Presentation, Milltown are national champions.
They’ve beaten Dunmore of Galway 3-12 to 2-12 in the Lidl All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Junior C Football Championship final.
Milltown coach Jane O'Shea
Report by Jamie O’Flaherty
Trailing by five points at half-time – 1-4 to 1-9 – the Kerry side produced an outstanding second-half performance to snatch victory from Galway representatives Dunmore CS.
Dunmore started the game at a frantic pace, with Isabelle Murray and Rebecca Noone scoring four points apiece while Katie Slattery added a well-deserved 15th minute goal to give her side a commanding half-time lead, after midfielder Chloe McHugh had netted for Milltown in the 12th minute.
However, Presentation produced their best form in the second period. Katie Doe scored 1-3 for the Milltown side and Sarah Fitzgerald added 1-2 to turn the game on its head.
Rebecca Noone replied with a brilliant goal of her own but it wasn't enough to halt the momentum of Presentation Milltown.
Isabelle Murray and Chloe Costello kept Dunmore CS neck and neck with the winners but the excellent Aideen O'Brien, player of the match on the night, chipped in with three second-half points to play a captain's role in ensuring the cup would return home to Kerry, to the joy of their huge travelling support.
Following Mercy Mounthawk’s victory in this competition last year, this win for Milltown ensures that the Lidl All-Ireland PPS Junior C silverware stays in the Kingdom.
Scorers – Dunmore CS: I Murray 0-5, R Noone 1-05 (2f), K Slattery 1-0, A Deane and C Costello 0-1 each.
Presentation Milltown: K Doe 1-04, S Fitzgerald 1-03, A O'Brien 0-4, C McHugh 1-0, M Quirke 0-1.
DUNMORE CS: E Diskin, C Farrell, K Kilgarriff, S Kilgarriff, E Daly, M Healy, S Hartnett, K Slattery, I Murray, C Costello, S Hunter, A Brennan Conneely, R Noone, A Deane, A O’Connor (C).
PRESENTATION MILLTOWN: K Murphy, A Falvey, K O’Donoghue, R Daly, S Harkin, E O’Brien, I McGrath, É O’Callaghan, C McHugh, S Fitzgerald, K Doe, L Clifford, A O'Sullivan, A O’Brien (C) S Flynn.
Sub: M Quirke for A O'Sullivan (20).
25 March 2023; Referee Patrick Smith with Dunmore Community School captain Amy O'Connor, left, and Presentation Secondary School Milltown captain Aideen O'Brien before the Lidl LGFA Post Primary Junior C Final match between Dunmore Community School, Galway, and Presentation Secondary School Milltown, Kerry at Fethard Town Park in Tipperary. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile *** NO REPRODUCTION FEE ***
25 March 2023; Presentation Secondary School Milltown manager's Jane O'Shea, left, and Niamh Moriaiarty celebrate with the trophy after the Lidl LGFA Post Primary Junior C Final match between Dunmore Community School, Galway, and Presentation Secondary School Milltown, Kerry at Fethard Town Park in Tipperary. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
25 March 2023; Presentation Secondary School Milltown captain Aideen O'Brien lifts the trophy after Lidl LGFA Post Primary Junior C Final match between Dunmore Community School, Galway, and Presentation Secondary School Milltown, Kerry at Fethard Town Park in Tipperary. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
