Bowl final success for Limerick side at Gaynor Cup

LIMERICK Desmond U-14s claimed Bowl final success as the curtain came down on the Fota Island Resort Gaynor Cup tournament on a blistering hot day at UL on Sunday.

Limerick Desmond eased past the Mid Western League 4-0 on Sunday morning to sign off from the four-day schoolgirl inter-league soccer bonanza with an impressive victory.

Some 36 teams competed over three separate age-grades, U-12 as well as U-14 and U-16 level at UL.

The Limerick Desmond U-16 side’s hopes of making it a Bowl double for the West Limerick league ended in disappointment as they suffered a 2-0 final defeat to the Sligo Leitrim League.

Limerick County U-14s finished in 11th place in the Gaynor Cup after scoring an exciting play-off win over Sligo Leitrim on Sunday morning.

The sides had finished level, 3-3, before Limerick County went on to score a 5-3 success on penalties. Limerick County had led the game 2-0 at half-time.

Limerick County U-16 side claimed a 16th-placed finish in the Gaynor Cup after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Cork in their final game on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the Gaynor Cup final at U-16 level ended in a 2-1 win for the Galway league over the Midlands League, while Kilkenny beat the Midlands 1-0 in the U-14 decider.

The Fota Island Resort FAI Gaynor Tournament has been hugely influential in the development of female footballers with many of the current Republic of Ireland Women's teams made up of past participants.

Dave Connell, FAI Head of Women’s Underage Development and WU19s Head Coach said: "The Gaynor Tournament is a crucial step along the elite player pathway and we're always looking to improve that process each year. We introduced a qualification stage to help refine and progress that pathway, and we have 34 teams participating in the finals tournament this year. 

"The change is to facilitate the elite players who we are trying to get on a pathway that starts with the Aviva Soccer Sisters camps and continues with the Castleknock Hotel Girls Centre of Excellence before the Fota Island Resort Gaynor Tournament.

2018 Gaynor Tournament Results

Under-14:
Cup Final: 
Kilkenny 1-0 Midlands

Shield Final: 
Cork 2-1 MGL

Plate Final: 
South Tipperary 1-0 Inishowen

Bowl Final: 
Limerick Desmond 4-0 Mid Western 

3rd/4th Play-Off: 
North Tipperary 0-2 Carlow 

7th/8th Play-Off: 
Galway 1-0 Mayo 

11th/12th Play-Off: 
Limerick County 3-3 Sligo/Leitrim (Limerick County won 5-3 on penalties)

15th/16th Play-Off: 
Longford 0-2 Donegal

Under-16

Cup Final: 
Midlands 1-2 Galway

Shield Final: 
South Tipperary 1-1 Wexford (South Tipperary won 6-5 on penalties)

Plate Final: 
Donegal 2-2 NECSL (Donegal won 5-4 on penalties)

Bowl Final: 
Sligo/Leitrim 2-0 Limerick Desmond 

3rd/4th Play-Off: 
MGL 1-1  Mayo (MGL won 5-4 on penalties)

7th/8th Play-Off: 
Inishowen 3-0 Waterford

11th/12th Play-Off: 
Longford 4-3 Clare 

15th/16th Play-Off: 
Limerick County 0-1 Cork

Limerick Desmond U-16 Gaynor Cup squad: Leah Hayes-Coen (Newcastle West Town), Kaithlin O'Donnell (AK United), Caoimhe Riordan (Abbeyfeale Utd), Alannah Mitchell (AK Utd), Anna Shine (AK United), Emma Coleman (AK United), Maura Shine (AK United), Eve O'Sullivan (AK United), Anna Mullane (Ballingarry), Sophie Liston (AK United), Courtney Duhig (AK United), Leah Towmey (Ballingarry), Abby King (AK United), Ciara Shanahan (Askeaton), Rosie Young (AK United), Emma Donovan (Newcastle West Town), Amy Thompson (AK United), Taylor Madigan (Askeaton).

Management: Betty Somers

Limerick Desmond U-14 Squad: Ciara Houlihan (Ballingarry AFC), Ava Horgan (Abbeyfeale Utd), Nessa Markham (Ballingarry AFC), Ella Tobin (Abbeyfeale Utd), Molly McCarthy (Broadford Utd), Kaylin O'Connor (Abbeyfeale Utd), Nicole McNamara (Ballingarry AFC), Orla McNamara (GB Rovers), Laura McMahon (Ballingarry AFC), Aimee O'Keefe (Ballingarry AFC), Lucy Horgan (Abbeyfeale Utd), Hannah Brennan (Broaford Utd), Grace Morris (Abbeyfeale Utd), Katie Keane (Abbeyfeale Utd), Siobhra Walsh (Ballingarry AFC), Lily Duggan (NCW Town), Michelle Quirke (Abbeyfeale Utd), Eleanor O'Carroll (Kildimo Utd), Lorna Healy (Abbeyfeale Utd), Shona Tierney (Abbeyfeale Utd).

Management: Manager: Mike Boyle; Coach: Denis McCarthy, Coach: Dyon Keane, Goalkeeper Coach: Francis Walsh.

Limerick County U-16 Squad Gaynor Cup: Abby McCarthy (Aisling Annacotty); Emma Costello (Aisling Annacotty), Aisling Doran (Aisling Annacotty), Megan O'Mara (Regional), Sarah Cleary (Aisling Annacotty), Laoise Ní hAodha (Aisling Annacotty), Ciara Harty (Charleville), Yasmin Reeves (Regional), Clodagh Doherty (Kilmallock), Alicia O'Callaghan (Aisling Annacotty), Isabel Farrelly (Regional), Laura Lyons (Regional), Aoibhe Butler (Murroe), Amy Costelloe (Aisling Annacotty), Chloe  Trimm (Charleville), Zoe  O'Donovan  (Regional), Cara Griffin (Murroe), Nadine White (Charleville), Molly O'Connor (Limerick Bells), Leah Keogh (Geraldines).

Management: Manager/Co-Ordinator Pat Dunne; Head Coach: John Lewis; Assistant Coach/First Aid: Misha Noonan.

Limerick County U-14 Gaynor Cup squad: Emma Morrissey (Charleville), Jodie Keane (Regional Utd), Jenna Slattery (Fairview), Ciara Ryan (Holycross), Kaitlin Hayes (Regional Utd), Libby Costelloe (Corbally), Aoife Cronin (Kilmallock), Chloe O'Neill (Regional Utd), Aine Walsh (Regional Utd), Emma Kett (Murroe), Grace Fitzgerald (Ballylanders), Laoise Browne (Ballylanders), Michaela Cumes (Holycross), Emily O'Halloran (Annacotty), Abbey May Galvin (Limerick Belles), Ciara O'Riordan (Charleville), Charlotte Horan (Regional Utd), Ellen Costelloe (Regional Utd), Aobheann Collins (Regional Utd), Aoife Mulkern (Annacotty)

Management: Jimmy Morrissey (Pat Keane, Rose Benson and Fergal O’Neill coaches)