Both the St Brendan’s Ladies 2nd and 3rd XV’s played their final group stage match in their respective Championships.
For the 3rd XV, Sponsored by FTI Consulting, its been a pretty torrid season with walkovers given and comprehensive defeats. One would suggest that the whole club were struggling to sustain three Adult Ladies Football teams.
But those suggestions that the 3rd XV were struggling were crumbled up and thrown into the River Liffey by Captain Tara Evans and her mighty ladies, as The Female Darker than Dark Force showed great determination to come from behind and finally win their first match of the 2025 season, in the final round of the Go Ahead Junior N Championship.
On a hot Monday evening in Longmeadows, St Brendan’s defeated Na Fianna in a high octane high scoring match 5-11 to 5-10.
With 16 players available, there was an international flavour to our team with an Australian, and American and 2 Spaniards on the match day squad. We were missing a few through sickness and injury and hopefully will see them back next week for the shield semifinal away at Round Towers Clondalkin.
St Brendan’s also fielded, two top class 15 year olds who came through all the way from the St Brendan’s Academy system. Many thanks to Bryan, Joe Sorcha and their coaches over the years. They were started at corner back and midfield. Super displays were seen from both with Roisin Kelly mopping up many attacks at the back and Niamh Toomey doing well in the middle, as well as getting forward to score a point. Na fianna started well and got a few goals early on to take the lead. For much of the first half, St Brendan’s were under pressure, but the very mobile half back line of Caoimhe Ryan and Tara Evans mopped up a lot of ball. Nerea Rodriguez and Niamh T fought hard in midfield throughout, Sophie McVeigh and Meave Dowler did really well in the half forwards with Eve Turner. And Aoife Rooney and Rebecca Matthews linked up well in the full forward line.
In the second half playing towards the town end at longmeadows, with the sun at their back, St Brendan’s rejigged things with Eve Turner taking up the no1 spot. Olivia MacSweeney was introduced and contributed well to the play. With great determination St Brendan’s kept fighting for possession and turned over a few balls as everybody tired in the sun. The St Brendan's Ladies were rewarded with enough scores to get them on to level pecking. Sensing an upset St Brendan’s won the final kickout and got the winning point. Get well soon to Tara Evans who did a nice bit of damage to an ankle on the night.
48 hours later, the 2nd XV, Sponsored by Bartra Healthcare, also won their final group stage match in the Junior G Championships.
The Female Darkest Force defeated Skerries Harps on a final score of 5-11 to 2-10 and the scorers were, Niamh Dwyer (1-0), Niamh Cooney (1-2), Aine Cleary (1-0), Sadbh McDermott (1-0), Niamh Byrne (0-4), Niamh O’Dowd (0-3), Chloe Doone (1-1) and Jude McCoy (0-1).
