Delighted Shamrocks win promotion to senior ranks

Becky Watkins was the star of the show as Shamrocks proved much too strong for Rhode in the Bretland Construction LGFA Intermediate Championship final at Bretland Park last Sunday.

Bretland Construction LGFA Intermediate Championship final

Shamrocks 7-9

Rhode 2-5

The corner forward scored a whopping 4-6, despite spending 10 minutes in the sin bin either side of half-time. Republic of Ireland U19 soccer international Ellen Dolan also chipped with 2-1 and Eabha Enright with 1-1 as the Rahan-parish outfit secured their ticket to the senior ranks for 2025 in impressive fashion.

Shamrocks posted some big tallies en route to the final, including 5-5 against Rhode in Round 3 of the group stage. They got off to the perfect start here with two goals inside the first 10 minutes and led by 4-3 to 1-2 at the break, with Therese Hickey netting for Rhode.

Hickey raised a second green flag for ‘The Village’ after the restart, but they needed more from star forward Abbi Stafford, who was trebled-marked for most of the game, to have a chance. At the other, there was no stopping Dolan, Watkins and Enright as Shamrocks ran out emphatic winners.

Scorers

Shamrocks: Becky Watkins 4-6, Ellen Dolan 2-1, Eabha Enright 1-1, Emma Flaherty 0-1.

Rhode: Therese Hickey 2-1, Abbi Stafford 0-3, Kerri Kellaghan 0-1.

The teams

Shamrocks: Susan O’Grady; Noelle Minnock, Niamh Glackin, Tara Phelan; Sinead Moore, Ava Dolan, Liadhan Murray; Marie Cantwell, Anita Watkins (captain); Aoife Minnock, Ellen Dolan, Sarah Minnock; Eabha Enright, Emma Flaherty, Becky Watkins. Subs: Danielle Flaherty, Eimear Gillespie, Sarah O’Rourke, Nicole Merriman, Megan Daly, Aimee Jodie Bard, Emily Cunningham, Eva Rose Kelly, Megan Maxwell, Aoibhin McDonagh, Maedbh McDonagh, Ciara Glackin.

Management: Brian Cosgrave, Lisa Flaherty Grogan, Patrick Glackin, Pat Heffernan, Alan Cooney, Helen Watkins.

Rhode: Lauren Dunne; Chloe Molloy, Anna Moore, Aine Scully; Emma Scally, Dawn Hannon, Muireann Foy; Holly Scally, Grainne Foy; Kerri Kellaghan, Abbi Stafford, Grainne Smith; Grace Malone, Katie Killeen, Therese Hickey Molloy (captain). Subs: Leanne Galvin, Holly Ryan, Kayla Fleming, Caoimhe Sheerin, Ellen Dunne, Heidi Dunne, Lucy Carroll, Jade Scally, Ella Coughlan, Laura Garry, Marie Killaly, Sophie Hynes, Rachel Heavey, Holly Garry, Anna Mai Walsh, Shena Fallon, Talitha Hynes, Aoife Malone, Izzy Hynes, Rachel Kellaghan.

Management: Jason Byrne, Enda Foy, Avril Curley, Norman Fleming, Denise Hand, Craig Byrne, Tasha Feery.

Referee – Kelley Cunningham