McGuigan stars as Eadestown claim Senior Ladies title with dominant display against Sarsfields

Senior Ladies Football Championship final

Eadestown 1-11

Sarsfields 0-4

Eadestown are once again Senior Ladies Football Champions after a dominant win over Sarsfields.
It’s unfair to an entire squad of players, who put it in a tremendous display, to give the plaudits to just one. But to call this the

Angela McGuigan final would be no understatement, the Eadestown full forward kicked 1-7 of her side’s 1-11 tally with just three points coming from set-pieces.

They were all crucial contributions but it would be the second half penalty that would truly put this game to bed.
Sarsfields started this game brightly, winning the first ball and they looked to settle their nerves with some passing exchanges.
The Sash worked the ball well but couldn't find their intended target the first time around.

Eadestown not having the ball for the opening 90 seconds clearly didn't sit well with the girls in blue as they seized control of this game. After a game opening score by Siobhan O’Sullivan, it was the beginning of the Angela McGuigan show as she rattled off the next four scores in a row. The pick of the bunch coming from a handpass into her, she spun her marker and knocked the ball over with relative ease.

Sarsfields got just two scores in the first half as Eadestown racked them up down the other end. But they were two scores of the highest quality from Orlagh Judge and Elaine Keogh. The scores demonstrated the opposite of what you might think if you just looked at the final score.

Four points scored throughout the game and immediately fingers could be pointed at the forward line. However, the problems for the Sash lay much further back.

Sarsfields inability to work the ball up the pitch under Eadestown pressure and get the ball into those forwards was the big drawback in this performance. Eadestown entered the half with a 0-9 to 0-2 lead after Angela McGuigan had chalked up a few more.

The second half started and for 15 minutes it was all Sarsfields, it was their time to apply pressure in the manner they had been receiving in the first half. Eadestown didn’t score until 17 minutes into the second half and although it wasn’t on the scoreboard they were under far less pressure than their opponents suffered in the first.

Eadestown throughout seemed like a team who had been here before, which they have. Their decision making in key moments and confident performances throughout the XV were the difference between the teams.

There were two clear spells in the game where each side dominated the ball, Eadestown for the majority of the first half and Sarsfields for the opening 15 minutes of the second.

Each side's response typified the difference between them, Sarsfields looked overawed when Eadestown pushed high and marked body to body. Any Sash set-piece taker was looking left and right for options that weren’t there.

Eadestown had Grace Clifford in those tight spaces and pressure moments. Even goal kicks with all the green and white shirts pushed up the pitch Clifford would show for the ball, take that chance and be the one who carried her team forward.

That courage was naturally what you’d expect from the Kildare captain but nonetheless it was absolutely invaluable to Eadestown in this game. Time and time again Clifford was the one shouting give me the ball when they were under the cosh and unfortunately for Sarsfields, it was something they lacked when their backs were against the wall.

However before Eadestown did get their second half score, the gap was down to five and as always with Gaelic football you know a goal could change the mood in each camp very quickly.

Jessica Harney would get Eadestown’s first score of the second half and settle the Eadestown fans ever so slightly. But worries were put to rest just a few minutes later when Eadestown sprung a counter-attack as they looked to catch an attacking Sarsfields out the ball was worked brilliantly into the box and substitute Tara Bedford went to pull the trigger before she was dragged down inside the box. It was an easy decision for the official and the woman of the hour stepped over the spot kick.
McGuigan took a deep breath and opened her body up as she side-footed the ball into the net.

It was the final crucial moment of this game and it was no surprise who was on the end of it. An exceptional Eadestown display and deserved Senior Champions.

Scorers

Eadestown, Angela McGuigan 1-7 (0-3 frees), Siobhan O'Sullivan 0-1, Sara Carroll 0-1, Jessica Harney 0-1, Abaigh Cahill 0-1.

Sarsfields, Orlagh Judge 0-1, Elaine Keogh 0-1, Ciara Price 0-1 (0-1 free), Siofra Gavin 0-1.

Teams

EADESTOWN: Siobhan Tierney; Aine Mernagh, Rose Mernagh, Aine Ni Raghallaigh; Maryann Ryan, Ruth Sargent, Gráinne Kenneally; Hazel McLoughlin, Grace Clifford; Jessica Harney, Siobhan O'Sullivan, Abaigh Cahill; Kate Murphy, Angela McGuigan, Sara Carroll. Subs: Tara Bedford on for Kate Murphy (37 minutes), Laura Byrne on for Jessica Harney (56 minutes).

SARSFIELDS: Caoimhe McConnell; Katie Betts Symonds, Emma Lyons, Tara Behan; Sara Sheridan, Danielle Clerkin, Fran McGhee; Shauna Kendrick, Molly Cassidy; Sadbh McDonnell, Orlagh Judge, Elaine Keogh; Ciara Price, Brooke Dunne, Gemma Harnett. Subs: Siofra Galvin on for Sadbh McDonnell (Half time), Molly Price on for Molly Cassidy (Half time), Keeva May O'Haga on for Fran McGhee (49 minutes), Muireann O'Loughlin on for Katie Betts Symonds (57 minutes).