Eureka Secondary School, Kells 1/0 St: Angela’s Ursuline Convent, Waterford
Aine Bennett (23)
Eureka Secondary School from Kells in County Meath went through to the Final of the UMBRO FAI Schools Senior Girls Cup against Loreto of Letterkenny on March 22 following a tense victory over St: Angela's Ursuline Convent, Waterford in Arklow on Thursday (March 10) reports J Fallon:
The strong breeze was a telling factor in the game with each side dominating the half in which the conditions favoured them:
With quarter of an hour played, Eureka were gifted the first real goal scoring opportunity courtesy of Joanne Bryne: Her telling ball from the right wing sailed invitingly into the box but the on rushing Rebecca Goodwin was inches away from converting at the back post:
Captain Kellie Allen was the real play maker for Eureka as the game advanced: She was superbly matched by Waterford’s Ciara O’Brien who only returned from illness and was passed match fit the day before the All Ireland Semi decider:
St: Angela's were desperately unlucky not to force extra/time given the number of second half chances they produced but the tie was settled by Áine Bennett's superb strike:
The Eureka midfielder and former Schools International netted the solitary strike of the contest midway through the first half by executing a shot from 25 yards which spun in the wind on its way to beating goalkeeper Gráinne Flood:
The strong breeze was to St: Angela's' benefit in the second half yet they failed to convert one of the several openings to equalise which came their way:
Rachel Corcoran sliced her shot over the crossbar from an acute angle ten minutes before the finish but the best chance arrived during stoppage time when Ciara O'Brien saw her close/range effort cleared off the goal/line after Aisling Crawley's corner caused chaos in the Eureka penalty area:
EUREKA SS, KELLS: Jennifer Newman, Leah Newman, Niamh O'Keeffe, Roisin McFadden, Kellie Allen, Joanna Byrne, Áine Bennett, Jackie Kavanagh, Shianne Swarres, Sharon Mullen, Rebecca Goodwin
Subs used: Edwina Olwill (Newman 45)
Subs not used: Orlaith Duff, Michelle O'Reilly, Amy Dugdale
Teachers: Leonard Noone, Fr: David Brennan
ST: ANGELA'S URSULINE, WATERFORD: Gráinne Flood, Naomi Douglas, Becky Conroy, Jessica Gleeson, Treasa Doorley, Rachel Corcoran, Rachel Hutchinson, Ciara O'Brien, Besarta Ajeti, Lucy Stoneman, Aisling Crawley
Subs used: Hannah Walsh (Besarta Ajeti, 45)
Subs not used: Clodagh Veale, Maggie Doolan, Rachel Flynn
Teacher: Sean Foley
REFEREE: Paul O'Brien (Wicklow)