*Photograph: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
A SUPERB display from full-forward Caoimhe McMahon helped St. John Bosco from Kildysart in Clare claim the Lidl All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior C title with victory over Salerno on Wednesday afternoon.
St. John Bosco Community College (Kildysart) 2-17
Salerno SS (Salthill) 0-10
Venue: St Brigid’s GAA, Kiltoom
By Deniese O’Flaherty
McMahon was not just lethal in front of the posts but her all-round play was exceptional. St. John Bosco were clinical throughout and sharper; every player in their forward line was on the scoresheet. It was a valiant effort from Galway school Salerno who battled right to the end.
Kildysart made the perfect start to the game when they scored a goal in the second minute when Isabelle Garry’s shot landed in the net.
Caera McMahon followed up with a point. Orna Dunne got Salerno’s first point of the game in the fifth minute. Twice in the space of four minutes the Galway school closed the gap to two points but that was the closest they got to St. John Bosco.
With Caoimhe McMahon leading the charges St. John Bosco opened up a five point lead in the 18th minute. Salerno just couldn’t get scores and a free from Grace Coyle in the 23rd minute was gathered on the goal-line.
Aoibhín Keane forced Salerno keeper Sophia Curran into a good save in the 25th minute. Two more points from Caoimhe McMahon and a neat score from Kayla Kenny saw the Clare school hold a 1-9 to 0-3 lead at the break.
With less than 30 seconds gone on the clock in the second half Rachel Leyland got a point for Salerno, their first since the 11th minute. Despite that quick score St. John Bosco replied with three points in a row, all from Caoimhe McMahon.
Salerno, despite having an extra player for two spells due to sinbinnings, just could not get the goal they needed to mount a revival, even though they never gave up.
St. John Bosco were relentless and in the 53rd minute McMahon got a goal her performance deserved to stretch their lead further.
Substitute Firinne Walsh and the excellent Orna Dunne (free) got consolation scores at the end for Salerno but the Lidl All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior ‘C’ title is heading to Clare for 2026.
Scorers – St. John Bosco: Caoimhe McMahon 1-9 (1f), I Garry 1-0, J Kennedy 0-3, K Kennedy 0-2, A Keane, Caera McMahon, S Talty 0-1 each.
Salerno: O Dunne 0-5 (2fs), E Mannion, C Coyle, G Coyle (1f), R Heyland, F Walsh 0-1 each.
ST. JOHN BOSCO CC: M Browne; S McGee, L Griffin, E Kelly; A Donnelly, Z Warren, C Donnelly; A Donnelly, N Talty; I Garry, A Keane, Caera McMahon; J Kennedy, Caoimhe McMahon, K Kennedy. Subs: S Talty for C McMahon (25), C O’Rourke for Donnelly and A Lees for J Kennedy (57), C Kelly for K Kennedy and H Egan for Caoimhe McMahon (59).
SALERNO SS: S Curran; A R O’Gorman, S Ruane, A Murphy; M Roache, E Mannion, A Butler; C Cleary, C Coyle; G Coyle, O Dunne, M Carroll; R Carroll, R Leyland, N McGauran. Subs: F Walsh for McGauran (49), Z Wright for M Roache (48), D Murphy for Ruane (59), E Keenan for Leyland (60).
Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork).
All photographs by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile
