Aebhfhinn Bourke’s silver goal saw Crescent College Comprehensive eke out a 2-1 win over Mount Mercy in yesterday’s Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup final at Villiers in Limerick.
This has been a cup notable for tightly-fought, low-scoring games – both semi-finals were decided by single goals as Bandon Grammar and Ursulines Thurles were put to the sword – and this was no different.
As in last year’s decider against Ursulines Thurles, Clodagh Moloney gave Crescent an early advantage, battering home their second short corner inside three minutes.
Their set-piece didn’t function well thereafter however with a dozen corners going begging; Ollie O’Connor’s side had two or three superb chances to be out of sight but Mount Mercy made them pay.
The Cork school – losers of four finals in five years in the late 2000s – made their sole set-piece chance of the first half count, Holly Leacy doing brilliantly to bundle the ball home after her deflected effort had hit a body on the line midway through the first half.
It stayed that way until extra time, the best chance coming in the final minutes when a Crescent player failed to control the ball at the back post with the goal at her mercy.
But a well-worked move four minutes into extra time saw Bourke – also a goalscorer in last year’s final – finish well. Mount Mercy had just 60 seconds to respond but couldn’t muster another equaliser, allowing Crescent to claim a remarkable fourth title in five seasons.
CRESCENT: E Hickey (GK), J Lyddy (GK), C Leahy, J O’Malley, S Woods, M Barrett, N Power, M Mawhinney, C Moloney (capt), C Coffey, Anna Horan, A Ryan, Aisling Horan, A Bourke, J Kirby, J Clein, N O’Keefe, B Murphy.
MOUNT MERCY: E Buckley (GK), J Coleman, R O’Connor, E Cripps, G Cowhig, A O’Callaghan, C O’Connell, M Cahalane, A Oakes (capt), L Buckley, H Leacy, C O’Sullivan, E O’Connell, J Poland, L Clifford, A Devlin, K O’Driscoll, A Martin, A O’Flynn.
Umpires: M Coombes & T Gray
Pictures with thanks to Maurice Barrett and Brenda Moloney
Their set-piece didn’t function well thereafter however with a dozen corners going begging; Ollie O’Connor’s side had two or three superb chances to be out of sight but Mount Mercy made them pay.
The Cork school – losers of four finals in five years in the late 2000s – made their sole set-piece chance of the first half count, Holly Leacy doing brilliantly to bundle the ball home after her deflected effort had hit a body on the line midway through the first half.
It stayed that way until extra time, the best chance coming in the final minutes when a Crescent player failed to control the ball at the back post with the goal at her mercy.
But a well-worked move four minutes into extra time saw Bourke – also a goalscorer in last year’s final – finish well. Mount Mercy had just 60 seconds to respond but couldn’t muster another equaliser, allowing Crescent to claim a remarkable fourth title in five seasons.
CRESCENT: E Hickey (GK), J Lyddy (GK), C Leahy, J O’Malley, S Woods, M Barrett, N Power, M Mawhinney, C Moloney (capt), C Coffey, Anna Horan, A Ryan, Aisling Horan, A Bourke, J Kirby, J Clein, N O’Keefe, B Murphy.
MOUNT MERCY: E Buckley (GK), J Coleman, R O’Connor, E Cripps, G Cowhig, A O’Callaghan, C O’Connell, M Cahalane, A Oakes (capt), L Buckley, H Leacy, C O’Sullivan, E O’Connell, J Poland, L Clifford, A Devlin, K O’Driscoll, A Martin, A O’Flynn.
Umpires: M Coombes & T Gray
Pictures with thanks to Maurice Barrett and Brenda Moloney