Looby's double guides Drom through
Drom-Inch 5-8 Douglas 2-13
Drom-Inch lived up to their favourites' tag as their ability in the goal area proved decisive in this provincial decider.
A brace of goals from Mary Looby added to green flags from Geraldine Kinnane, Niamh Harkin and Catriona Shortt proved too much for the young Douglas side. Added to that, Rosie Kenneally in the Drom goal was in top form for the Tipp side.
Drom's first-half goals came in the fifth minute from Kinnane, who also added five points from play, mid-way through the half from captain Looby, while Niamh Harkin's goal delivered a sucker-punch to Douglas just before the break.
Douglas fought all the way though and Katrina Mackey scored four points in the first half and was assisted by scores from Claire Shine and Julia White.
Drom led at the break by 3-3 to 0-7. The Cork girls then gave themselves a huge boost when Aine O'Donovan goaled immediately after the re-start.
Shine added a brace of points for Douglas but Drom were not finished in front of goal and Looby's second goal with 13 minutes remaining, along with Kenneally's point-blank save from Mackey, kept the Douglas challenge at bay.
Shortt goaled for the winners five minutes from time with Douglas's last goal coming from Rachel O'Sullivan as full-time drew near.
Drom-Inch now go on to contest the All-Ireland semi-final after the Christmas break.
SCORERS -- Drom-Inch: G Kinnane 1-5, M Looby 2-1, N Harkin 1-0, C Shortt 1-2 (2f). Douglas: K Mackey 0-7 (5f), C Shine 0-3, R O'Sullivan, A O' Donovan 1-0 each, J White 0-2, A O'Regan 0-1.
Drom-Inch -- R Kenneally; P McGrath, L Bourke, C Kennedy; N Harrington, M Shortt, T Shortt; J Ryan, S Bourke; A Kennedy, E Shanahan, J Kavanagh; A Peate, T Maher, E Jordan. Subs: A Evison for A Kennedy, A Butler for E Shanahan.
Douglas -- J Kavanagh; A Peate, T Maher, E Jordan; C Shine, A O'Regan, P Mackey; E Kavanagh, L O'Regan; R O'Sullivan, K Mackey, A O'Donovan; S Duggan, M Harkin, J White. Subs: S Long for T Maher(inj).
Ref -- F McNamara(Clare)
Irish Independent
