St Ailbes retain their Senior crown as Drom Broadford win Intermediate honours

Both the Senior and Intermediate Limerick Ladies Football Finals were played out yesterday with St Ailbes and Drom Broadford claiming respective honours.

In the senior final, St Ailbes were looking to defend their crown against a Monagea side that they dethroned 12 months ago.

In Knockaderry, it took 13 minutes for the first score to be registered as St Ailbes opened their account through Niamh Ryan with Ingrid Laffan adding a second almost instantly after.

At the first water break, Ailbes lead 0-3 to no score and this tren would continue as a flurry of points towards the short whistle had them comfortably 0-6 to 0-1 ahead at the break.

Ailbes had the first score of the second half before Monagea hit their stride.

1-3 on the bounce from the 2018 champions had the game all square at 0-7 to 1-4 heading into the final ten minutes.

Niamh Kavanagh would push the champions ahead despite immense pressure from the West side.

Katie Heelan would give her side some breathing room late on as they held out for a 0-9 to 1-4 victory to retain their crown.

In the Intermediate decider, Mungret St Pauls were looking to go one better than the 2019 championship when they lost to the Old Mill in the decider as they faced Drom Broadfotd in the curtain raiser for the senior game.

It was a cautious opening to the game as Drom held a 0-2 to 0-1 lead at the water break.

Mungret would get the first goal of the game after 20 minutes through Laura Hanlon to go ahead for the first time.

The sides would then exchange scores with Mungret leading 1-2 to 0-3 at the half.

However, Drom would hit the ground running in the second half as quickfire points had them level before they took the lead with another.

They then got their first goal of the afternoon which was quickly met by a Mungret three-pointer as Drom lead by 1-6 to 2-2 at the final water break of the day.

Drom would get their second goal immediately after the resumption to push four ahead before Mungret responded with a point of their own to leave three between the sides.

Drom would find the next two scores, but Mungret’s third goal had it at 2-8 to 3-3 after 57 minutes.

Mungret would reduced the deficit to a single point in injury time but could not find the leveller as Drom held on for a 2-8 to 3-4 win to end the year as Intermediate champions.