3 months after forming a first ever Ladies team for either club, Curraha/St.Vincents found themselves in a League final, after a hugely successful campaign saw them reach this point with a 100% record. Their opponents Nobber, also a newly formed side, had an excellent campaign as well and promised to be tough opponents. The game took place in Ardcath, in front of a massive crowd, and the conditions could not have been better on a perfect Summer's evening.
Curraha/St.Vincents could not have asked for a better start as they had the ball in the net in the opening minute. Larissa Carey and Róisín O'Connor combined to release Ciara Morgan who burst through to fire to the net to give the hosts a dream start. Morgan also registered the game's first point, firing over after Niamh Byrne done well to recycle a shot that looked to be drifting wide. O'Connor got her first score of the game soon after, cleverly sidestepping her marker to shoot after a good ball by Lucy Andrews.
The home side had settled really well and were playing some excellent football, with Andrews and Lara Parsons in particular linking play really well. The next point came from Morgan after an excellent team move saw her take the ball on the loop and finish well from 20 metres. Curraha/St.Vincents secured the resulting kick- out and a quick exchange of passes created space for O'Connor to point again. She followed this up soon afterwards with an excellent long range effort, giving Curraha/St.Vincents an 8 point lead with just over 10 minutes on the clock. Nobber had registered a couple of wides at this point, and they then got off the mark via a free, before striking for goal in the 15th minute to bring them right back into the game. Another point for the visitor's reduced the lead to 3 points, but just as they looked to be getting on top, Morgan struck for goal again with a great finish after excellent work again from Andrews and Parsons.
Carly Parsons was then called into action in the Curraha/St.Vincents to deal with a very tricky ball landing in the square from a Nobber free. Curraha/St.Vincents then worked the ball up the field, with Niamh Byrne seeing a goal bound effort blocked, with Morgan converting the resulting free. Nobber continued to press, but were met with some excellent defensive work to keep them at bay. An excellent interception and driving run from Katelyn McMahon led to another free, with Morgan again slotting over. Katie Tuite was on target next after she had done well to intercept a ball and drive forward. Curraha/St.Vincents managed to pin Nobber in from their next couple of kickouts, with Larissa Carey and Shauna White dominating at midfield. This pressure led to 2 more scores from the impressive Ciara Morgan before the half-time whistle, giving Curraha/St.Vincents a commanding 11-point lead at the break
Half-time Curraha/St.Vincents 2-10 Nobber 1-2
Morgan picked up where she left off in the 1st half with a pointed effort within 30 seconds of the restart. Shauna White followed up with one of the best scores of the game, with a lovely effort on the run following another excellent team move. Nobber were trying their best to force their way back into the game and registered a couple of wides, before Carly Parsons made an outstanding save to prevent a goal and they had to settle for a point soon after. Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 13th minute with Ciara Morgan completing an outstanding hat-trick of goals, evading her marker and firing emphatically to the roof of the net after a driving run by Shauna White to set her up. This was followed up by another long-range free from O'Connor, and the hosts were now firmly in control. Lucy Andrews got a well deserved score in the 21st minute, before Carly Parsons made sure there would be no late rally as she made another impressive save with 5 minutes to play. Morgan tapped over a short-range free towards the end to bring her personal tally to a very impressive 3-9, before substitute Ella O'Connor scored a fantastic goal in the last minute to put the icing on the cake and round off an amazing performance from the Curraha/St.Vincents Ladies.
The hosts ran out ran out convincing winners in the end, but credit to Nobber who never threw in the towel. A couple of outstanding saves from the Curraha/St.Vincents keeper, and a few misses they will regret, meant they couldn't quite stay in touch. The Curraha/St.Vincents players maintained their performance levels right to the last second despite having a comfortable lead, and the management team of Eamon Murray, Aoife Battersby and Alan Kearns will be delighted with the work-rate throughout the game. There were some fantastic individual performances on the day, but each and every member of the panel has played a part in securing today's League title. It is a brilliant achievement for the team to have secured silverware only 3 months after coming together. There is hopefully much more to come from this group and hopefully team captain, Hannah Keogh, will be lifting plenty more trophies in the years to come.
Currach Átha / Naomh Uinseann Abú!
