Heartbreak for Cavan u16s in All-Ireland final

Kildare 1-10

Cavan 0-09

There was heartbreak for the Cavan u16s in last night’s AirNav Ireland All-Ireland u16A Championship final.

They lost out to Kildare by four-points, 1-10 to 0-9, in Pairc Chiaráin, Athlone.

Playing against the breeze in the opening half, the Breffni ladies struggled in front of goal, kicking seven wides and missing two goal opportunities.

Goalkeeper Margaret Smith kept Cavan in the game in the first half, with several crucial saves to keep Cavan within touching distance.

They struggled to reach their standards from previous games and trailed 0-5 to 0-2 at the break.

However, after the interval Cavan hit their stride, kicking five points on the bounce to take the lead 12 minutes into the half.

Sarah-Jane Sherlock and Sarah-Kate Liggan both stood out in the second half, particularly in the third quarter during Cavan’s purple patch.

A goal for Kildare just four minutes later spurred the Lilywhites on, with player of the match Anna Dillon putting in a standout performance.

Despite creating a number of chances in the final quarter, Cavan failed to find the back of the net.

Kildare continued to trouble Cavan, by putting pressure on the Smith’s kickouts, and managed to stretch their lead to four points in the closing stages.

To their credit, Cavan battled to the last, but some last-grasp defending from the Kildare full-back line, and excellent goalkeeping from shot stopper Sadie Burke, kept Cavan at arm's length.

When the full-time whistle was blown the Lilywhites led by four-points, 1-10 to 0-9.