Mount Anville’s U14s delivered a scintillating performance under blue skies at Thomas Davis GAA Club, sweeping aside Oldbawn Community School to book their place in the regional championship final in emphatic fashion.
The tone was set early as Mount Anville struck for goal with a beautifully worked team move. Peggy Meehan and Ruth Byrne combined cleverly before Annie McAuliffe slipped a precise pass into the path of Emma McGuane, who finished clinically to the net. Oldbawn responded with a goal of their own, and the Mount Anville defence was immediately put under pressure.
A resolute backline of Siobhán Leonard, Isobel Bailie, Sophie Porcu, Kiera Costello, Alice Brosnan and Lily Martin stood firm during a testing opening quarter, restricting Oldbawn to just 1-1 despite a series of attacking waves. Goalkeeper Erin Bowen also proved her worth, producing a superb one-on-one save to deny a certain goal. Leonard was particularly assured at the back, while Costello’s relentless marking and game awareness neutralised a dangerous Oldbawn half-forward line.
At midfield, Isla Conlon and Lauren Heraty drove Mount Anville forward with energy and purpose, linking effectively with a dynamic attack. Meehan was the standout performer of the opening half, dominating from wing half-forward with her ball-winning ability and incisive runs. Her link-up play, especially with centre forward Ruth Byrne, was central to Mount Anville’s attacking flow.
Scores followed in quick succession, with Byrne (0-2) and Maia Russell contributing fine points, while Annie McAuliffe and Grace Jolley wreaked havoc inside, combining for three goals. By half-time, Mount Anville had surged into a commanding 4-3 to 1-1 lead.
The second half saw no let-up. Mount Anville maintained their intensity, with all twenty-eight players contributing to an outstanding team display. McAuliffe added another goal, Jolley chipped in with a point, and Erika O’Mahony delivered a superb scoring burst from left corner-forward, finishing with 1-3 from play in a standout half.
Ciara Hall also made her mark off the bench, continuing on from her fine display in Tuesday’s blitz, by finding the net late on. By the final whistle, Mount Anville had sealed a dominant 7-7 to 1-2 victory, underlining their credentials as championship contenders.
There was no shortage of contenders for player of the match. Siobhán Leonard was rock-solid in defence, while Isla Conlon and Lauren Heraty impressed with their drive and work rate at midfield. Up front, Ruth Byrne and Annie McAuliffe were consistently influential, and Erika O’Mahony’s explosive second-half contribution marked her out as a key performer.
However, the honours ultimately go jointly to Kiera Costello and Peggy Meehan, whose displays were pivotal to Mount Anville’s success. Tasked with tracking Oldbawn’s most dangerous forward, Costello rose superbly to the challenge, combining tight marking with intelligent reading of the game, while also initiating attacks from deep and cleaning up breaking ball across the half-back line. Meehan, meanwhile, was a constant outlet in attack—thriving on Erin Bowen’s pinpoint kickouts, winning primary possession, and linking superbly with Byrne and McAuliffe to ignite wave after wave of scoring moves.
This was arguably Mount Anville’s most complete performance to date, a side growing in unity and confidence with every outing. With momentum firmly behind them, they now look ahead to the final in the coming weeks with real belief.
Squad & Scorers: Erin Bowen; Siobhán Leonard; Isobel Bailie; Sophie Porcu; Kiera Costello; Alice Brosnan; Lily Martin; Lauren Heraty; Isla Conlon; Maia Russell (0-1); Ruth Byrne (0-2, 1f); Peggy Meehan; Emma McGuane (1-0); Annie McAuliffe (3-0); Grace Jolley (1-1); Hillary Daly; Emma McHugh; Moya Burke; Erika O’Mahony (1-3); Emma Dillon; Eve Downey; Emily Mason; Ciara Buckley; Charlotte Costello;