Republic of Ireland international guides Clontarf to All-Ireland glory

By Daire Walsh at Parnell Park

RTÉ Sport reporter

Clontarf (Dublin) 8-14 Emmet Óg (Monaghan) 2-5

Republic of Ireland women’s international Siobhan Killeen grabbed an astonishing haul of 5-4 at Parnell Park to propel Clontarf towards an historic All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Club Championship Football title win.

They finished with all of 27 points to spare over Emmet Óg of Monaghan and, in the process, became the first Dublin club to triumph at this grade.

Amidst torrential rain in Donnycarney, Killeen – a member of this year’s successful Dublin TG4 All-Ireland senior championship winning panel – rolled a third-minute shot beyond the reach of Emmet Óg goalkeeper Darine Morgan.

Niamh Hetherton’s subsequent point made it an ideal start for Clontarf, but their Monaghan counterparts finally settled with unanswered efforts by Bridín Tierney, Chloe McBride and Laura Boylan.

While Clontarf rattled the net for a second time through Tara Fitzgibbon, Emmet Óg issued an immediate response in a frantic opening.

McBride’s speculative shot on the left-wing floated into the far corner of the net, reducing their deficit to a single point at 2-1 to 1-3. Urged on by a passionate local support base, Clontarf reinforced their superiority with back-to-back scores from Fiona Skelly and Killeen (free).

An excellent Laura Boylan point kept Emmet Óg within touching distance, but after Sarah Fagan chipped over on the run, another clinical Killeen three-pointer gave the Dublin club a commanding 3-4 to 1-4 interval cushion.

This proved to be the springboard for a dominant second period display by Clontarf, who introduced team captain Sarah Murphy in the 39th minute.

Killeen completely her hat-trick with a typically-assured strike in the final-quarter, though this was swiftly cancelled out by Emmet Óg attacker Ellen McCarron.

However, instead of the Aghabog outfit forging a dramatic fightback, Clontarf placed the outcome beyond doubt with a manic scoring burst in the closing moments of the action. The industrious Caoimhe O’Connor got the goal her performance deserved in the 51st minute and substitute Caroline Roban also fired home at the end of an outstanding team move.

Killeen confirmed her status as the game’s outstanding player by conjuring goals either side of Roban’s effort, bringing an ultimately one-sided affair to an inevitable conclusion.

Clontarf scorers: S Killeen 5-4 (2f); T Fitzgibbon 1-2; C O’Connor 1-1 (1f); S Fagan 0-3; C Roban 1-0; F Skelly 0-2; N Hetherton 0-1, M Mohan 0-1.

Emmet Óg scorers: E McCarron 1-1, C McBride 1-1, L Boylan 0-2; B Tierney 0-1.

Clontarf: C O’Connor; G Reilly, K Murray, H Bolger; B Walsh, K Fitzgibbon, H McLaughlin; S Fagan, N Hetherton; F Skelly, T Fitzgibbon, E Plunkett; A Bell, C O’Connor, S Killeen. Subs: S Murphy for Plunkett (39), S Quigley for Bell (46), C Dunlea for Reilly (52), M Mohan for T Fitzgibbon (53), C Roban for Bolger (56).

Emmet Óg: D Morgan; R Hughes, A McQuaid, N Rooney; A Newell, M McCarville, K Nolan; B Tierney, E Daly; E Leonard, E McCarron, M Monaghan; C McBride, L Boylan, F Monaghan. Subs: C McMenamin for Nolan (23), M Newell for Leonard (41), G McCluskey for F Monaghan, O Gleeson for McCarron, L Monaghan for McQuaid (all 55).

Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).