Coláiste Mhuire Askeaton fall short in first ever Senior B Girls National Cup Soccer Final

COLÁISTE MHUIRE Askeaton suffered a 3-1 loss to St Clare’s Manorhamilton of Leitrim in the FAI Schools Senior B Girls National Cup Final in Athlone Town Stadium on Wednesday evening. 

With driving rain wind dictating much of what happened on the astro turf pitch, Colaiste Mhuire started with the powerful wind at their backs but their plans were thrown into disarray when the Leitrim school scored a real poacher’s goal after just one minute into the contest.

St Clare’s winger Aine McLaughlin just managed to get to a cross a fraction of a second before Colaiste Mhuire keeper Hannah Neville and that goal changed the course of the game. It gave St Clare’s something to hold onto and knocked the Askeaton girls off their rhythm for most of the first half.

However, just before halftime, Askeaton started to build some rhythm and when Grace Fitzgibbon lofted a dangerous free into the St Clare’s box, Gemma Leahy was on hand to lash the ball from close range to the net, leaving the sides 1-1 at the break. 

Valiant resistance, led by centre-back duo Rebecca Fitzgibbon and Aimee Sheahan, saw Colaiste Mhuire hold out for 22 minutes into the second half when Megan Rooney managed to get onto a loose ball, chipping keeper Neville, and with that, St Clare’s were on their way to victory.

The Leitrim school would add a third to confirm their victory, the first ever All-Ireland title for a Leitrim school, despite the best efforts of Askeaton to claw their way back into the game, leaving them on a wining scoreline of 3-1.

Fitzgibbon and Sheahan shone on a day when the Askeaton defence was under a lot of pressure while Evelyn Fitzgerald in midfield battled with all her might against a St Clare’s team sprinkled with several Sligo Rovers players. Upfront, Abi Fitzgibbon was a willing and frequent runner at centre-forward, harrying the opposing defence at every opportunity.

COLAISTE MHUIRE ASKEATON: Hannah Neville, Anna Fitzgerald, Jennifer Kelly, Rebecca Fitzgibbon, Aimee Sheahan, Grace Fitzgibbon, Maebh Mulcahy, Evelyn Fitzgerald, Aib Fitzgibbon, Ruth Sheehy, Gemma Leahy

SCORER: Gemma Leahy (39 minutes)

SUBS: Jane Kelly for Sheehy (Half-Time), Leah Kelly for Mulcahy (33 minutes), Aine Gallery for Kelly (65 minutes). 

ST CLARE’S CS MANORHAMILTON: Cadhla Moffitt, Sarah McGagh, Eve Caprani, Sadhbh Maguire, Grace Devaney, Lauren Devaney, Megan Rooney, Amy Malone, Eimear Keaney, Anna Devaney, Aine McLaughlin. 

SCORERS: Aine McLaughlin (1 minute), Megan Rooney (62 minutes), Lauren Devaney (61 minutes)

SUBS: Erin Rooney for McGagh (74 minutes), Sarah Mulvaney Kelly for Rooney (76 minutes), Nessa Fox for McLaughlin (79 minutes). 

Referee: Ryan Maher