A long-range shot from Katie Grant was unlucky not to cross the line when it was fumbled multiple times. Scoil Chríost Rí’s first score then came in the form of a green flag with a superb teamwork goal. Anna Mulligan played a low ball into Doireann Brennan, and she found Rebecca Cahill, who finished into the bottom corner of the net. The Laois school won the resulting kick-out out and Katie Grant fired the ball over the bar. 

The Westmeath school cancelled out Scoil Chríost Rí’s 1-1 when they pointed four in a row from four different players, they came courtesy of Erin O’Faolain, Anna Ryan, Katie Doolan and a second Kelly free. Anna Mulligan replied for the ladies from Laois when she pointed from a placed ball. 

With only five minutes to play of the first-half, Scoil Chríost Rí took control and scored a further three points in a row before Moate C.S. fired over the final score of the half. Cahill pointed two great scores while Mulligan pointed her second free of the contest, leaving Cahill’s goal the difference. Moate C.S pointed the final score of the half, which came from Ryan and narrowed Scoil Chríost Rí’s lead to two at the break, (1-5 to 0-6).

Scoil Chríost Rí topped up their lead by two in the opening three minutes of the second half when Poppy Duff pointed a super score while Mulligan pointed immediately after from the resulting kick out. Unfortunately for Scoil Chríost Rí that was the end of their scoring for now as their opponents took completed control of the following 20 minutes. 

Kelly, having kicked the frees all game, pointed her first from play while Ryan hit the ground running and buried the ball past Kate Scully Maher, who had done very well to keep a clean sheet until then. Ryan followed up by raising a white flag from the next passage of play before Eva Fox found the back of the Scoil Chríost Rí net for their second goal.

Moate C.S were then awarded a penalty when Scully Maher came out to deny a goal-scoring opportunity, but the decision went against her. Fox stepped up and put this one away. Scoil Chríost Rí now had a seven-point deficit to face heading into the final ten minutes. 

Things began to look up for the Portlaoise school as Alex Kelly was shown a yellow card meaning they would have an extra player as they attempted to chip away at the gap. Moate C.S weren’t finished yet, though as Chloe Malone landed a powerful shot straight for goals, Scully Maher was on hand to deny her. The save gave Scoil Chríost Rí a lease of life as they charged down the field in numbers and were awarded a free. Mulligan took the free and it dropped onto the palm of a Moate defender and into the back of the net, meaning the gap was only four.

Malone stepped up to a free and, similarly to Mulligan's free down the other end, she managed to find the top corner of the net also. With the help of their school supporting them from the stand, Scoil Chríost Rí broke down the field once more. This time, it was Lara Culleton who drilled the ball to the back of the Moate net.

Unfortunately, this was all Scoil Chríost Rí had left in their tank, and the game came to an end after Kelly pointed one final free for the Westmeath outfit, who put their 2024 loss to bed and were crowned the Lidl Leinster LGFA PPS Senior A Champions for 2025. 

FINAL SCORE

Moate C.S. (Westmeath) 4-9

Scoil Chríost Rí Portlaoise 3-7

SCORERS — Moate C.S: Eva Fox 2-0 (1-0 penalty), Anna Ryan 1-3, Alex Kelly 0-4 (0-3 frees), Chloe Malone 1-0 free, Erin O’Faolain and Katie Doolan 0-1 each. Scoil Chríost Rí: Anna Mulligan 1-3 (1-2 frees), Rebecca Cahill 1-2, Lara Culleton 1-0, Katie Grant and Poppy Duff 0-1 each. 

MOATE C.S: Emily Nally; Heather Touhey, Neasa Trainor, Lucy Champ; Lucy Martin, Aine Bracken, Lucy Allen; Erin O’Faolain, Katie Doolan; Anna Ryan, Kacey Mulvihill, Eva Fox; Alex Kelly, Chloe Malone, Heidi Murray.  Subs: Hannah Pratlett for Martin (33 mins), Ally Duffy for Mulvihill (46 mins), Grace Galvin for Champ and Maria Loddick for Touhey (Both 62 mins), and Riona Foley for Malone (63 mins). 

SCOIL CHRÍOST RÍ: Kate Scully Maher; Ellen Bergin, Clodagh Fingleton, Abbey Louise Byrne; Sarah McDonald, Lara Culleton, Saffron Adams; Aine Nolan, Grainne Coleman; Anna Mulligan, Katie Grant, Poppy Duff; Rebecca Cahill, Faye Brown, Doireann Brennan. Subs: Leah Brennan for Coleman (38 mins), Kara Phelan for Duff (49 mins), and Faye Byrne for Abbey Louise Byrne (58 mins). 

Referee: Paul Meaney (Dublin)

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