Mangan leads the way as Desmonds deliver the goods

Castleisland Desmonds (Kerry) 2-11 Clonbur (Galway) 1-6

The final margin was harsh on the Galway Gaeltacht girls, as Castleisland substitutes, Elaine Guiney and Laoibhse Walmsley struck for a goal and a point from the game’s last two acts deep in injury time.

Desmonds held the upperhand for the majority of proceedings and should have led by more than four points at the interval.

Winning captain Lorraine Scanlon admitted: “It’s what you dream about. To win an All-Ireland with your club, with the girls you grew up with, is unbelievable.

“Castleisland was all decorated during the week and there was a great buzz around the town. Clonbur came at us strongly but we had a tough game in the semi-final that went to extra time and I’d say that stood to us.

“This is one of the sweetest victories you could ever wish for.”

Desmonds were superior in the first half and when Mangan slotted her first free after just 30 seconds, they had a lead they never relinquished.

Áine O’Connor and Scanlon had added to that score by the time Mairéad Seoighe got Clonbur off the mark with a 12th minute free.

Castleisland goalkeeper Melissa Holland made a smart save from Lorna Seoighe but the problem for the former Galway All-Ireland winner was that she had to go too deep to gain possession.

In contrast, with so much ball going the other way and the likes of 16-year-old Andrea Murphy excelling in the Castleisland half-forward line, the Clonbur defence conceded frees that Mangan punished time and again.

The full-forward did have a low shot for goal deflected just wide but her fourth successful free and fifth point in total of the first half made it 0-7 to 0-1.

Clonbur finished the half strongly with points from Mairéad and Lorna Seoighe to give them some hope. Yet they looked dead and buried though when Mangan’s kick from 30 yards hopped into the net with O’Connor distracting Clonbur goalie, Rita Ní Chearnaigh in the 38th minute.

By this stage, Lorna Seoighe was moved to full-forward and she scored a point before setting up sub Michaela Ní Chearnaigh for a tremendous 45th minute goal that really galvinised the westerners.

When Sinéad Nic Aodhagáin added a point four minutes later, it was a three-point game, 1-8 to 1-5. A number of injury stoppages appeared to stall the Clonbur momentum however, and a couple of Mangan frees calmed the Kerry champions before their late, late scoring run.

Scorers for Castleisland Desmonds: L Mangan 1-7(0-6fs); E Guiney 1-0; R Cronin, L Sanlon, A O’Connor, L Walmsley 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clonbur: M Ní Chearnaigh 1-0; S Ni Aodhagáin, M Seoighe(fs), L Seoighe(1f) 0-2 each.

CASTLEISLAND DESMONDS: M Holland, M Shine, A Lyons, J Lynch, T Mangan, C Lynch, E Mangan, A Leonard, E Lynch, R Cronin, L Scanlon, A Murphy, S Murphy, L Mangan, A O’Connor.

Subs: L Walmsley for S Murphy (55), E Guiney for O’Connor (60).

CLONBUR: R Ní Chearnaigh, A Nic Aodhagáin, T Ní Mhoráin, A Ní Charragáin, E de Bhallis, Aoife Seoighe, P Nic Gearailt, J Ní Mhoráin, S Nic Aodhagáin, K Uí Chatháin, L Seoighe, M Seoighe, C Seoighe, Aoibhinn Seoighe, A Ní Dhochartaigh.

Sub: M Ní Chearnaigh for C Seoighe (42).

Referee: J Flood (Wexford)