St: Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina 2/1 Moville Community College
Allana Naughton (2), Sarah Rowe (50) Gemma McGuinness (30)
THIS one was sweet: St Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina are no strangers to the concluding stages of prestigious soccer competitions: But winning a national title? That was a feeling that hadn’t experienced until they got the better of Moville Community College last Thursday in Flancare Park, Longford: Little wonder that manager Ciaran Allen was savouring the moment:
St Mary’s were playing into a stiff breeze in the first half and might have gone behind in the opening 15 seconds, but Moville’s Shannon McDonald shot just wide: The Donegal side had another effort before the first minute had elapsed, but Charmaine McDermott’s effort was just off target:
Ninety seconds after the first whistle, Ballina hit the front: Chelsea Forde played a through ball for Alanna Naughton, who was onside but in the clear, and fired past the stranded Sarah Henry: The St Mary’s supporters erupted, shaking pom/poms and creating a wall of sound:
They were almost cheering again soon after, but there was no/one to put the finishing touches to Chelsea Forde’s cross: Despite excellent defending by Marie Hegarty, Mary’s found themselves under the kosh against their wind/assisted opponents: Sarah Jane McDonald’s effort drew a good save from Kate Barrins, and on the half/hour mark, Moville equalised thanks to a low shot from Gemma McGuinness:
The Ulster champions had found the net a second time within a minute, but Sarah Jane McDonald’s effort was ruled offside: It was 1/1 at the break and with the elements in their favour, St Mary’s never looked back:
Marie Hegarty’s good diagonal ball set up a decent chance seven minutes after the restart, but Sarah Henry reacted quickly to deny Alanna Naughton: Ballina thought they had taken the lead after the Moville goalkeeper fumbled Sarah Rowe’s long/range free kick, but Carol Hegarty’s strike was ruled out for offside after Chelsea Forde got the initial touch from the rebound:
Still, a legitimate goal seemed only a matter of time: Fifteen minutes into the 35/minute half, Alanna Naughton sent over a monster cross from way out on the right, aided by the wind: It might well have gone all the way to the net, but Sarah Rowe was at the back post to make sure:
With their fans singing ‘The Green and Red of Mayo’, Mary’s went for the insurance goal: Another great Alanna Naughton cross picked out Sarah Rowe, whose header cannoned off the post and rebounded into the Moville custodian’s arms: Their next chance came via yet another Naughton cross, as Fiona Treacy looked to have got the ball in, but an apparent handball (not spotted by any of the three officials) kept the score at 2/1:
Jessica Butler, Laura Daire and Treacy both made important interventions in their own half, but Alanna Naughton saw her attempt at a third Ballina goal come off the post: Things were a little nervy for the westerners during injury time, but the final whistle prompted a rousing rendition of ‘Olé olé olé olé’
ST MARY’S: Kate Barrins, Tessa Grant, Chelsea Farrell, Marie Hegarty, Jessica Butler, Sarah Rowe, Carol Hegarty, Laura Daire, Fiona Treacy, Chelsea Forde, Alanna Naughton:
Sub used: Clodagh Egan for F Treacy (70 mins + 2):
MOVILLE CC: S Henry, R Henry, O Farren, D Carey, K McLaughlin, S McDonald, C McDermott, G McGuinness, E Lafferty, SJ McDonald, A McLaughlin:
Sub used: L McLaughlin for S McDonald:
Referee: Paul Tone (Athlone)