Full-Time: Curraha/St.Vincents 3-15 Nobber 1-4
Curraha/St.Vincents: Carly Parsons, Ava Cleary, Hannah Keogh, Ava Cleary, Mollie White, Katelyn McMahon, Jessica Brennan, Larissa Carey, Shauna White (0-1), Lucy Andrews,
Róisín O'Connor (0-4), Lara Parsons, Katie Tuite (0-1), Niamh Byrne, Ciara Morgan (3-9)
Subs: Ella O'Connor (1-0), Jessie Tuite, Emily Mahon, Emma-Jane Cleary, Millie Kelly, Nia Hetherton, Sarah McLoughlin, Ellen Gough, Grace O'Dowd, Jean Andrews, Leah Rooney, Ríóisín Tallon, Holly Stafford, Isabella Shanley
Curraha/St.Vincents could not have asked for a better start as they had the ball in the net in the opening minute. Larissa Carey and Róisín O'Connor combined to release Ciara Morgan who burst through to fire to the net to give the hosts a dream start. Morgan also registered the game's first point, firing over after Niamh Byrne done well to recycle a shot that looked to be drifting wide. O'Connor got her first score of the game soon after, cleverly sidestepping her marker to shoot after a good ball by Lucy Andrews.
The home side had settled really well and were playing some excellent football, with Andrews and Lara Parsons in particular linking play really well. The next point came from Morgan after an excellent team move saw her take the ball on the loop and finish well from 20 metres. Curraha/St.Vincents secured the resulting kick- out and a quick exchange of passes created space for O'Connor to point again. She followed this up soon afterwards with an excellent long range effort, giving Curraha/St.Vincents an 8 point lead with just over 10 minutes on the clock. Nobber had registered a couple of wides at this point, and they then got off the mark via a free, before striking for goal in the 15th minute to bring them right back into the game. Another point for the visitor's reduced the lead to 3 points, but just as they looked to be getting on top, Morgan struck for goal again with a great finish after excellent work again from Andrews and Parsons.
Carly Parsons was then called into action in the Curraha/St.Vincents to deal with a very tricky ball landing in the square from a Nobber free. Curraha/St.Vincents then worked the ball up the field, with Niamh Byrne seeing a goal bound effort blocked, with Morgan converting the resulting free. Nobber continued to press, but were met with some excellent defensive work to keep them at bay. An excellent interception and driving run from Katelyn McMahon led to another free, with Morgan again slotting over. Katie Tuite was on target next after she had done well to intercept a ball and drive forward. Curraha/St.Vincents managed to pin Nobber in from their next couple of kickouts, with Larissa Carey and Shauna White dominating at midfield. This pressure led to 2 more scores from the impressive Ciara Morgan before the half-time whistle, giving Curraha/St.Vincents a commanding 11-point lead at the break
Half-time Curraha/St.Vincents 2-10 Nobber 1-2
Morgan picked up where she left off in the 1st half with a pointed effort within 30 seconds of the restart. Shauna White followed up with one of the best scores of the game, with a lovely effort on the run following another excellent team move. Nobber were trying their best to force their way back into the game and registered a couple of wides, before Carly Parsons made an outstanding save to prevent a goal and they had to settle for a point soon after. Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 13th minute with Ciara Morgan completing an outstanding hat-trick of goals, evading her marker and firing emphatically to the roof of the net after a driving run by Shauna White to set her up. This was followed up by another long-range free from O'Connor, and the hosts were now firmly in control. Lucy Andrews got a well deserved score in the 21st minute, before Carly Parsons made sure there would be no late rally as she made another impressive save with 5 minutes to play. Morgan tapped over a short-range free towards the end to bring her personal tally to a very impressive 3-9, before substitute Ella O'Connor scored a fantastic goal in the last minute to put the icing on the cake and round off an amazing performance from the Curraha/St.Vincents Ladies.
The hosts ran out ran out convincing winners in the end, but credit to Nobber who never threw in the towel. A couple of outstanding saves from the Curraha/St.Vincents keeper, and a few misses they will regret, meant they couldn't quite stay in touch. The Curraha/St.Vincents players maintained their performance levels right to the last second despite having a comfortable lead, and the management team of Eamon Murray, Aoife Battersby and Alan Kearns will be delighted with the work-rate throughout the game. There were some fantastic individual performances on the day, but each and every member of the panel has played a part in securing today's League title. It is a brilliant achievement for the team to have secured silverware only 3 months after coming together. There is hopefully much more to come from this group and hopefully team captain, Hannah Keogh, will be lifting plenty more trophies in the years to come.
Currach Átha / Naomh Uinseann Abú!
Full-Time: Curraha/St.Vincents 3-15 Nobber 1-4
Curraha/St.Vincents: Carly Parsons, Ava Cleary, Hannah Keogh, Ava Cleary, Mollie White, Katelyn McMahon, Jessica Brennan, Larissa Carey, Shauna White (0-1), Lucy Andrews,
Róisín O'Connor (0-4), Lara Parsons, Katie Tuite (0-1), Niamh Byrne, Ciara Morgan (3-9)
Subs: Ella O'Connor (1-0), Jessie Tuite, Emily Mahon, Emma-Jane Cleary, Millie Kelly, Nia Hetherton, Sarah McLoughlin, Ellen Gough, Grace O'Dowd, Jean Andrews, Leah Rooney, Ríóisín Tallon, Holly Stafford, Isabella Shanley
