Annie Kearney Cup Final
June 22nd 2008
Gaelic Park - 1pm
This year's Annie Kearney Cup Final will see a fierce battle ensue between Cavan and Na Fianna. Cavan are now going for their 3rd in a row while Na Fianna will contest this cup after a three year absence in this final.
Cavan so far this season remain unbeaten with the powerful and skillful Linda McKeon in midfield providing the main engine for the Cavan attack. Cavan field a strong side which is a mix of experienced players alongside the up and coming minors in the game namely Caitlin Hynes, Ashley Callery, Kelly McArdle, Aimee Gomez, Katie McEvoy, Caroline McBrien, Katie Kilkenny, Bridget Mulligan and Nora Kilkenny. In defense Mary Maguire (Captain) remains a force to be reckoned with along with new addition Caitriona Smith, a Cavan native, Roisin Clarke who has worked her way up through the ranks of the under- age program and Orlaith Cullen. In the forward line Emma Clarke still proves a thorn in the side of most team's defenses but is ably assisted by the veteran Rosie O'Reilly and former Cork county player Marie O'Neill, Justine "Cliffy" Clifford and Colleen Frohnhoefer. Cavan are an all-round strong team in all playing areas with Dessie O'Reilly and Frank Brady at their side.
Na Fianna has experienced a complete turnaround this season after being beaten in the Peter Connaughton Cup final last year. In the off season they benefited strongly from the disbanding of the Mayo Ladies and with the return of 2006 New York Player of the Year Mary "Molly" O'Rourke. Galway native Ollie Flynn came on board as the new Manager and without a doubt Na Fianna have the biggest pool of players to pull from for this game. The two teams met earlier in the season with Cavan winning by 6 points. Both teams also contested this year's Mattie Farrelly Cup Seven-a-side final. Na Fianna will have learnt a lot from these encounters and will expect an improved return from all their forwards who include Mary R. O'Rourke, Stephanie Tierney, Ann Ryan, Jeanine Rynne and Mary McEvoy. Joanne Monaghan excelled in midfield last time out alongside Mary Melly in the absence of Ellen Cleary. In defense they have choice of three goalkeepers in Nora McGrail, Jeannie Heinsohn or Marliese Fath. Katrina Lynch is a miss in the heart of their defense but Grace McClafferty, Jessie Garcia, Karen Henry, Mags Ryan, Imelda Mullarkey and underage players Ashley Brophy and Teresa Daly will prove a strong side. They will be ably assisted by their bench of Stephanie Bush, another veteran to the game Monica Slevin, Karen Buckley, Chrissy McSweeney, Aileen Cunningham, Brighid Bennett and Ger Lavery.
An entertaining game is promised of both teams with the result expected to hang in the balance.
At half time the New York Under-14 Feile Girls Team will be presented. This year the team will be based in Belturbet, Co. Cavan. They will play the local Belturbet team as well as Black Lion based Shannon Gaels and a team from Co. Carlow. This year team manager Kieran Traynor along with selectors Rosie O'Reilly and AnnMarie Maye will hope to take the team one step further and bring home the silverware. Ten of last year's team will be making the trip again this year. The team departs for Ireland on Monday June 30th. Further details of the panel and trip will follow in upcoming edition.
This year, for the first time, an Under-16 Girls Team will head to Waterford where they will be hosted by the GAA team at the Waterford Institute of Technology and club kingpins Ballymacarbry. They will be there for a week of intensive training, fitness testing and all aspects of what it takes to reach the highest standard in the game. They will also play a full schedule of games against teams from Cahir, Co. Tipperary, Ballylanders, Co. Limerick and the hosts, Ballymacarbry.
Elsewhere in Ladies football on Saturday June 21st in Gaelic Park there will be an underage football blitz with teams from Rockland and the newly formed St. Brigid's. Games will kick off at 9:30am with the under-8's & under-10's followed by the under-12's and then the under-14's. This is a further opportunity for the coaches to gauge how well their charges are shaping up for the upcoming CYC which should see close to 200 New York girls participating.
