29/04/2024:  The U16 Ladies collected the first club silverware of the year when they beat Parteen Meelick (PM) 4-4 to 3-3 to claim the Division 4 Shield.  Due to fixture anomalies, the U16 team did not play any of their games at home this year, but that didn’t faze them as they traveled to Meelick on Sunday last. 

PM won the toss and elected to play with the breeze.  It started out as a cagey affair taking 9 minutes before PM got the first point of the game.  The PM net-minder was called upon in the 5th minute to save a rocket from Isabelle Garry to keep the match scoreless.   PM then entered a purple patch and poached for two goals in as many minutes, to give them a 2-1 to no score advantage heading into the second quarter.  In the 22nd minute, Garry fired another rocket at goal which was batted aside by the goalie but rebounded to Olivia O’Shea.  O’Shea fired it right back and again a great save by the goalie.  Third time lucky for Garry as she finally broke through to raise the first of Kildysart’s green flags.  Having been a part in the first goal, O’Shea fired her own passed the keeper in the 25 minute to leave just a point between the sides at half-time, Kildysart 2-0, PM 2-1.

With the breeze at their backs, Kildysart settled into the second half.  Mid-fielders Niamh Cook and Anna Cleary were coordinating the passage of play through the middle third and on to wingers Emer Murtagh and Ciara Foley.  The Kildysart backs, Maia Casey, Leanne Byrne, Lucy Casey, Lily Cronin, Siobhan Foley and Niamh Finucane, were tireless in their defense of goal clearing out any threat limiting the home side to a goal and 2 points in the second half.  O’Shea was on target in the 35th minute to put the Blues in front for the first time and they never looked back.  Garry slotted over a trio of points, aided and assisted by corner forwards Olivia Hogan and Elisha Casey.  Kildysart shot-stopper Eimear Meaney was steady in goals and swatted away two second-half attempts.  PM got their first point since the restart as the match headed into the fourth quarter, Kildysart ahead 3-3 to 2-2.  Next, Garry raided for her second goal to put a bit of distance between the sides.  Skipper Ciara Foley popped over a lovely score to see Kildysart out in front by double scores 4-4 to 2-2 with 10 minutes remaining.  But PM weren’t going down easy and kept attacking and struck for 1-1 to narrow the gap to 4 with five minutes remaining, Kildysart 4-4, PM 3-3.  Kildysart saw out this last attacking wave to be deserved Shield winners, Kildysart 4-4, PM 3-3.   Referee: Jim Hickey

Kildysart: Eimear Meaney, Maia Casey, Leanne Byrne, Lily Cronin, Niamh Finucane, Siobhan Foley, Lucy Casey, Anna Cleary, Niamh Cook, Isabelle Garry (2-3), Ciara Foley-captain (0-1), Emer Murtagh, Olivia Hogan.  Subs used: Olivia O’Shea (2-0), Elisha Casey.  Missing: Lauren Conway, Lacy Mooney, Sarah Garry, Erin O'Connor and Lucy O'Connor.
Manager: Caitriona Donnellan, coaches: Caroline Cleary and Sinead Kelly.