Killeshin power past St Paul’s to strengthen semi-final hopes

LGFA Intermediate Championship Rd 3 

Killeshin 4-18 

St Paul’s 1-8 

KILLESHIN continued their push for a place in the Ladies Intermediate Championship semi-finals with an impressive victory over St Paul’s in Emo on Tuesday evening.

It was a meeting between the last two junior champions, but the 2025 winners proved far too strong on a miserable evening for football, with rain falling heavily before, during and after this Round 3 encounter.

Killeshin made a flying start and had opened up a 1-4 to no score lead inside seven minutes. Niamh Graham got them off the mark before centre-back Ciara Malone followed with another point. Ceire Ni Fhaolain added their third score and then midfielder Emer McDermott found the net to put Killeshin firmly in control.

St Paul’s were awarded their opening point after Killeshin failed to have three players inside the home side’s half. Clodagh Brogan tapped over the resulting free with 13 minutes played.

Emma Malone became the fifth Killeshin player to register a score before Graham added two more points to bring her tally to three. Brogan then converted another free for St Paul’s, before goalkeeper Abi Swift produced an excellent save to deny Aisling Cawley after McDermott had picked out the Killeshin number 14.

Killeshin finished the half strongly, adding another 1-3 as the rain continued to lash down in Emo. Ciara McDonald opened her account before McDermott added a point to her earlier goal. Half-back Orla Davis added another point, before Ceire Ni Fhaolain turned provider for Aisling Cawley, who finished to the net for Killeshin’s second goal.

Brogan brought the first half to a close with her third point of the evening, but Killeshin were in a commanding position at the interval, leading 2-9 to 0-3.

Eadaoin Cawley got the second half underway with a point for Killeshin before St Paul’s finally found the net. Half-time substitute Anna Keegan finished into the goal, but there was still a mountain to climb for the 2024 junior champions.

McDonald and Aoibhin Maher exchanged points before the scoring slowed, with the outcome looking increasingly certain with 25 minutes still to play. Eadaoin Cawley and McDonald then added further scores to put Killeshin 12 points clear.

Brogan replied with her first point from play, but Killeshin continued to keep the scoreboard moving. Graham converted two frees before Mollie Kelly added another point to the visitors’ total.

Chloe Whelan came off the bench and almost added another goal, but Swift was again equal to the effort as she made a superb save to tip the shot onto the crossbar. Another Killeshin infringement presented Brogan with an opportunity to score from a free and she duly converted for her fifth point.

St Paul’s then added another through Aoife Langford, who struck a superb long-range effort from just inside the arc.

Graham added another free before Aisling Cawley scored her second goal of the evening from full-forward. Brogan completed the St Paul’s scoring after a free was moved forward by referee Michael Tarpey.

Killeshin were not finished, though, and McDermott capped an excellent display in midfield by finding the net for the second time, adding to her earlier 1-1.

Whelan brought the scoring to a close with the final point as Killeshin ran out convincing 19-point winners to record their second consecutive victory.

Round 4 will see Killeshin travel to Ballyfin, while St Paul’s will also be on the road when they face Shanahoe.

SCORERS:

Killeshin: Emer McDermott 2-1, Aisling Cawley 2-0, Niamh Graham 0-6 (0-3 frees), Ciara McDonald 0-3, Eadaoin Cawley 0-2, Ciara Malone, Orla Davis, Chloe Whelan, Mollie Kelly, Ceire Ni Fhaolain and Emma Malone 0-1 each.

St Paul’s: Clodagh Brogan 0-6 (0-5fs), Anna Keegan 1-0, Aoibhin Maher and Aoife Langford 0-1 each.

KILLESHIN: Siobhan Dowling; Leah Dowling, Lucy Gaffney, Julia Dempsey; Orla Davis, Ciara Malone, Emma Malone; Mollie Kelly, Emer McDermott; Ceire Ni Fhaolain, Niamh Graham, Eadaoin Cawley; Ciara McDonald, Aisling Cawley, Chelsey Dooley.

Subs: Chloe Whelan for McDonald (41m), Seoighe English for Dempsey (41m), Aoife Mullins for S Dowling (42m), Darien Hughes for Dooley (42m), Katie McGrath for L Dowling (49m).

ST PAUL’S: Abi Swift; Eimear Dooley, Louise O’Halloran, Grace Moore; Kayla Lawlor, Aoife Langford, Chloe McMahon; Mary Kate Moore, Grace McCormack; Aoibhin Maher, Clodagh Brogan, Abbey Strong; Kerrie Costello, Lucy Kirwan, Katelynn Eogan. Subs: Anna Keegan for Costello (ht), Megan Byrne for Eogan (ht), Rachel McMahon for Dooley (ht).

Referee: Michael Tarpey (Kilcavan)