St Sylvesters 1-6
Castlebar Mitchels 0-7
Dublin captain Sinéad Aherne scored 0-4 and St Sylvesters were crowned currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate club champions following a thrilling win over Castlebar Mitchels at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe.
Kate Sullivan’s goal in the first attack ultimately proved the difference between the teams but the Leinster champions still needed two late points from Aherne and Niamh Harney to seal the win.
St Sylvesters began in scintillating fashion with their goal after just 10 seconds. Sullivan took her place at midfield for the throw-in, won possession and raced at the heart of the Castlebar defence before she struck low past Fiona McLoughlin.
Kate Sullivan goal for St Sylvesters in intermediate ladies football final
TEN seconds to hit the net!
See Kate Sullivan score the fastest goal seen in the @currentacc_ie All Ireland Club Finals this year. @OfficialSylsGAA went on to win by 1-6 to 0-7. From our Live Stream for @LadiesFootball @dublinladiesg @DubMatchTracker @WeAreDub @The42GAA pic.twitter.com/OEjQ0M2uQ0
— Jerome Quinn (@JeromeQuinn) February 6, 2022
And with a strong wind at their backs they added a point 60 seconds later. Aherne gave the pass to Nicole Owens to slot over.
But Anthony Cooke’s team didn’t score again from play in the first half with two further frees courtesy of Aherne giving them a 1-3 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Castlebar Mitchels were struggling to settle as they tried to gain a foothold but eventually got off the mark on 22 minutes. Danielle Caldwell pushed forward and she found Grainne Flynn to her right, who scored.
Castlebar were in the ascendency now and St Sylvesters and finished the half strongly with two more scores to leave just three between them at the break. Flynn was involved in both, setting up Kathryn Sullivan on 29 minutes before converting a free herself to leave them just three behind at the interval.
Anna Tuohy picked out Laura Brody for a Castlebar score two minutes after the restart but St Sylvesters hit back with a well-worked move as Louise Ryan and Sophie McGlynn combined to allow Aherne her first from play.
However, Mitchels pitched up again as Niamh Hughes started to make an impact. She converted a free won by Orla Conlon on 37 minutes before immediately adding a point from play.
6 February 2022; The St Sylvesters team including captain Dannielle Lawless, centre, celebrate after their side's victory in the 2021 currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Club Championship Final against Castlebar Mitchels at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe, Galway. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Scores were at a premium as defences reigned supreme and the Mayo side struggled to find a way past a St Sylvesters defence led by Dannielle Lawless, Lisa Murphy, Kim White and Cliona Fitzpatrick.
Flynn’s free on 50 minutes levelled it for the first time but Castlebar wouldn’t score again. Aherne won a free and scored to put St Sylvesters back ahead.
And then Owens and Katie O’Sullivan combined to allow Harney give them a two-point cushion, which was enough to secure victory.
Teams and scorers 2021 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Club Championship final
Scorers – St Sylvesters: S Aherne 0-4 (3f), K Sullivan 1-0, N Owens 0-1, N Harney 0-1.
Castlebar Mitchels: G Flynn 0-3 (2f), N Hughes 0-2 (1f), K Sullivan 0-1, L Brody 0-1.
ST SYLVESTERS: S Brennan; C Fitzpatrick, K White, L Harrold; L Murphy, D Lawless, E Lynch; N Owens, G Twomey; K Sullivan, E Sullivan, N Harney; L Ryan, S Aherne, S McGlynn.
Subs: K O’Sullivan for Lynch (30), G McGinty for E Sullivan (38), K Slattery for McGlynn (45).
CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: F McLoughlin; K Moore, A Brody, A Towey; T Flynn, O Conlon, D Caldwell; L McManamon, K Sullivan; G Flynn, E Lyons, S Conlon; N Hughes, L Brody, A Tuohy.
Subs: S Prendergast for S Conlon (45), M McDonald or Lyons (51).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
6 February 2022; Kate Sullivan of St Sylvesters right, celebrates after scoring her side's first goal during the 2021 currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Club Championship Final match between Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo and St Sylvesters, Dublin at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe, Galway. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
See Also: Three-Goal St Judes Claim All-Ireland Junior Title
