UNDER 12 GIRLS LEAGUE FINAL: STRAND CELTIC 3 CARBURY 2
Carney Village May 2002
THE Sligo-Leitrim Schoolgirls soccer U-12 League, sponsored by Oates Conlon Breheny Group, was won last week by Strand Celtic. An exciting decider, hosted by the facilities of Yeats United FC at Carney, saw Strand emerge victoriously following a five-goal thriller (3-2).
Strand, who twice came from behind, needed precious second-half goals from Joanne Burke and Ciara Molloy to claim the trophy. Burke’s goal, following a link-up with Anna Higgins, made it 2-2 after Carbury had taken a 2-1 lead through a well-taken goal from Grainne Loughlin.
The winning goal, the game’s fifth, arrived in the most dramatic period possible – the last five minutes. Ciara Molloy provided the finish to give Strand Celtic the title. The first-half, which ended level (1-1), was dominated by the respective defences.
Siobhan Melvin, Strand Celtic’s captain and No. 9, showed some neat touches but she was watched closely by Carbury’s Ciara Rooney, who defended vigilantly throughout the first-half. Rooney’s team-mate Joanne Conway also proved to be reliable and a lot of Strand’s attacking efforts were therefore frustrated.
Carbury were a threat at the other end with Fenya Puls, Hannah Feeney and Blaithin Feeney causing problems for Strand.
The skill of Catherine Hyndman, another of Carbury’s influential players, was also noticeable. However, the winners’ defence managed to keep a clean-sheet for much of the opening period thanks to the graft of Carley Leydon, Laura Mullaney and Danielle Monaghan.
The game’s opening goal arrived from a corner which Strand failed to clear properly. Fena Puls was alert to the loose ball and she swept Carbury into a 1-0 lead. Carbury, obviously delighted at having taken the advantage, looked to add further goals but were pegged back by some serious Strand pressure.
Ciara Molloy, Anna Higgins, Kate Bree and Aoife Grennan were central to Strand’s response late in the first-half. It was Grennan who struck the equalising goal to leave nothing between the teams at the interval.
The pace of the second-half was frantic, similar to the first-half. Carbury’s experience was evident during the early part of the second-half with strong defensive play from Pauline Rooney, Rachel Gallagher and Grainne Loughlin.
Loughlin then put her side in front (2-1) before Strand replied with those two vital goals.