22 March 2012
It was a Cork Schools Double at Tallaght Stadium in the UMBRO FAI Schools Senior Boys and Girls All Ireland Finals on Wednesday 21st March.
UMBRO FAI Schools Dr. Tony O'Neill final
St. Aidan's CC, Cork 3-2 Malahide CS, Dublin
St. Aidan's Community College of Cork are Umbro FAI Schools Dr. Tony O'Neill Boys national cup champions after a thrilling victory over Malahide Community Schools at Tallaght Stadium today (Weds).
Anthony McAlevey scored twice for the Leesiders, his second coming five minutes from time to settle an evenly-contested final between two well-supported sides. Malahide began to dominate proceedings from early on and after Ciaran McGahon drew a good save from St. Aidan's 'keeper Chris Mullane, Shane Woods rattled the crossbar from close range when the resulting corner was swung in.
It was inevitable the Dublin school would gain a breakthrough and it came on 38 minutes when left-back Colm Curtis hit a low drive with the outside of his boot 25 yards out which found the bottom corner of Mullane's net. St Aidan's started the second half strongly with central defender Gary Could's strong header saved by Kevin Dunne in the Malahide goal.
They were level in 58th minute when McAlevey crossed to the unmarked Gary Buckley, who directed his header ten yards out which flew into the top of the net. The drama continued to unfold two minutes later when St. Aidan's Alan Hosford made a great run for the endline and his cross come shot looped over the 'keeper and into the corner of the net. Two minutes later, Malahide were awarded a penalty when Gary Gould brought down Malahide's Shane Woods, allowing Dylan Cashin to make it 2-2 from the spot.
But the contest had another twist when, in the 85th minute, Anthony McAlevely wriggled free inside the box to shoot low past Dunne. Mullane in the Saints goal still had time to produce an 88th minute stop when Dylan Cashin's header looked goalbound only for the 'keeper to turn it around the post.
ST. AIDAN'S SS, CORK: C. Mullane; S. O'Callaghan (P. McCauliff 39), K. Allen, G. Gould (R. Meaney 85), C. Long; E. Kearney, G. Buckley, D. Murphy, C. Boyle (S. Waters 59); A. McAlevey, A. Hosford.
MALAHIDE CC, DUBLIN: K. Dunne; J. Ferguson, F. Cahill, C. Callaghan, C. Curtis; E. Harold, S. Woods, M. Brennan (J. Walsh 58 mins), C. McGahon; D. Cashin, C. Mullarkey.
Referee: Brian Whelan (Dublin).
Umbro FAI Schools Seniors Girls All-Ireland Cup Final
Moville Community College (Donegal) 2-5 Christ Kings Girls Secondary School (Cork)
Cork's Christ the King Girls Secondary School captured the Umbro FAI Schools Senior Girls All-Ireland Cup for the second time in three years after an inspirational hat-trick from Megan Connolly clinched a 5-2 victory over Donegal's Moville Community College in a thrilling final at Tallaght Stadium.
Christ the King got off to a blistering start when Megan Connolly bagged two goals in the opening three minutes. Connolly showed great composure to burst through and slot the ball past keeper Leanna McLaughlin to open the scoring after just over a minute's action. Moville had hardly time to compose themselves when Connolly had the ball in their net once more. The Christ the Kings striker cut inside a defender before firing to the roof of the Moville net. The rapid fire action continued in the fourth minute when brilliant play by Sarah Jane McDonald at the opposite end of the pitch created a chance for Orla Farren and she was unfortunate to see her close range effort his the Christ Kings upright.
Moville looked to have settled thing down when they suffered the blow of conceding a third goal in the 13th minute when Amanda Budden headed home from a corner. The Donegal side began the second half with a fight and the impressive Sarah Jane McDonald gave then a lifeline when he pulled a goal back with a neat finish after racing through on goal.
Christ the Kings regained control of the game through fortunate means in the 56th minute when Laura O'Brien tapped home after goalkeeper Leanna McLaughlin and a defender collided to leave the goal gaping for a simple finish. Sarah Jane McDonald's determination to keep her side in contention continued when she found the net in the 64th minute after a goal-mouth scramble to reduce the deficit to 4-2. Connolly completed her hat-trick in the 75th minute when she fired to the top corner after a low cross from Sarah Geaney was only half cleared.
MOVILLE CC, DONEGAL: Leanna McLaughlin; Rebekah Henry, Melissa McDermott, Charmaine McDermott, Kathy McLaughlin, Shannon McDonald (Kathleen McNaught 60), Eimear Lafferty, Roma McLaughlin, Orla Farren (Nicole McDermott 55), Sarah Jane McDonald, Aine McLaughlin (Catriona Grant 78).
CHRIST THE KING SS, CORK: Chelsea Nunan; Orla Murphy (Megan Dennehy 67), Michelle Murphy, Aisling Fox, Nicole Connolly, Amanda Budden, Laura Cooney, Niamh McGreevy, Laura O'Brien (Kate Leneghan 79), Megan Connolly, Sarah Geaney.
Referee: N Valentini (Dublin).
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