CANADA Northern Lights have outclassed Ireland to claim the 2014 AFL International Cup Women’s title.
The Northern Lights shrugged off the Banshees in an exhausting battle at Punt Road Oval to post a 5.8 (38) to 2.0 (12) victory.
Slowly but surely Canada assumed control, kicking the only goal of the opening half and running away in the second to avenge the loss suffered at the hands of the Irish in 2011.
With numbers behind the footy, the Banshees refused to succumb and through captain Aimee Louise Hazley and ruckman Laura Corrigan, continually thwarted Canada’s forward thrusts.
But when Corrigan was sent from the field with a yellow card after a hit on Canadian skipper Amy Legault late in the third term, their slim hopes were dashed.
The girls in red and white had all the answers and, led brilliantly by Legualt, kept the ball locked in their forward half for the majority of the match.
Legault’s class was a standout, with her ability overhead and knack for turning her opponent inside-out ensuring she finished with the medal for best on ground.
Up forward and Sylvie De Brabandere competed hard to provide a target but it was Kirsten Bodashefsky and Kendra Heil that did the damage on the scoreboard.
The duo finished with two goals apiece, with Heil’s first half bomb a pivotal moment in the match.
Hilary Perry and Lisa Annicchiaico were also pivotal through the middle, while Emma Dickenson used her speed on the outside to continually drive her team forward.
Ireland’s Emma Perry was named the Banshees’ best after taking several telling marks and copping some enormous hits along the way.
The level of physicality was a feature of the match with neither side prepared to take a backward step.
But with superior depth, the Canadians were able to withstand everything Ireland could throw at them.
Final IC Women’s Rankings
- Canada Northern Lights
- Ireland
- USA Freedom
- Canada Midnight Suns
- Fiji
- Tonga
- USA Liberty
Canada Northern Lights: 0.1 1.7 3.8 5.8 (38)
Ireland: 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 (12)
Goals
Canada Northern Lights: Heil 2, Bodashefski 2, Legault
Ireland: Corrigan, Keatley
Best
Canada Northern Lights: Legault, Heil, Perry, Dickenson, Annicchiarico, Robertson
Ireland: Kelly, Behan, McKay, McCann, Corrigan, Hazley
