FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup FINAL (Under 20, Small Schools)
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
St. Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross 4-0 Midleton College, Cork
Alison Long (9,51, 60) Sarah Costello (22)
HAT TRICK HERO Alison Long and Captain Sarah Costello were on target to secure the FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup title for Lacken Cross this afternoon in Athlone (April 26).
In a very competitive contest between two well-matched teams, the score-line may not have reflected the performance as Midleton never gave up in their pursuit to claw themselves back into the game.
Alison LONG got the first of her trio with only nine minutes on the clock following some excellent work down the right wing by Deirbhle McHale.
Their tally was doubled when Sarah COSTELLO set-piece from 30 yards out found the top corner.
Midleton had lost their Vice Captain Isabel Barry for this afternoon Cup tie due to illness and another body blow came just before half time when their Captain Rosie Speakman sustained a head injury and had to be replaced.
The Connacht Champions went in at the break two nil up. Good timing for the Cork side as they needed to regroup following a number of tactical changes.
Alison LONG continued her scoring prowess with her second and Lacken’s third eleven minutes into the restart.
And the third of LONG’s goals came on the hour mark as she lobbed the keeper from distance to cement the win with the four goal cushion.
Midleton’s Ellie O’Leary was the busier of the two goalkeepers and kept her team in range with some wonderful saves to deny Keeva McDonnell and Deirbhile McHale. Kayleigh Finnerty also had a great chance to convert but the ball was blasted across goal.
Unfortunately for Midleton it was another National Cup title gone amiss as they lost the 2020 Final to Killina Post Primary School and defeat at the hands of Mulroy College, Milford in the 2018 showdown.
They also suffered a two nil lose to St. Laurence College in the National Cup Semi Final run in 2019 as Laurence’s went on to win it that season, the first time in their fifty year history.
A fifth National Cup for Stephen Lacken and the St. Patrick’s College crew. Their last win in this competition (Senior ‘B’) came in 2010. Previous to that they won in 2018 (Junior B Girls), 2009 (Junior Girls) and 2007 (Minor Girls). Not a bad record for the Connacht starlets.
ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE, LACKEN CROSS | Aine Gough, Karen Higgins, Sarah Costello (Captain), Kacie Bilbow, Anna McDonnell, Ciara Adams, Laura Bilbow, Keeva McDonnell, Aobhin Bilbow, Alison Long, Deirbhle McHale
SUBS USED | Kayleigh Finnerty for Adams (51), Leona Ruane for L Bilbow (67), Shauna Donnelly for Gough (72), Emily Loftus for Higgins (76), Amelia Langdon for Costello (78)
SUBS NOT USED | Deirbhile Forde, Orla Adams, Saoirse Browne, Mia Tighe, Molly Healy, Denise Walsh, Aoibhe Donnelly, Kate Heffernan
TEACHERS | Stephen Lacken, Sinead Herbert
MIDLETON COLLEGE, CORK | Ellie O’Leary, Rachel Stuart, Carol Kingston, Allie Stuart, Naoise Hogan, Grace Nolan, Cassia Boullier, Gráinne Finn, Rosie Speakman (Captain), Dani Stuart, Aisling Curtin
SUBS USED | Rachel Sweetnam for Nolan (27), Maebh Deavy for Speakman (36), Kayla Jennings for R Stuart (HT), Alison Tanner for Kingston (65), Emma O’Neill for Curtin (78)
SUBS NOT USED | Alice Roch Perks
TEACHERS | Eoin Whyte, Kenneth O’Neill
MATCH OFFICIAL | Paul Tone (Midlands)
