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Thu 8th Dec 2011
Junior Shield final :
Saturday, 11am, Moortown
St Paul’s Kilrea v St Catherine’s Armagh
What a contrast in the manner these teams qualified for the final last week!
St Catherine’s Armagh scored 10 goals in their semi-final – five coming during the last 10 minutes – while St Paul’s edged out St Mary’s Clady, 1-6 to 0-5, in their derby fixture.
Both schools have won the Junior Medallion Shield final during the past five years, with St Paul’s even reaching the All-Ireland decider in early 2009.
St Catherine’s have strong players in the O’Kane and Kelly sisters, all four of them on the score-sheet in that semi-final victory.
Although the attack has been fairly prolific during this competition, there has been a leakage of goals at the back.
St Paul’s hit their lowest total in the semi-final, not surprisingly I suppose given the familiarity with the opposition.
They have a decent mixture of players from both sides of the Bann river with Rasharkin and Dunloy girls teaming up with Kilrea, Swatragh and Glenullin.
St Catherine’s are unlikely to score as much as in the semi-final, but how well can they hold the likes of Kate McFerran and Erin McGilligan who are proven scorers?
Goals at this level tend to be crucial because those that concede can drop the head and concede a second soon after.
Armagh demonstrated that in the semi-final and, if they hit a purple patch in the final, it could be enough to see them over the line.
St Paul’s : Laureen Harrigan, Oonagh McMahon, Michelle Cassidy, Chole Boyd, Jessica Rush, Katie Bradley capt., Hannah Weir, Mary Jo Brennan, Eileen Quigg, Laura O’Hagan, Erin McGilligan, Frances McMahon, Niamh Campbell, Kate McFerran, Catherine McGlinchey.
Subs : Anna McNeill, Catherine Hasson, Catherine McCloy, Cadhla McLernon, Roise McMullan, Cathleen Casey, Kerrie Darragh, Michaela McSheere, Caoimhe Dickey, Aoife McFerran, Rebecca Darragh, Daire McKenna
St Catherine’s : Ciarrai Devlin capt., Ellie Donnelly, Caitlin McParland, Aine Maguire, Kathy Moen, Aine Donnelly, Ammie Caldwell, Ciara Rath, Eimear O’Kane, Siodhna Woods, Shannon Kelly, Alanna Muldoon, Eimear Mullen, Caoimhe O’Kane, Aoife Kelly.
Subs : Shelly McVeigh, Eilish McLoughlin, Lucy Burns, Aoife McGaffin, Lana Kernan, Sinead Donnelly, Roise Hughes, Alice Mackle, Tierna Maguire, Molly McConville.
Submitted by: Seamus McAleenan
