U16 Girls Cup WP

 

U16 Girls Cup

Mayo 2

Kerry 1

Evergreen Park Kilkenny

Eoin Horkan

It was Mayo’s day in Kilkenny on Saturday afternoon as they managed to bring home the All Ireland U16 trophy, beating Kerry by a solitary goal.

Despite a number of Mayo girls having played for the county Gaelic football team the night before, this didn’t stop them flying out of the blocks from the start of the game. Within five minutes of the kick off, Mayo had opened the scoring through Kayla Doherty, as she finished well into the corner after some great build up play in the middle from Muireann Nolan and Maura Hughes. The Westerners kept the pressure on the Kerry goal with the forward contingent of Ashleagh Salmon and Kate Brennan producing some fine efforts but Lucy O’ Connor kept her side in the game with some excellent saves.

It wasn’t until the twentieth minute of the tie that Kerry launched a meaningful attack as they burst down the wing. After some good defending, the ball fell to Maeve Courtney, whose effort flew into the net to level the tie. This slight reprieve didn’t affect the Mayo girls as within five minutes they had taken the lead again. It was Doherty this time who provided the assist from a corner, before Isobel Phillips finished neatly into the net. The rest of the half belonged to Mayo with Brennan Hughes and Christine McEvilly having chances, but they couldn’t extend the one goal lead before half time.

The second half was a much tighter affair, as Kerry seemed to have got to grips with Mayo’s tactics. The first notable effort of the half came from Phoebe O’ Shea ten minutes in. Her effort narrowly missed the target. Kerry was getting the better of the chances but the Mayo defensive unit, led by Heaney in goal, were staying strong. Both sides started to empty their bench. This led to a stalemate in the  middle of the park –no team could gain complete control of the ball.. It was Mayo who closed out the game for a win when Doherty brought the ball into the corner and it took three players to disposess her at the end of the tie.

Mayo; Sarah Heaney, Isobel Phillips, Emma Walsh, Emily Jennings, Rebecca Moran, Muireann Nolan, Maura Hughes, Kayla Doherty, Ashleagh Salmon, Kate Brennan, Christina McEvilly. Subs Used; Alyssa Murphy for (Walsh 47) Helen Murray for (Hughes 68), Róisín Horkan, for  (McEvilly 60) Blaithín Brennan for ( Salmon 55)

Kerry; Lucy O’ Connor, Sarah Warren, Amber Macindoe, Hannah Nic Gerailt, Liadh Forde, Clodagh Moriarty, Hannah Casey, Kate Foster, Kate Forde, Phoebe O’ Shea, Maeve Courtney. Subs Used; Jacinta Griffin for ( Casey 68),  Anna Roberts for ( Moriarty 72) , Abbie Finnan for ( O’ Shea 73)