MUNGRET St Paul’s run up against Na Dúnaibh/Downings of Donegal in the All-Ireland Ladies’ Junior Football Final at Parnell Park in Dublin on Sunday (throw-in 2pm).
It’s been a remarkable journey for our flagbearers, who came through against Knockainey in the county final and accounted for Midleton (Cork) in the provincial decider, with Claire Coughlan and Yvette Culhane among those to chip in with key scores.
A couple of weeks ago, John Horgan’s side were magnificent All-Ireland semi-final winners away to Coolera Strandhill of Sligo, with victory only secured following a free-taking competition in which ice-cool trio Gráinne McKenna (who scored an astonishing 0-6 in the match itself), Carol Bateman and Fiona Morrissey emerged the heroes.
Lest it ever be forgotten, it was the ageless Coughlan that kept Mungret St Paul’s in that tie with a late, late equaliser in normal time (extra time failed to separate the teams).
Bateman is really a star of this Mungret St Paul’s team, for it was some outstanding goalkeeping on her part that has kept the team afloat on many occasions, most notably in the exciting county final win in Cappamore at the start of October.
There is plenty of quality in this Mungret St Paul’s including Laura Dunne, Cameyrn Moloney, Clare O’Meara, Áine Ryan (captain), and Aoife Morrissey.
The substitutes’ bench is also laced with talent.
Na Dúnaibh – based near to the shores of Sheephaven Bay in the northern part of the county – were home semi-final winners against Kilcock of Kildare.
The challenge of the Ulster representatives will come through noted forward and captain Sineád McBride, goalkeeper Charlie Shevlin, Lauren McBride, Amy McLoughlin, and Danni Shevlin.
For Limerick, Gearld Griffins way back in the Millennium Year (2000) and Murroe Boher in more recent times (2014) have previously annexed All-Ireland Junior titles.
There is every belief that Mungret St Paul’s will become our latest club to scale such dizzy heights.
Angela Gallagher (Meath), herself a former inter-county star with Sligo, will referee.
