Coláiste na Carraige girls make history with Ulster final win over Bawnboy

Coláiste na Carraige made another bit of history when their senior girls team became Ulster champions on Monday with a big victory over St Mogue's, Bawnboy in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon.

Coláiste na Carraige 4-18   St Mogue's, Bawnboy 1-6

There was a gulf in class between the sides and it became evident after the first quarter. The scoring power of the front line of Coláiste na Carraige was impressive. Co minor Eva Gallagher finished with 2-8 in a very impressive display, winning the player of the match award. But she had plenty of rivals for the award with the Boyles,  Alanna and Niamh, Kate Byrne, Ciara Diver and especially Maria Diver, who hit four points from wing half-back.

But overall, the Donegal side were just too slick with St Mogue's goal a rather fortunate effort, a free that dropped just under the crossbar. The Carrick defence was well marshalled, what you would expect from a team coached by Neilly Byrne and Paddy O'Donnell.

Despite playing against the slight breeze, it was obvious from early that Coláiste na Carraige were up for the game.

Kate Byrne set up Ava Gallagher for the opening score on three minutes and even though Aoibhin McGovern  equalised seconds later, points from Niamh Boyle and an Eva Gallagher free edged the Carrick girls ahead.

But they were rocked on 10 minutes when a free from Lauren Brady Baxter crept in under the bar to momentarily put St Mogue's ahead.

But from there to half-time it was one-way traffic and goals from Eva Gallagher and Caitriona O'Neill had them 2-4 to 1-1 ahead on 17 minutes.

Maria Diver chipped in with two points while Eva Gallagher finished off the third goal after a great move involving Aoibhe Carr, Caitriona O'Neill and Niamh Boyle.

Lauren Brady Baxter had St Mogue's only other point of the half from a free while Eva Gallagher the excellent Kate Byrne finished off the first half scoring to leave it 3-8 to 1-2 in favour of the winners at the break.

Kate Byrne and Lauren Brady Baxter traded early frees at the start of the second half before Caitriona O'Neill fired home a fourth goal after the ball was turned over in front of St Mogue's posts.

From then it was a matter of running the bench for Coláiste na Carraige and the points flowed from Eva Gallagher, Maria Diver, Shauna Kelly and Alanna Boyle. Gallagher was denied a fifth goal at the expense of a point by a point blank save by Bronagh Brady in the St Mogue's goal on 50 minutes.

The captains with the referee Val Murray and his umpires prior to the game

Coláiste na Carraige scorers: Eva Gallagher 2-8,3f; Caitriona O'Neill 2-0; Maria Diver 0-4; Kate Byrne (1f), Niamh Boyle (1f) 0-2 each; Alanna Boyle (f), Shauna Kelly 0-1 each.

St Mogue's scorers: Lauren Brady Baxter 1-2,all frees; Sarah O'Neill 0-2; Sarah Devine 0-1.

Coláiste na Carraige: Clodagh Ellis; Olivia Curran, Lily McDevitt, Aine Hegarty; Saoirse Byrne, Kate Byrne, Maria Diver; Ciara Diver, Alanna Boyle; Ailbhe Doherty, Eva Gallagher,  Aoibhe Curran; Shauna Kelly, Niamh Boyle, Caitriona O'Neill.

Subs: Molly Moy for A Hegarty (42); Hannah Carr for O Curran (45); Jasmine Byrne for A Curran  (47); Leona Doherty for S Byrne (49);  Sara Curran for A Doherty (53).

Rest of panel: Saoirse O'Donnell, Laura Boyle; Louise  McGinley, Rionach Haughey, Ellie Hegarty, Holly  McBrearty.

St Mogue's, Bawnboy: Bronagh Brady; Anie Maguire, Cait Heery, Molly Maguire; Magda Paszietnik, Aoibhin McGovern, Grace Devine; Sarah O'Neill, Katelyn Howden; Sarah Devine, Isabele McNulty, Shauna O'Brien; Amy Donohoe, Lauren Brady Baxter, Katelyn O'Reilly.

Subs: Ella Donohoe for B Brady  (25)

Referee: Val Murray (Aodh Ruadh)