DUBLIN LADIES AFL1

Daire Walsh

NA FIANNA produced a strong final-quarter rally at St Mobhi Road last Wednesday to make it four wins from five in Division 1 of the Dublin adult ladies football league.

Just two points in front (3-12 to 5-4) heading towards the 45th-minute mark in a goal-laden contest, the Glasnevin side eventually came to terms with the challenge of Clanna Gael Fontenoy.

Emma Deeley and Aoife Caffrey impressed in attack for the victors, while multiple Celtic Cross winner Lucy Collins shone in defence.

Eimear Lafferty and Sinead Glennon (1-2 apiece) were among those to rattle the net for Clanna Gael, but the Ringsend outfit ultimately fell to their third defeat of the campaign.

Despite being without Dublin stars Leah Caffrey and Hannah Tyrrell, Na Fianna seized the initiative with a second-minute goal from Deeley. The wing-forward also chipped in with a point, before Ciara Purdy added her name to the scoresheet.

While Clanna Gael came roaring into the contest when Glennon rattled the net on 11 minutes, the hosts continued to prosper. Half-back Collins, Laura O’Reilly, Caffrey and Laura Grendon raised white flags in advance of a clinical three-pointer by Caffrey.

Na Fianna looked set to bring a healthy buffer into the break when Grendon and O’Reilly knocked over back-to-back scores, but Clanna Gael had other ideas.

In the space of just three minutes, Colleen Brierly and Lafferty fired past netminder Karen O’Connell in clinical fashion.

A Lafferty point then cut the gap to four and even though Na Fianna briefly settled when Caffrey and Orlagh Egan split the uprights, their Fontenoy counterparts were now brimming with confidence.

After full-forward Keri Harmon dispatched a close-range shot beyond the reach of O’Connell, Rebecca McDonnell opened her account to leave just two points between the sides at the interval (2-10 to 4-2).

Following traded singles from Collins and Lafferty upon the resumption, Na Fianna reinforced their authority with a second Deeley goal in the 35th minute.

However, Ella Darcy matched her efforts from a speculative strike at the far end to leave the tie delicately poised once again.

Yet this was the cue for Na Fianna to prove their worth. In the space of just 12 minutes, they rattled off seven points to put themselves in the driving seat.

During this juncture, Grendon, Egan (two each), Karla Conway, Eilis O’Dowd and Collins found their range.

In response, Clanna Gael could only muster a solitary point through Kate McKenna.

The industrious midfielder and Lafferty enhanced their personal tallies late on, but a final score from Caffrey ensured Na Fianna moved level on points with Kilmacud Crokes, Clontarf and Foxrock/Cabinteely towards the summit of the table.

Match file

Scorers – Na Fianna: E Deeley 2-1; A Caffrey 1-3; L Grendon 0-4 (4f); L Collins (2f), O Egan 0-3 each; L O’Reilly 0-2; E O’Dowd, K Conway, C Purdy 0-1 each. Clanna Gael Fontenoy: E Lafferty, S Glennon 1-2 each; C Brierly, E Darcy, K Harmon 1-0 each; K McKenna 0-2; R McDonnell 0-1.

NA FIANNA: K O’Connell; E Murphy, E Gray, N Gleeson; M Kinsella, A Nolan, L Collins; E O’Dowd, K Conway; C Purdy, A Caffrey, E Deeley; L O’Reilly, L Grendon, O Egan. Subs: J Daly, A McLoughlin.

CLANNA GAEL FONTENOY: S O’Neill; L Goonan, L Walsh, E Thirroueiz; N McKernan, S Vaughan, S McErlean; D Downey, K McKenna; C Brierly, E Darcy, R McDonnell; E Lafferty, K Harmon, S Glennon. Subs: A Hayes, H Barron, A O’Boyle.

MENTORS – Na Fianna: J Caffrey, G Donohoe, N Mulhern. Clanna Gael Fontenoy: B Quane, C Waterhouse, G Dunne.

REFEREE: S Redmond (Trinity Gaels).

WIDES – Na Fianna: 9 (4+5). Clanna Gael Fontenoy: 3 (1+2).

CONDITIONS: Dry and sunny.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Aoife Caffrey (Na Fianna).