U12 Girls Shield MN

 

U12 Girls Shield

Waterford 1 ( L Codd 50)

Mayo 0

Evergreen Park Kilkenny

Eoin Horkan

All that separated Mayo from victory in this U12 girls’ final was a second half goal by Waterford in Kilkenny on Saturday.

Mayo had complete control of this tie in the first half as the long trip down to the southeast didn’t affect them. Mayo was expertly  led upfront by Saoirse Reynolds and it was the Westport girl who got the first shot off in anger which was well saved by Molly Dunphy O’ Brien. Within minutes it was the tun of Mayo’s other striker Lola Hanley to try her luck but yet again O’ Brien stood strong in the Waterford net.

After the midway point of the half Mayo won a corner and after some pinball it was O’ Brien that yet again managed to clear the ball out of danger . With the tie heading towards the break and Mayo still pushing forward it was the ever dangerous Reynolds who had the last shot of the half which narrowly flew over the crossbar. Leaving the sides deadlocked at the break.

The second half was a role reversal of the first with Waterford getting control early on , as Leah Fennell fired an effort on goal which was kept out by Aoife Commins.  As the half went on it was the side from the southeast who started to gain control of the tie but weren’t creating anything noteworthy or that troubled the Mayo goal this was until ten minutes to go. A cross came in from Maia Stokes and after a moment’s confusion Lilly Codd controlled the ball expertly at the edge of the box before firing a controlled volley into the Mayo net. With the game slipping away Mayo created the last two chances of the game. The first coming from Chloe Stagg whose volley grazed the cross bar before Reynolds had one final chance with two minutes to go but couldn’t mange to find the net. Giving Waterford a win by the narrowest of margins.

 

 

 

Mayo; Aoife Commins, Rheanna Hoban, Robyn Butler, Sarah Cunningham, Bonnie Walsh, Chloe Stagg, Saoirse Reynolds, Lola Hanly, Clara Kelly,

Subs Used; Karolina Filak.

Waterford; Molly Dunphy O’ Brien, Abbie Morris, Clara Cullinan, Lilly Walsh, Leah Fennell, Maia Stokes, Molly Dowling, Lilly Codd, Kayleigh  O’ Neill/

Subs Used: Isabel Doyle, Sophie Whittle, Kate Mannix, Áine Desmond, Ruby Hallinan

Referee; Brendan O’ Regan.