Garron Tower girls in for the Kill in final

Their captain Sinéad Cosgrove was the stand-out player in the final. Despite being double-marked she chased down ball and harried and hassled defenders in possession. And when she herself gained possession, she was able to break tackles and bear down on goals to create and take scores.

The Ruairi Óg player shot 8 points over the hour and was denied goals by some excellent stops by St Louis goalie Sephora O’Connell.

It wasn’t however a one-player show, with St Killian’s strong in a number of areas of the field. St Louis’ withdrawal of their corner-forward to shadow Sinead Cosgrove, meant that their attack was generally kept in check, even during the last quarter that St Louis dominated, scoring 1-3 without reply.

Tierna Carson, Claire Kearney and, in the first half, Aisling Mulvenna were dominant in a crowded midfield area, while Dervla Cosgrove and Sinead Convery were dangerous in attack.

The losers fought hard – Emma and Jane McAleese, Roisin Kelly and Dearbhail Elliott providing most resistance – but they were always searching for a foot hold in the game and only gained it during the last quarter when the winners were out of sight.

St Killian’s grabbed the initiative early on with Sinéad Convery turning her player to shoot the opening goal in the second minute.

With St Killian’s in the ascendancy, more scores were to follow with Sinead Cosgrove pointing 6 times, sometimes from frees awarded when her penetrating runs were held up by the St Louis defence

Sinead Covery could well have had a hat-trick before she crashed home her second goal in the 24th minute following good work from Tierna Carson and Niamh McKendry. Superb stops by Sephora O’Connell denied her on one-on-ones around the mid-point of the half, but her second goal created a half-time score of 2-6 to 0-1, the St Louis point coming from Dearbhail Elliott in the 14th minute

Sinead Cosgrove added a seventh point at the start of the second half, as her team moved in for the kill.

Tierna Carson’s angled goal clinched the game soon after, with Claire Kearney adding a point and Sinead Convery completing her hat-trick in the 38th minute.

When Sinead Cosgrove added a 39th minute point, her eighth, St Killian’s led by 4-9 to 0-1.

St Louis however rallied for the final 20 minutes and deservedly grabbed consolation scores – a goal from Sorcha Conlan sandwiched between points from Ciara Dobbin and Dearbhail Elliott.

However St Killian’s were home and dry and already thinking ahead to the All-Ireland semi-final in the New Year.

St Killian’s: Sarah Kane, Hannah McLoughlin, Leah Cosgrove, Annie Leech, Niamh McKendry, Hannah Okasha, Clodagh McKillop, Tierna Carson 1-0, Claire Kearney 0-1, Aisling Mulvenna, Dervla Cosgrove, Mary Kane, Sinéad Convery 3-0, Sinéad Cosgrove capt. 0-8, 0-4 frees, Dara Martin. Subs: Shauna Murray for H McLoughlin, Natasha Dempster for D Martin, Michelle Ward for M Kane, Siobhán McKillop for A Leech, Aimee McDonnell for S Convery, Eimhear Carey, Clodagh McAllister, Jade Bradley, Laoise McKenna, Catherine Marshall, Molly McLaughlin, Fiona McDonnell.

St Louis: Sephora O’Connell, Laura McGarry, Roisin Kelly, Kate Hagan, Una Doherty, Jane McAleese, Anna Gribben, Therese McKinley, Emma McAleese capt., Dearbhail Elliott 0-3, Ciara Dobbin 0-1, Niamh Carberry, Niamh McLernon, Sorcha Conlon 1-0, Leona Traynor. Subs: Megan Boyle for K Hagan, Eimear Higgins for L Traynor, Eimear McCloskey for U Doherty, Martina O’Kane for N McLarnon.

Referee: Cathair Cunning (Dunloy).