Magic Mulroy retain Senior ‘B’ title
Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup Semi Final
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Mulroy College, Milford 2-0 Midleton College, Cork
Laura Dugera (7, 44)
MULROY COLLEGE, MILFORD retained their Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Senior ‘B’ Girls National Cup title with a hard fought two nil win over debutants Midleton College, Cork in Home Farm FC this afternoon (January 31).
A brace from Laura Dugera was enough to see off the Leesiders in Whitehall as she notched up a fine display for the Milford posse
Mulroy College were heading into their fifth consecutive National Cup Final appearance having been on the receiving end of a double defeat in 2016 and 2015 at the hands of Cork kingpins St. Peter’s Community School, Passage West. They also lost out in 2013 when St. Brendan’s College, Belmullet claimed the title.
The etching on the Cup depicts wins in 2009, 2012, 2014 and last season for Maria Carr’s charges which has been an extraordinary feat for the Milford outfit.
A fifth title in eight appearances isn’t a bad outcome for the Donegal aces.
Mulroy were without the services of Catherine Grier for today’s Cup tie. The youngster was lining out for Doncaster Rovers’ Deaf team in the Champions League. The fifth year student was already capped for the Republic of Ireland’s Women’s Deaf squad last month when they qualified for the European Championships under the watchful eye of Head Coach Dave Bell. Although Grier’s absence from the match day line-up was a blow to the panel, they still managed to turn on the style in the Dublin venue.
It took all of seven minutes for Laura Dugera to capitalise on a defence error which saw a delicious ball curl over Rachel Barry in the Cork goal.
Cork’s inexperience at this level did not show as they put in a masterclass for teacher Ken O’Neill who was relishing their first National Cup encounter.
Captain Charley Moore was outstanding for the Midleton side and she was ably assisted by Momoka Chujo and Rosie Speakman as they went in search of an equaliser before the break.
It wasn’t forthcoming as again Dugera pounced for her second of the afternoon shortly after the restart.
Midleton duo Aoife Mitchell and Rachel O’Sullivan were having a solid game for their side but the final ball was lacking any real convention for Bailey or Speakman to take advantage of. A bright passage of play on the hour mark saw O’Sullivan and Bowles narrowly miss the target. However it wasn’t to be!
Mulroy’s Clare Friel kept another clean sheet having recorded the same status in their semi-final victory over St. Kilian’s DSD and their Ulster clash with Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair. A true team performance that gifted them another National title in supreme style.
It was double delight for the Mulroy contingency as Captain Caoimhe Walsh was named Player of the Match by Bank of Ireland representative Shane McCarthy. A wonderful accolade for the youngster who demonstrated through leadership throughout their campaign.
MULROY COLLEGE, MILFORD | Clare Friel, Siobhan Sweeney, Rachel Roarty, Eimear Sweeney, Thea Duffy, Kellyann Buchanan, Caoimhe Walsh (Captain), Laura Dugera, Leah Duggan, Megan Ryan, Keri Sweeney,
SUBS | Aisling McBride, Megan McGee, Ciara Shiels, Catherine Grier, Maria Dougherty, Colette McLaughlin
TEACHERS | Maria Carr, Agnes Ryan
MIDLETON COLLEGE, CORK | Rachel Barry, Rachel Stuart, Meabdhbh McCarthy, Niamh Codd, Charley Moore (Captain), Momoka Chujo, Aoife Mitchell, Zara Bowles, Rachel O’Sullivan, Shirley Bailey, Rosie Speakman
SUBS | Hannah Roch Perks for Stuart (60) Roch Perks replaced by Bryna Heffernan (80+2), Holly Kennedy for Speakman (74), Lorna McHugh, Katelyn O’Neill, Naoise Hogan, Kayleigh O’Neill, Benedicta Alapini, Faye Grandon, Emma Musgrave
TEACHER | Kenneth O’Neill COACHES | Jason Brown & Andrea Moorhouse
REFEREE: Patrick Conway (Dublin)
