KAVANAGH AND DELEE ON THE DOUBLE AS LIMERICK ARE CROWNED CHAMPIONS

Cathy Mee, captain of the Limerick Junior Football team raises the cup in delight after they defeated Louth in the All Ireland final on Sunday last. —- All Ireland Ladies Junior Football Final –

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Final

LIMERICK………………………………………………………………………….………………………5-6
LOUTH…………………………………………………………………………………….……………….0-8
Two goals each from Mairéad Kavanagh and Rebecca Delee secured a second TG4 All-Ireland junior title for Limerick, who can look forward to intermediate football next summer.
John Ryan’s girls scored three goals in five first-half minutes to pull clear of Louth, and although Kate Flood drove a Louth comeback after the break, Cliona Ní Cheallaigh and Delee ended their hopes with a couple of quick goals, while the impressive Kavanagh laid on three assists.
Limerick’s previous success in the competition was in 2010 when they also defeated Louth. On this occasion, the three goal salvo rocked the pre-match favourites and, while they staged a mini revival for a spell in the second half, they never looked like overtaking the assured Shannonsiders.
Limerick’s dominance is reflected in limiting Louth to a single point from a free in the first half and to just three points from play in the entire hour.
It was a day when every girl in green delivered on the big stage and completed a memorable four weeks for Limerick who were crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions on 19th August.
There was a very nervy start from both sides, with Louth off target from their first two close-in frees before Flood slotted the game’s first score. Meanwhile, Limerick registered four wides and dropped another two into Una Pearson’s hands before Catríona Davis levelled matters at a point apiece in the 15th minute.
But Limerick were well on top and had played most of the first period inside Louth’s half, and in a blistering spell they put the game beyond their Leinster opponents.
The first goal arrived from Kavanagh following an assist from Davis, and her shot found the net via a deflection off Eimear Byrne. A confident Kavanagh added a great point from the right moments later to stretch Limerick’s lead, but better was to come.
After 22 minutes a rapid exchange of passes between Davis and Kavanagh freed Delee and she rattled the roof of the net, and one minute later Kavanagh soared highest to flick Davis’s free to the net for a 3-2 to 0-1 lead. There was a hint of square ball about the goal, but Limerick were very good value for that lead, which they carried into the interval.
While Louth had tried their best to crowd out the Limerick attack in the first-half, it was their own forward line that suffered most from the tactic, and after the restart they pushed captain Flood into the full-forward line, and she kicked two of three consecutive points for her side.

Limerick continued to patiently work the ball through the hand and with Kavanagh unstoppable up front – she laid on two goals in a minute for Ní Cheallaigh and Delee – they ran out convincing winners.
Scorers: Limerick: Mairéad Kavanagh 2-2; Rebecca Delee 2-1; Cliona Na Cheallaigh 1-0; Dymphna O’Brien 0-2; Catriona Davis 0-1 free.
Louth: Lauren Boyle 0-4, 3fs, Kate Flood 0-3, 2fs and Aoife Russell 0-1 each.
Limerick: Martina Giltenane (Mungret St Paul’s); Kristine Reidy (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Sarah O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s), Ava Hartigan (Knockainey); Áine McGrath (Ballylanders), Niamh Ryan (St Ailbe’s), Cathy Mee (Ballylanders), Captain; Loretta Hanley (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Megan O’Shea (St. Brigid’s); Cliona Ní Cheallaigh (Mungret St Pauls), Rebecca Delee (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Róisín Ambrose (Old Mill); Olivia Giltenane (Mungret St Paul’s), Catriona Davis (Monagea), Mairead Kavanagh (St Ailbe’s).
Subs: Katie Heelan (St Ailbe’s) for Davis (39), Caroline Hickey (St Ailbe’s) for Ni Cheallaigh (46), Dymphna O’Brien (Gerald Griffin’s) for Ambrose (50), Michelle Walsh (Galtee Gaels) for O’Sullivan (55), Kate Geary (Adare) for McGrath (56).
Louth: Una Pearson; Michelle McMahon, Eimear Murray, Shannen McLoughlin; Aoife Russell, Eimear Byrne, Ceire Nolan; Rebecca Carr, Sinéad Woods; Jennifer McGuinness, Kate Flood (Captain), Niamh Rice; Lauren Boyle, Bonnie Fleming, Áine Breen.
Subs: Róisín Kavanagh for McGuinness (45), Eilis Hand for Murray (50), Michelle McArdle for Byrne (58).
Referee: Niall McCormack, Laois.