*Fidelma Marrinan and Megan Downes. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
QUERRIN’S Fidelma Marrinan has claimed the ZuCar Golden Boot award for 2023, the prize on offer for the leading scorer in the TG4 All-Ireland Championships.
Marrinan’s tally of 5-38 (53 points) was good enough to pip Down sharpshooter Natasha Ferris, who finished with 7-31 (52), by just a single point.
Despite Clare’s defeat to Kildare in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Final on August 13, Marrinan’s haul of 1-5 was enough to move her to the top of the ZuCar Golden Boot standings.
Earlier in the day, Ferris collected 0-5 in Down’s TG4 All-Ireland Junior Final victory over Limerick, which had established a seven-point overall lead for the Mourne County attacker before Marrinan and Clare took to the field.
Before TG4 All-Ireland Finals day, the race for the 2023 ZuCar Golden Boot had boiled down to a race between Ferris and Marrinan, who was The Croke Park/LGFA Player of the Month for June 2023.
Ferris began against Limerick with 7-26 (47 points) previously to her name in the All-Ireland series, while Marrinan had scored 4-33 (45) ahead of the Banner County’s clash with Kildare.
Fidelma, from the West Clare Gaels club, will receive her award in the coming weeks, along with the winner of the 2023 ZuCar Golden Glove, which will acknowledge goalkeeping excellence during the TG4 All-Ireland Championships.
