Moville Community College 3/0 St: Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina
Sarah Jane McDonald (29), Gemma McGuinness (44), (55)
By Johnny Craig, Inish Times, Sports Editor
The girls from Moville Community College avenged last year’s All Ireland Final defeat to St: Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina with a deserved semi final win over the Connacht Champions at Finn Park on Tuesday afternoon (March 1)
Played in glorious sunshine at the Ballybofey home of Finn Harps, the game was entertaining as both sides produced strong periods of possession and pressure:
Ultimately Moville had more fire power in the final third though and after breaking the deadlock late in the first half through Sara Jane McDonald they put the game beyond doubt in the second when Roma McLaughlin and Gemma McGuinness twice linked up for the latter to score:
The Ballina holders would have come into the game as slight favourites after their 2/1 win in last year’s decider and they made the better start in a scrappy opening 15 minutes:
Moville had a scare early on when ‘keeper Leanna McLaughlin, who had a commanding game for the Ulster Champions, spilled a Sarah Rowe free kick but the alert Shannon McDonald cleared the danger:
The Inishowen side settled as Eimear Lafferty released McGuinness with a well weighted ball from midfield but Shannon Moyles did well to clear the danger:
Rebekah Henry and Shannon McDonald were linking up well and causing St: Mary’s problems down the right side and from one such break McDonald played a deep cross in for Sarah Jane McDonald whose shot was well held by Cathy Higgins in the St: Mary’s goal:
Mary’s began to boss possession midway through the half as Molloy headed wide from a Rowe corner on the left: Molloy was a constant threat for St Mary’s in attack and on 25 minutes she came a whisker away from opening the scoring when her well struck shot from a full 25 yards shaved McLaughlin’s crossbar:
Moville hit the front 29 minutes into the 35 minute half when a McGuinness shot from the edge of the box was deflected into the path of Sarah Jane McDonald who let fly with a first time shot that gave Higgins no chance:
The Ballina School attempted to respond immediately as Rowe tested McLaughlin from distance:
But it was Moville who finished the half strongly as Lafferty shot wide from an indirect free kick inside the box and Kathy McLaughlin playing in McDonald with a brilliantly flighted free kick and the striker’s shot flew inches over the bar:
The Ulster Champions picked up where they left off by committing players forward early in the second half as substitute Roma McLaughlin added to their penetration in attack:
9 minutes into the half they doubled their advantage when Roma McLaughlin played the ball over the top for Gemma McGuinness to nip in behind the St: Mary’s rear guard before finishing coolly beyond the advancing Cathy Higgins:
The game opened up after that goal as Chelsea Farrell threaded the ball through for Molloy but Kathy McLaughlin denied her with a brilliantly timed tackle as she was about to pull the trigger:
Rowe’s ball striking ability meant St: Mary’s were always a threat from set pieces and midway through the half McLaughlin had to be at her best to claim her free kick that looked destined for the top left corner:
Moville upped the tempo of their play in the final quarter of the game and Aine McLaughlin shot narrowly wide after a dazzling run down the left and cross by Lafferty:
Margaret Mulhall’s side made sure of the win with 15 minutes remaining when Roma McLaughlin made space for herself down the right before her deep cross was nodded home at close range by Gemma McGuinness:
St: Mary’s, to their credit, pushed hard for a consolation goal late on as Rowe made a strong break down the right but her deep cross clipped the arm of Molloy as she attempted to turn it home:
MOVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Leanna McLaughlin, Rebekah Henry, Melissa McDermott, Emma McDermott, Kathy McLaughin, Shannon McDonald, Aine McLaughlin, Charmaine McDermott, Eimear Lafferty, Gemma McGuinness, Sarah Jane McDonald:
SUBS: Roma McLaughlin for Melissa McDermott (h/t), Danielle McCreadie for Aine McLaughlin (67), Stacey Doherty for Sarah Jane McDonald (68), Aine Breslin, Nicole McDermott, Leon Boyce
Teachers: Margaret Mulhall & Seamus Gallagher
ST: MARY’S SECONDARY SCHOOL: Cathy Higgins, Chelsea Farrell, Niamh Connolly, Shannon Moyles, Jessica Butler, Clodagh Egan, Michelle Mulligan, Ciara Armstrong, Sarah Rowe, Fiona Tracey, Shauna Molloy:
SUBS: Jenna Brennan for Clodagh Egan (59), Sarah Delaney for Michelle Mulligan (68), Alicia Bernard for Niamh Connolly (54), Kate Barrines
Teacher: Ciaran Allen
REFEREE: Michael Lagan