O’Shea hat-trick as Southern Gaels hit goal trail to retain Kerry crown
Kerry's Siofra O'Shea scored 3-1 for Southern Gaels. Pic: ©INPHO/Stephen Heaney
Goals won the day for Southern Gaels at Dr Crokes Park, Killarney, where a first-half hat-trick from Síofra O’Shea and a player-of-the-match performance from Jess Gill secured a second consecutive Bon Secours County Senior Football title.
The champions’ ability to find the net proved decisive in a contest that saw Desmonds threaten a comeback after the interval, before further goals from Aideen Dwyer and Gill settled the outcome.
Castleisland almost made the perfect start when Leah Griffin threatened from the first attack, but Gaels goalkeeper Aoife Looney produced a save. That intervention assumed greater significance when O’Shea struck the opening goal at the other end.
Leah Griffin opened Desmonds’ account with a point, answered by Rachel Dwyer, before Julia Curtin added another for the Castleisland side. Amy Curtin then struck the post as Desmonds sought to build on their promising attacking play.
Instead, Southern Gaels began to establish control on the scoreboard. Rachel Dwyer claimed her second point before Síofra O’Shea found the net again, and the Kerry forward followed with a point to stretch the advantage to seven.
Desmonds responded through Julia Curtin, whose accuracy from placed balls kept her team in touch. Four successive frees reduced the deficit to three, while Southern Gaels also had a goal effort from Clíona Murphy saved during that spell – Murphy’s attempt to knock in a dropping ball stopped by Caoimhe O’Mahony With Desmonds working their way back into contention, the champions delivered a telling finish to the half. Gill pointed before Síofra O’Shea completed her hat-trick in first-half injury time, sending Southern Gaels into the break ahead by 3-4 to 0-6.
That seven-point cushion was quickly eroded following the restart. Griffin landed a point before Andrea Murphy supplied the goal Desmonds needed, and another Julia Curtin free brought the challengers within two points.
The final was firmly alive again, but Southern Gaels responded decisively. Aoife Dwyer’s point steadied the holders before Aideen Dwyer, introduced shortly before half-time to join her three older sisters on the field, struck their fourth goal to restore a six-point lead.
Desmonds continued to search for a route back, but their frustration grew when Amy Curtin was denied by the posts for a second time. Southern Gaels then supplied the decisive blow, Jess Gill crowning her midfield display with a goal that pushed the margin to nine.
Julia Curtin maintained her reliable contribution with two late frees, bringing her personal tally to eight points, but there was no recovering the ground lost to Southern Gaels’ five goals.
Rachel Dwyer completed her three-point return with the final score, sealing an eight-point victory and another county crown for a Southern Gaels side whose finishing power had repeatedly turned the contest in their favour, particularly when Desmonds threatened to overturn their advantage during the second half.
Siofra O’Shea 3-1, Jess Gill 1-1, Aideen Dwyer 1-0, Rachel Dwyer 0-3, Aoife Dwyer 0-1.
Julia Curtin 0-8 (7f), Andrea Murphy 1-0, Leah Griffin 0-2.
A Looney; C Dwyer, E O'Sullivan, K Furey; A Fitzgerald, S Fitzpatrick, D Kelly; M O'Connell, J Gill; M Teahan, E O'Connell, C Murphy; A Dwyer, S O'Shea (capt), R Dwyer.
Subs: A Dwyer for C Murphy (27), S Fitzgerald for E O’Connell (46),
C O'Mahony; G Cahill, E Lynch, M Twomey; G Kearney, S Murphy, H Bourke; L Griffin, L Scanlon (capt); A Curtin, J Lynch, A Murphy; H Herlihy; J Curtin, C O'Sullivan.
Subs: J O’Connor for C O’Sullivan (39), E O’Donoghue for A Curtin (44), K O’Sullivan for H Herlihy (46), N Murphy for H Bourke
J Purcell (Kilcummin)
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