Knockninny 3-09 Devenish 2-06
Knockninny Gaels completed the double at the weekend as they ran out six-point winners over Devenish in Bellanaleck on Sunday.
It came just three weeks after Knockninny clinched the Division Three league title with a convincing 5-12 to 3-00 win over Kinawley B’s and Fearghal Shannon’s side continued their form at the weekend.
“It was a good performance, a good second half, we were slow to start in the first-half and I wasn’t happy,” said manager Shannon.
“We got them in at halftime and had a talk, and then we had a great second half, and got over the line.”
Shannon, who is in his second year in charge, added: “I said to them before, we’ll take two years and I promised them silverware and to get the double, there’s no words I can say, it’s unreal for them.
"They deserved it and when they put in the effort this year. They were travelling down from Belfast, Dublin, and Tipperary for training sessions and it just shows you if you put the effort in, the rewards are there for you.”
Stephanie Gunn stamped an early marker down in Sunday’s Junior Championship final showdown as she netted a goal and a point in the opening couple of moments.
Knockninny continued to flourish with the confidence of an early goal and Leann Donegan tagged on two more points to open up a lead.
However, Devenish then did get off the mark as Ellen O’Flanagan netted at the other end to inspire a strong end to the first half. She pointed three times after Molly Quinlan’s effort to leave a point between the teams at the break.
It was O’Flanagan again at the forefront of the Devenish attack in the second half and her free split the posts to tie the contest early on.
It may have been the wake-up call Knockninny needed as Quinlan sent over two frees and Ellen McCaffrey chipped in to make it a three-point advantage. O’Flanagan added her fifth point of the game but Ellen McCaffrey then found Ciara McCaffrey who fired in a second goal.
Quinlan made it a six-point advantage but Devenish halved that shortly after as Aisling Maguire was dragged down on goal and O’Flanagan buried the penalty while Ciara Clarke was sent to the sin bin.
Maguire and Naoise McKernan traded scores as Devenish pushed for a late leveller but Alannah Maguire finished the contest with a goal in added time.
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