FAI Schools Minor Girls National Cup Semi Final (Under 15, Large Schools)
Friday, April 30, 2025
Loreto College, Cavan 2-1 St. Leo’s College, Carlow
Sarah Crowe (20), Doireann Brady (33) Ciara Milton (56)
LORETO COLLEGE, CAVAN narrowly defeated St. Leo’s College, Carlow in a sun kissed Mullingar Athletic FC yesterday afternoon (Thursday, April 29).
Goals in either half courtesy of Sarah CROWE and Doireann BRADY were enough for Loreto to see off the Leinster starlets despite Ciara MILTON’S goal late on.
It was a physical battle with both teams playing some lovely, neat passing football early on. The Carlow crew were edging the contest slightly in the opening quarter as Ciara Milton, Emily Carpenter and Laura Malone had pops on target but the industrious Cavan netminder Ella O’Keefe kept the trio at bay.
Loreto’s Sarah Crowe tested Aoife Mullins between the posts but she was equal to the challenge with 18 minutes on the clock.
However, the deadlock was broken two minutes later as CROWE slipped through the Carlow defence to slot home with a superb finish just inside the box.
The inform Emily Carpenter had a fabulous opportunity to draw her side level just before the interval but unfortunately the strike went wide of the mark as Loreto carried that slender lead into the break.
Loreto doubled their tally inside the first three minutes of the restart with a brilliantly taken goal from Doireann BRADY.
Under 15 Schools’ International Ciara MILTON gave the Carlow side a lifeline when she grabbed one back through a wonderfully struck set piece from 25 yards out to take the contest to within one with four minutes remaining.
Indeed, the same player had a chance to equalise in added time but again O’Keefe came to the rescue to deny St. Leo’s some extra-time drama!
It was an exciting conclusion to a very entertaining Cup tie.
Loreto College, Cavan will now play Salerno Secondary School of Salthill in this season’s Cup decider.
The FAI Schools Minor Girls National Cup Final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7 at Athlone Town AFC (1.0).
LORETO COLLEGE, CAVAN | Ella O’Keefe, Muireann Wynne, Aimee Costello, Katie Donohoe, Grace Moran, Georgia Quigley, Caoimhe Murtagh, Ruby Brady ©, Doireann Brady, Meabh Ferguson, Sarah Crowe
SUBS ROLL ON / OFF | Aoife O’Reilly, Eimear Cullen, Lily Brady, Laoise Maguire, Amy McNally, Eimear Smith, Julie Gilsenan
TEACHERS | Síofra Fitzpatrick, Kate Wilson
ST. LEO’S COLLEGE, CARLOW | Aoife Mullins, Lara Fanning, Ruby Fenlon, Anna Gurhy ©, Grainne Keogh, Chelsey Dooley, Amy Wall, Sienna Smith, Ciara Milton, Laura Malone, Emily Carpenter
SUBS ROLL ON / OFF | Lucy Whelan, Evie Stynes, Aoife O’Shea, Niamh Egan, Sienna Murnane, Holly Branagan, Mia Doody
TEACHERS | Tony Lawlor, Eimear Lalor
MATCH OFFICIAL | Anatolii Demeshkevych (Westmeath)
