UMBRO FAI Schools Dr: Tony O'Neill final
St: Aidan's CC, Cork 3/2 Malahide CS, Dublin
St: Aidan's Community College of Cork are Umbro FAI Schools Dr: Tony O'Neill Boys national cup champions after a thrilling victory over Malahide Community Schools at Tallaght Stadium today (Weds):
Anthony McAlevey scored twice for the Leesiders, his second coming five minutes from time to settle an evenly/contested final between two well/supported sides: Malahide began to dominate proceedings from early on and after Ciaran McGahon drew a good save from St: Aidan's 'keeper Chris Mullane, Shane Woods rattled the crossbar from close range when the resulting corner was swung in:
It was inevitable the Dublin school would gain a breakthrough and it came on 38 minutes when left/back Colm Curtis hit a low drive with the outside of his boot 25 yards out which found the bottom corner of Mullane's net: St Aidan's started the second half strongly with central defender Gary Could's strong header saved by Kevin Dunne in the Malahide goal:
They were level in 58th minute when McAlevey crossed to the unmarked Gary Buckley, who directed his header ten yards out which flew into the top of the net: The drama continued to unfold two minutes later when St: Aidan's Alan Hosford made a great run for the endline and his cross come shot looped over the 'keeper and into the corner of the net: Two minutes later, Malahide were awarded a penalty when Gary Gould brought down Malahide's Shane Woods, allowing Dylan Cashin to make it 2/2 from the spot:
But the contest had another twist when, in the 85th minute, Anthony McAlevely wriggled free inside the box to shoot low past Dunne: Mullane in the Saints goal still had time to produce an 88th minute stop when Dylan Cashin's header looked goalbound only for the 'keeper to turn it around the post:
ST: AIDAN'S SS, CORK: C: Mullane; S: O'Callaghan (P: McCauliff 39), K: Allen, G: Gould (R: Meaney 85), C: Long; E: Kearney, G: Buckley, D: Murphy, C: Boyle (S: Waters 59); A: McAlevey, A: Hosford:
MALAHIDE CC, DUBLIN: K: Dunne; J: Ferguson, F: Cahill, C: Callaghan, C: Curtis; E: Harold, S: Woods, M: Brennan (J: Walsh 58 mins), C: McGahon; D: Cashin, C: Mullarkey:
Referee: Brian Whelan (Dublin):
Umbro FAI Schools Seniors Girls All/Ireland Cup Final
Moville Community College (Donegal) 2/5 Christ Kings Girls Secondary School (Cork)
Cork's Christ the King Girls Secondary School captured the Umbro FAI Schools Senior Girls All/Ireland Cup for the second time in three years after an inspirational hat/trick from Megan Connolly clinched a 5/2 victory over Donegal's Moville Community College in a thrilling final at Tallaght Stadium:
Christ the King got off to a blistering start when Megan Connolly bagged two goals in the opening three minutes: Connolly showed great composure to burst through and slot the ball past keeper Leanna McLaughlin to open the scoring after just over a minute's action: Moville had hardly time to compose themselves when Connolly had the ball in their net once more: The Christ the Kings striker cut inside a defender before firing to the roof of the Moville net: The rapid fire action continued in the fourth minute when brilliant play by Sarah Jane McDonald at the opposite end of the pitch created a chance for Orla Farren and she was unfortunate to see her close range effort his the Christ Kings upright:
Moville looked to have settled thing down when they suffered the blow of conceding a third goal in the 13th minute when Amanda Budden headed home from a corner: The Donegal side began the second half with a fight and the impressive Sarah Jane McDonald gave then a lifeline when he pulled a goal back with a neat finish after racing through on goal:
Christ the Kings regained control of the game through fortunate means in the 56th minute when Laura O'Brien tapped home after goalkeeper Leanna McLaughlin and a defender collided to leave the goal gaping for a simple finish: Sarah Jane McDonald's determination to keep her side in contention continued when she found the net in the 64th minute after a goal/mouth scramble to reduce the deficit to 4/2: Connolly completed her hat/trick in the 75th minute when she fired to the top corner after a low cross from Sarah Geaney was only half cleared:
MOVILLE CC, DONEGAL: Leanna McLaughlin; Rebekah Henry, Melissa McDermott, Charmaine McDermott, Kathy McLaughlin, Shannon McDonald (Kathleen McNaught 60), Eimear Lafferty, Roma McLaughlin, Orla Farren (Nicole McDermott 55), Sarah Jane McDonald, Aine McLaughlin (Catriona Grant 78):
CHRIST THE KING SS, CORK: Chelsea Nunan; Orla Murphy (Megan Dennehy 67), Michelle Murphy, Aisling Fox, Nicole Connolly, Amanda Budden, Laura Cooney, Niamh McGreevy, Laura O'Brien (Kate Leneghan 79), Megan Connolly, Sarah Geaney:
Referee: N Valentini (Dublin):