Carndonagh CS 2
Moville CC 0
Johnny Craig
Sports Editor
At The Warren
A second half brace from ace markswoman Laura Creggan earned Carndonagh Community school the Ulster Junior Cup at the expense of their Moville neighbours at Tremone on Thursday:
It was always going to take something special to end the Foyleside girls’ stranglehold on this title that has seen them claim it for the last three years in a row:
Sam Bogan’s girls came to Tremone Bay with a clear gameplan however and, after riding their luck towards the end of the first half, Creggan pounced on the double for a win that was ecstatically celebrated at the final whistle:
While Creggan rightly grabbed the headlines for her prolific finishing in the second half, the platform for this win was a disciplined defensive performance where the twin towers of Louise O’Connor and Clare McCarron stood firm to snuff out Moville’s trademark passing game:
Creggan’s strike partner Shania McGonagle, who recently celebrated a callup to the Ireland Under 15 Schools panel, also dropped into midfield to help pull the strings where Nicole Gordon played a captain’s role by bossing that area:
Moville will rue the fact that a dominant end to the first half was not reflected on the scoresheet as the McGuinness twins worked brilliantly on the flanks to get good ball into the in/form Nicole McDermott:
Although the first half was lacking in clearcut chances, supporters of both schools couldn’t take their eye off the action for a moment as the two well organised sides worked tirelessly for openings in a congested midfield:
Moville had an early chance when Eimear Reddan’s shot flashed past the right post on 6 minutes but it was 15 minutes later before another chance was created when Sarah Jane McDonald pushed forward from midfield and shot wide:
Carn fired a warning shot for what was to come with their first chance on 23 minutes as McGonagle’s well weighted ball forward sent Creggan away down the right, her deep cross sought Gordon but Moville’s Gemma Doherty got in a timely interception at the expense of a corner:
On 26 minutes, from another McGonagle throughball, Creggan was in again, this time for a one on one with Amy Canning, but the Moville ‘keeper reacted well to
Aisling McGuinness was working tirelessly down the left side, and she was rewarded for her high pressing on 31 minutes when she cut inside from the wing but her cross cum shot lacked the power to trouble McColgan in the Carn goal:
On 34 minutes, a booming kickout from Canning allowed McDermott to get in behind the Carn rearguard for the first time but her well struck shot was held by Ireland U15 schools ‘keeper McColgan:
Moville’s tails were up at this stageand, in the last action of the 35 minute half, they almost made the breakthrough when Reddan’s looping cross cleared McColgan in the Carn goal but Emma Doherty just failed to get the crucial touch to guide home:
HALF TIME – Carndonagh 0 Moville 0
While Moville were without the influential Roma McLaughlin due to injury, they still had international experience in their side in the form of Sarah Jane McDonald:
The Greencastle girl was playing in a more deep lying role than normal but her high workrate was almost rewarded early in the second half when a she met Nicole Gordon’s corner with a firm header which McColgan did well to hold:
That save was to prove crucial as, on 42 minutes, Carn hit the front when Creggan tenaciously chased down a back pass and rounded a Moville defender before rifling expertly to the bottom right corner:
Although possession was even after that goal, Moville, for all their workrate, couldn’t get in behind Carnto threaten their goal as, at the other end, Shania McGonagle tested Canning from the edge of the box:
Carn doubled their advantage with 11 minutes remaining with a goal of genuine quality as McGonagle and Creggan again linked up as Shania’s perfectly weighted ball into the box was lifted over the advancing ‘keeper and into the left corner by Laura:
Moville created a good opening shortly after that goal as Reddan’s cross from the right found substitute Sinead McGuinness in space but her shot on the turn was too close to McColgan: The champions defended their lead well in theclosing stages for a real landmark win for their school:
CARNDONAGH: Aoife McColgan, Rachel McLaughlin, Aisling Gibbons, Louise O’Connor, Clare McCarron, Emma Devlin, Niamh McDaid, Laura Creggan, Nicole Gordon, Shania McGonagle SUBS: Mary T McLaughlin for Lauren Devlin
MOVILLE: Amy Canning, Gemma Doherty, Niamh McLaughlin, Chloe McLaughlin, Aine Havlin, Eimear Reddin, Sarah Jane McDonald, Carragh McGuinness, Aisling McGuinness, Nicole McDermott, Emma Doherty SUBS: Sinead McGuinness for E Doherty (HT), Ciara Harkin
REFEREE: Liam Porter
Johnny Craig
Sports Editor
Tel: 07493 41055
sport@inishtimes:com
Three FAI Communications Awards 'Best Regional Article' winner 2011