So Fresh Entertainment Womens Division Cup Final
Derry Rovers FC 1 Monasterevin AFC 2
(REPORT BY JAMIE CONNOLLY)
This game was always going to be a close encounter with two strong teams defensively and with their attacking threats an end to end clash. The game was only seven minutes old when Ally Gallagher ran at the Monasterevin defenders, evading two and shooting taking a slight deflection guiding it past Alice Breen in the goal to put the Edenderry side 1-0 up. This goal seemed to wake monasterevin up and they began to pass the ball neatly around the pitch with good link up play in midfield between Nicole Moran, Brianne Kaye, Abby Kemmy and Louise Scully up top with Jenny Conroy holding the midfield defensively.
Orlaith O’Sullivan was pulling the strings in midfield for Derry Rovers ably assisted by Kayla Ennis, Chelsie O’Driscoll, Ava Doyle and Aoife Tyrell giving Ally Gallagher back up, up top. On twelve minute after a corner was swung in to a sea of bodies, Annemarie Graham pounced to draw monasterevin level at 1-1. Only a minute later a through ball into the willing run of Louise Scully seen her place the ball into the bottom corner and put Monasterevin into the lead at 2-1.
Bernie Hyland, Graham, Briana and Abbey Kemmy and Ciara Morrissey were marshalling the attack of Derry Rovers well with Ally Gallagher causing problems with her quick feet. At the other end Caroline O’Neill, Alicia Kavanagh, Jemma Farrell and Jessie Brereton were keeping tabs on Abby Kemmy and Scully who always pose a threat.
Few chances either side well dealt with by Breen in Monasterevin goals and Jackie McDonald in Derry rovers net meant the scores stayed 2-1 at the break.
The second half took a while to get back to the high intensity of the first but when it did it looked like either team were capable of making a defence splitting pass or coming up with a magical moment but both defences remained on alert to the threat of either side.
Ally Gallagher, Ava Doyle and Aoife Tyrell all had chances but couldn’t hit the target.
Abby Kemmy, Rebecca Broughan and Louise Scully had chances at the other end but the same outcome with no one hitting the target. It was Monasterevin who held out for the victory to give them the league and cup double, a first for their club at senior level.
Derry Rovers can hold their heads high knowing they were in the game till the final whistle and ever improving this season will surely be in contention for honours next season.
Both teams gave their all and left it all on the pitch in a great advert for women’s football in kildare. Best for Derry Rovers were Orlaith O’Sullivan, Ally Gallagher, Alicia Kavanagh, Caroline O’Neill and Aoife Tyrell. Best for the winners were Alice Breen, Bernie Hyland, Nicole Moran, Louise Scully & Player of the match Abby Kemmy.
So Fresh Entertainment Womens Shield Final
(REPORT BY JAMIE CONNOLY)
Rathangan AFC 1 Clane United FC 4
An immaculate Mullarney park, home of castle villa AFC was the venue for Sunday’s double header of women’s Cup and Shield finals.
Castle villa being one of the first to enter a women’s team into the division when set up, and no stranger to high profile finals was a nice nod to women’s football in the Kildare League being one of the best surfaces and grounds around to play a game of football.
The shield was contested between Rathangan FC and Clane United AFC, in what turned out to be a game of two contrasting halves. Rathangan were slow out of the traps and had to soak up serious pressure from Molly Nason and Rebecca Devine’s constant movement causing issues at the back for the canalsiders but the mother, daughter duo of Olive and Mischa Conroy were strong in their defending along with the vocal goalkeeping of Kaiah Mooradian.
It only took Clane ten minutes to open the scoring when Devine ran down the right side just inside the box and squared the ball to Nason who had an open goal to tap into to give the holders a 1-0 lead. Sarah Byrne was getting on the ball more and more dictating the play with Heather Meagher bolstering up the midfield not letting much by. Rathangan were working hard and trying to play football but were unable to find much consistency early in. Aishling & Lauren Griffin, Jackie Kelly and Jessica Kavanagh battling toe to toe with the midfield of Clane. Chances were few and far between, with any long range efforts comfortably dealt with by both keepers, Sarah McNeill in Clane goal.
Louisa Malone wasn’t getting too many touches of the ball but when she did she looked a threat. Maria Healy and Katie Brennan at the back along with Aoife Phelan and Rebecca Phillips making sure nothing was getting in. Clane doubled their lead on the thirty fourth minute, Molly Nason again grabbing her second with a neat finish. Three minutes later came the goal of the day with a fine strike by Rebecca Devine from just outside the box smashing into the back of the net and giving Clane a commanding lead. The first half ran out with not much in the way of chances but both sides passing the ball to the wings and trying to get through the backline.
The half time team talk in the Rathangan dressing room worked as a different side came out to ply the second half. They were more intense in their closing down with Jessica Taylor and Louisa Malone giving no time to defenders and wingers pushing on to help out the strikers. Clane knew they had to be on form to see the game out and we’re defending well and using the ball cleverly into the spaces. Rathangan grabbed a deserved goal on the fifty fifth minute when Louisa Malone capitalised on a split second of indecision to give rathangan a glimmer of hope. For the next then minutes Rathangan’s work rate was immense with Clane soaking up the pressure well. The killer blow was dealt when Rebecca Devine finished well on the sixty sixth minute to restore their three goal lead and put Clane in a great position heading into the last twenty minutes. The game played out with both keepers smothering any through balls and a few long range efforts going wide.
Rathangan can hold their heads high with their efforts against a tough and well drilled Clane side. Rathangan had great performances in Olive and Mischa Conroy, Lauren griffin and Louisa Malone. Best for the winners Clane were Sarah Byrne, Rebecca Devine, Maria Healy and player of the match Molly Nason.
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