St Andrew’s snatch Intermediate final glory
St Andrew's captain Orla Bolger accepts the Tellab IFC trophy from Breda Moore, with Bernie Kearns, Vice Chairperson of Carlow LGFA. Photos: Pat Ahern.
St Andrew’s overcame a five-point second-half deficit to edge a thriller against Kildavin-Clonegal and claim the 2026 Tellab Intermediate Football Championship at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
It was a dream start for Kildavin-Clonegal, as they raised their first of two green flags in the opening period after just 25 seconds. Having won the throw-up, they started on the front foot, with marauding wing-back Caoimhe Redmond breaking through on the left-hand side. In space but with it all to do, Redmond unleashed a screamer of an effort from just inside the 21-yard line, giving Amy Fisher no chance as she watched it fly into the top corner.
Aided by the strong wind in the first half, St Andrew’s didn’t panic. Eve Sinnott’s excellent opening score moments after the goal kickstarted a run of nine straight for them, with Katie Tunstead, Ebony Darcy, Rebecca Kelly, and Aine McCullagh all notching. The pick of the scores came from the sweet right boot of Alice Hickey in the 18th minute. On the swivel at the top of the D, Hickey spun her marker before raising the white flag with a superb effort.
All in all, Kildavin-Clonegal went a full 24 first half minutes without a score. Just when hope looked to be lost, their second goal reignited their hopes. A rare foray into St Andrew’s territory looked to be over when Katelyn Sheppard miskicked a shot high into the sky. The electric Chloe Leybourne latched onto it, and not even a hand from Hollie Sinnott could stop her effort hitting the back of the net. Points from Isobel Cronin and captain Orlagh Hickey left the deficit at just one at the break, despite all of St Andrew’s dominance.
Kildavin-Clonegal came out of the traps the quickest in the second half and took the lead early through scores from Cronin and Hickey, before a third goal in the 40th minute strengthened their grip on the lead. The excellent Niamh Cox won the ball underneath the stand from her own kickout, before playing a great ball into the corner to Chloe Leybourne. Leybourne beat her marker, and laid a handpass across the box to Hillary Fitzgerald, who found herself unmarked. Fitzgerald ducked and dived around goalkeeper Amy Fisher, before rolling the ball into an empty net to put her team five ahead.
With the clock and scoreboard against them, it looked like only a miracle would pull St Andrew’s back into this game, but player of the match Eve Sinnott gave them a lifeline ten minutes from time. A long ball into a packed Kildavin-Clonegal square was pulled out of the sky by Alice Hickey, who was a thorn in their side all afternoon.
Hickey played a smart ball off the shoulder to the onrushing Sinnott, who was going past her at breakneck speed. Surrounded by bodies, she had little room for error and made no mistake – burying her effort into the top corner.
With six minutes remaining on the clock, it was Laura Mahon that delivered the killer blow to win the championship for St Andrew’s.
Two points down in the dying embers, Andrew’s kept their cool, and the pressure finally told when Rebecca Kelly played a ball across the box which Kildavin-Clonegal failed to clear.
It was a Roy of the Rovers moment for Mahon, who latched onto the ball and finished, much to the adulation of the big St Andrew’s support. When the lights were brightest, St Andrew’s were at their most calm, playing out the final minutes like a team that had been there before many times.
It was bitter disappointment for Kildavin-Clonegal when referee Jonathan Murphy blew the final whistle, but the result reflected the better of the two teams coming out on top in an enthralling final.
E Sinnott 1-2, L Mahon 1-0, A Hickey 0-3 (2f), R Kelly and A McCullagh 0-2 each, K Tunstead and E Darcy 0-1 each.
Chloe Leybourne (1-4), Caoimhe Redmond and Hilary Fitzgerald 1-0 each, Orlagh Hickey 0-2, Isobel Cronin 0-1.
Amy Fisher; Roisin Lillis, Orla Bolger, Hollie Sinnott; Laura Mahon, Leanne Carroll, Roisin Collins; Katie Tunstead, Sinead McCullagh; Ebony Darcy, Rebecca Kelly, Eimear Lillis; Aine McCullagh, Eve Sinnott, Alice Hickey.
Kate Coogan for Sinnott, 30; Zoe Clarke for Lillis, 39; Sophie Walsh for Darcy, 41.
Claire Murphy; Caoimhe Byrne, Megan Doyle, Ellie Kirwan; Sophie Byrne, Nicole Roberts, Caoimhe Redmond 1-0; Niamh Cox, Aoife Carroll; Katelyn Sheppard, Orlagh Hickey 0-2, Annie Shepherd; Chloe Leybourne 1-4, Hilary Fitzgerald 1-0, Isobel Cronin 0-1.
Ellie Roberts for K Sheppard, 46; Sarah Cox for Sheppard, 48.
Jonathan Murphy.
