THE first ever Saul minor ladies team came up trumps in their league decider away to a gallant Rostrevor team on Sunday.
With the girls not having played competitively for so long, the nerves were frayed as they made the trip to Pettit Park.
The home side started at lightning pace and after two minutes had fired over three fine points.
It took a further couple of minutes before Cara Doran hit two goals in a minute and sent the Saul girls into a lead they never relinquished.
Further goals from Erin Cunningham and Cora Byrne-Convery before the first water break would have finished many teams, but not Rostrevor who showed their pedigree by fighting back to bring the deficit back to four points.
This was before further goals from Doran once again eased the nerves on the sideline. Half-time: Rostrevor 2-6 Saul 5-3.
The second half began
with a quick fire point from the reds and unlike the first half, was cancelled out with a point from Cora Byrne-Convery.
The impressive Louise Lundy, who had worked tirelessly throughout, was rewarded with a fine point and then a goal from Cora Byrne really put the game to bed for the Saul girls as they hit the second water break with a commanding lead.
As ever though, a dogged Rostrevor dispatched two balls to the net after this and started a rumbling amongst the Saul support.
But the girls in blue and gold had learned this year to dig deep and they hit the last three scores to see the game home. Full time: Rostrevor 4-9 Saul 7-10.
This was an impressive performance from Saul who were missing two regulars in Erin Sands and Erin Fay, and yet the strength of the whole squad shone through.
On the day captain Nora Maguire stood up when she was needed and was ably assisted by her defence.
In the middle, Grace Surginor and Molly Higgins ran themselves into the ground and at the front the Cara and Cora duo put away vital scores.
These were set up by Lundy, Cunningham and the forwards who proved they have the desire to win games when the going gets tough.
These girls have trained so well since the start of the season and really deserved their victory in the league.
With a strong mixture of younger players as well they deserve great credit for a brilliant season so far.
Saul: O Wynn, A Johnston, L Morgan, N McGrath, N Gilchrist, N Maguire, C Kerr, M Higgins, G Surginor, E Cunningham, L Lundy, N Rourke, C McLoughlin, A Burns, C Byrne-Convery, E Fay, C Doran, M Sharvin, C Lundy, N McCullough, I Murphy, S Meehan, C Swail, E Sands, L Magee, N Gordon, E Quayle, M McMullan.