FAI Schools Senior Girls National Cup FINAL (Under 20, Large Schools)
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Claregalway College 2-0 Presentation Secondary School, Thurles
Two second half goals by Elisha BOHAN clinched a first FAI Schools National Senior Girls' title for Claregalway College in Fairview Rangers, Limerick this afternoon (March 22) reports Mike Rafferty.
In a very competitive contest between two well-matched teams, there was nothing between the sides in the opening half but the decider opened up on the restart.
Sara Cogley and Bohan threatened in the early exchanges for Claregalway, while Under-19 International Aoibheann Clancy led the charge for Thurles at the other end. Leah O'Halloran excelled with some smart shot-stopping and twice thwarted long-range efforts from the Thurles girls. The best chance of that the half fell to former Schools International Grace Flanagan, but her shot was also kept out by O'Halloran.
Claregalway's Under-19 International duo, Shauna Brennan and Kate Slevin began to exert control as the game progressed and they were rewarded with the opening goal on 68 minutes. Brennan provided the cross and after being initially denied, Bohan made no mistake from close range at the second attempt.
Just three minutes later the Galway side killed off the game - Cogley provided the assist on this occasion with a neat pass for the inrushing Bohan to fire into the far corner past Caitlin Shelly. The Carnmore native was later denied her hat-trick by a smart save from the goalkeeper who was one of three sisters in the Thurles side.
With the leaders defending in numbers in, there was to be no comeback for the Tipperary school as Claregalway College added to their Under-17 schools' title of two years ago.
The victory today was bittersweet for the Galway crew as they lost out at this stage of the competition two years previously when the competition was last played. Presentation SS, Kilkenny captured the coveted Senior title that time around.
CLAREGALWAY COLLEGE | Leah O'Halloran, Chloe Flaherty, Éabha O'Riordan, Isabel Claffey, Alanah Griffin, Kate Slevin, Shauna Brennan, Sara Cogley (Ciara Hegarty 80mins), Joy Erugo (Michaela McGough, 74mins), Elisha Bohan (Ruby Duggan 80mins), Laura Scanlon.
SUBS NOT USED | Ava Sweeney, Niamh Donovan, Aoibhe O’Flynn
TEACHERS | Sinead Walsh, Iarla Connaughton
PRESENTATION SECONDARY SCHOOL, THURLES | Caitlin Shelly, Ciara Shelly, Emer Dwan (Molly O'Dwyer 71mins), Caroline Shanahan, Kate Cavanagh (Ellen Maher 60mins), Leanna Coppinger, Grace Flanagan, Aoibheann Clancy, Emma O'Sullivan (Ava Ryan 74mins), Chloe Shorley (Missy Condon 40mins), Enya Maher (Aoife Shelly 40mins).
SUBS NOT USED | Aoife O’Reilly, Ella Coppinger, Caoimhe O’Sullivan, Holli Maher, Rachel Ralph, Charlotte Kiernan, Amy Callanan
TEACHERS | Barry Ryan, Cian Treacy.
MATCH OFFICIAL | Tom Joyce (Limerick)
