AIG FEILE DIV 5 FINAL MATCH REPORT
AIG DUBLIN FEILE DIVISION FIVE FINAL
WESTMANSTOWN GAELS…………………….3-5
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S ‘B’…………………0-1
By Daire Walsh
Zeta Hemeryck produced an outstanding individual display at IT Blanchardstown on Sunday to help Westmanstown Gaels towards the AIG Dublin Feile Division Five title at the expense of Ballyboden St Enda’s ‘B’.
Over the course of the contest, Hemeryck amassed a personal haul of 2-4 from the pivotal position of centre-forward. ‘Boden forged a spirited attempt at a comeback in the second half, but they couldn’t stem the tide of the Westmanstown girls – who ultimately finished with 13 points to spare over their southside opponents.
Westmanstown enjoyed home advantage during the group stages of the competition, where they locked horns with ‘Boden in a 12.30pm encounter. This was preceded by encounters against Foxrock/Cabinteely ‘B’ and St Mary’s Saggart for both teams, with two wins apiece in those games making their eventual meeting a race for top spot in Group A.
An eight-point success (0-9 to 0-1) for Westmanstown set-up a penultimate round showdown with Man-O-War, while Boden aimed to bounce back in their last-four clash against Robert Emmet’s. After they advanced to the final with flying colours, the scene was set for a renewal of acquaintances.
However, following a whirlwind opening to the contest, Westmanstown effectively left ‘Boden with too much ground to make up. An early free by Hemeryck set the wheels in motion and the dynamic attacker had a subsequent effort tipped over the bar by opposition netminder Elly Rodgers.
Westmanstown were camped inside the ‘Boden half during the early exchanges, with a strong breeze making life difficult for their Pairc Ui Murchu counterparts. The rampant Hemeryck rattled the back of the ‘Boden net in the third-minute after she intercepted Rodgers’ short kick-out and she repeated the trick at the end of another memorable run through the heart of the defence.
Ballyboden were already facing into a sizeable deficit (2-2 to 0-0), with Westmanstown showing no signs of fatigue as a result of their expansive opening. Sophie Tynan released some of the scoring burden off Hemeryck’s shoulders with a neat point on nine minutes, before ‘Boden forced themselves on the front-foot in the closing stages of the half.
Yet, the Westmanstown outfit held onto their nine-point buffer in time for the break with some stout defending inside their own ’45’. While there was potentially a way back into the reckoning for ‘Boden, it was Gaels who drew first blood on the resumption.
Hemeryck once again discovered a gap through the heart of the opposing rearguard to kick another magnificent point from play. ‘Boden finally opened their account through a pointed Karyn Burke free in the 18th-minute and a goalmouth scramble almost led to a morale-boosting goal moments later.
They couldn’t break down a Westmanstown defence that was marshalled by the likes of Caoimhe Howard, Sinead Farrell and Aoife Connolly, however, and the outcome was soon placed beyond doubt.
A ’45’ was worked into the hands of industrious midfielder Lia Cronin, whose speculative effort at a right-hand angle drifted into the roof of the ‘Boden net. In spite of the unassailable gap between the teams, the southsiders continued to search for scores.
Under severe pressure from the Westmanstown defensive set-up, Katie O’Brien fired narrowly past the target. They couldn’t add to their tally in the closing minutes, though, and it was left for Hemeryck to complete a wonderful afternoon for Westmanstown with a fine point on the half-hour mark.
Scorers – Westmanstown Gaels: Zeta Hemeryck 2-4 (0-1f), Lia Cronin 1-0, Sophie Tynan 0-1. Ballyboden St Enda’s ‘B’: Karyn Burke 0-1 (f).
WESTMANSTOWN GAELS: Sophie Hickey, Siobhan McCann, Caoimhe Howard, Emma Begley, Aoife Clegg, Sinead Farrell, Aoife Connolly, Aoife Foran, Lia Cronin, Beibhinn Forker, Katie Murphy, Zeta Hemeryck, Alyssa Cormican, Aibhilin Woods, Sophie Tynan, Sarah Goulding, Ciara Troy, Sophie Maher, Rua O’Donoghue, Ava McGrath, Rachel Walsh, Emma Fay, Grace McLoughlin, Keeva Corcoran.
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S ‘B’: Elly Rodgers, Lara Whelan, Aoife Doyle, Grace Regan, Emily Tuite, Laura Dunne, Shauna McCarty-Reid, Tara O’Kelly, Emma Fisher, Aisling Duffy, Saoirse Pender, Karyn Burke, Niamh O’Farrell, Anna Kinsella, Siofra Kelly, Aoife Gollogly Doyle, Cara Ryan, Kate O’Brien, Anna Lambert.
Referee: John Doherty.