Impressive Offaly champions march into provincial decider

While Longford Slashers first ever appearance in the Ladies Football Leinster Club Senior Championship ended in defeat against the stronger Offaly champions Naomh Ciaran, last year’s glorious All-Ireland Intermediate title winners produced a gallant display in a brave bid to spring a surprise at Michael Fay Park on Sunday.  

Ladies Football Leinster Club Senior Championship Semi-Final

Naomh Ciaran (Offaly)1-20  

Longford Slashers 3-6

Naomh Ciaran, a dominant force in Offaly ladies football for the past decade plus, now play Kilmacud Crokes in the Leinster final on November 11 – the venue has not been named yet.

The unavailable Clare Farrell (the head nutritionist with the Munster rugby team who were in action in Italy) was a big blow for Slashers in this semi-final clash but they gave it their best shot with just a solitary point separating the sides at half-time: 1-8 to 2-4.  

Powered by exceptional central attackers in Kate Kenny and Ellee McEvoy who clocked up six points apiece in this entertaining encounter, Naomh Ciaran led from start to finish with Roisin Cockram scoring their goal in the 3rd minute. 

The slick visitors extended their advantage to a comfortable six points midway through the first half but Slashers got right back in contention with a flicked goal from Orla Nevin in the 15th minute, the end result of a sweeping move with Aisling Cosgrove providing the perfect final pass. 

With Grace Shannon making a big impact around the midfield area, the five-in-a-row Longford champions scored a second goal just before the break when Jessica Barry converted a penalty following a foul on Grace Shannon but Naomh Ciaran stepped up another gear in a brilliant start to the second half that yielded six points in a row. 

While Slashers were thrown a lifeline with a goal from Aisling Cosgrove that was created by Jessica Barry in the 41st minute, there was just no stopping the Offaly outfit who overcame the setback of a yellow card for full-forward Ellee McEvoy in the 46th minute to win with considerable comfort in the finish as they kept the scoreboard ticking over in the final quarter of the contest. 

Slashers suffered their first championship defeat since they lost out to St Sylvesters (Dublin) in the 2021 Leinster Club Intermediate final but the success they have achieved is truly tremendous and they will be back next year seeking a record breaking six-in-a-row of county titles. 

The significant step up to the senior grade at Leinster level was clearly reflected in the result against the extremely talented Naomh Ciaran side who will be quietly confident of causing an upset against the Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes in the forthcoming provincial title decider. 

The Slashers supporters were left bemused with some of the strange decisions made by the Dublin referee Finbar Shanahan with the Namoh Ciaran followers also venting their frustration at his general poor handling of the match. 

The home side recovered from a terrible start that left them trailing by 1-3 to 0-0 before Kate Shannon kicked a couple of cracking points in quick succession.

Ellee McEvoy, Kate Kenny (free) and Emma Cahill accounted for the Naomh Ciaran points in the early stages of the game and a further five scores followed from McEvoy (2), Sarah Fitzgerald (2) and Kenny (free) during the remainder of the first half.

Also on target for Slashers in the first half were Grace O’Donnell, who blasted the ball over the bar in a goal chance, and Grace Shannon but the Longford champions were restricted to just 1-2 on the changeover with the points coming from Grace and Jessica Barry.

Kate Shannon had a goal attempt saved by the opposing keeper Aine Maher in the 59th minute as the sky-blues battled it out to the bitter end.

Naomh Ciaran were operating at a different level in the second half in adding another 12 points to their most emphatic tally through Kate Kenny (4), Ellee McEvoy (3), Amy Gavin Mangan (2) and Roisin Cockram with substitute Katelyn Rigney firing over a brace of scores in stoppage time. 

Teams and scorers

NAOMH CIARAN: Aine Maher; Anna Grehan, Emer Nally, Ella Hogan; Nicole Buckley, Lorraine Keena, Roisin Ennis; Emma Maher, Amy Gavin Mangan (0-2); Emma Cahill (0-1), Kate Kenny (0-6, 4 frees), Aoibhe Kelly; Roisin Cockram (1-1), Ellee McEvoy (0-6), Sarah Fitzgerald (0-2). Subs:-  Lauren Kelly for E Cahill (45 mins); Katelyn Rigney (0-2) for A Kelly (56 mins). 

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Emer Casey; Gemma Reilly, Emily Reilly, Grace Kenny; Orla Nevin (1-0), Eimear O’Brien, NIamh Sheridan; Aoife O’Brien, Grace Shannon (0-2); Laura Kenny, Aisling Cosgrove (1-0), Grace O’Donnell (0-1); Kate Shannon (0-2), Jessica Barry (1-1, goal from penalty, point from free), Kara Shannon.Sub:- Jill Glennon for G Reilly (53 mins).

Referee: Finbar Shanahan (Dublin).