Gallant Offaly go down with flag flying high

Offaly u14 ladies made the trip to Abbotstown on Sunday afternoon in the u14 All-Ireland Bronze final. 

All-Ireland Ladies Football U-14 Bronze Final

Derry 3-20 

Offaly 2-7 

This was always going to be a tricky day out for the Faithful ladies as if right was right, Derry would have been playing in a division above this one had it not been for covid related issues within their camp - this was not the fault of either team and with such a tight schedule the Derry outfit had to ply their trade in this division. 

Derry led for all of the contest, but certainly didn’t have it their own way with Ava Kenny and Sophie Egan raising white flags, ensuring Offaly were kept in this clash with a couple of fine scores. 

In the 21st minute, disaster struck for the Faithful ladies when the Oak Leaf County were awarded a penalty which was dually converted by Niamh Hasson opening the gap out a little bit to give her side some breathing space, in which they would ultimately hold on to for the majority of this clash. 

The Derry girls held onto a thirteen-point half time lead, but to their credit the Offaly girls never stopped trying and were rewarded with a goal from Ava Kenny early on in the second half. 

Captain and Full Forward Ella Cuskelly kept the Offaly scoreboard ticking over with her teammates really dying with their boots on as both teams made a number of switches and changes throughout their teams. 

Derry rattled off a goal once again from the excellent Niamh Hassan in the closing moments of play before the referee called for the ball to officially confirm Derry as All-Ireland Champions. 

The Offaly team on the day was:  L. Davis: I. Claffey, G. Malone, L. Condron: E.M Tierney, S. Coleman, L. Fox: A. Dunne, A. Dempsey: R. Donagher 0-1, S. Egan 0-1, A. Kenny 1-3, S. Reynolds, E. Cuskelly 0-2, L.Flynn.  Subs Used: M. Fay, A. Fitzgerald, F. Grennan, K. Fleming, G. O’Brien, E. Carroll, A. Dunne, K. Daly, K. Spollen.