SOCCER: FAI SCHOOLS SENIOR GIRLS LEINSTER CUP FINAL (UNDER-20, LARGE SCHOOLS)
Donegan delivers as Athlone CC are crowned Leinster champions
ATHLONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE………………………2
GOREY COMMUNITY SCHOOL……………………………0
By Daire Walsh
TWO goals from the outstanding Hazel Donegan helped Athlone Community College to claim the Leinster Schools Senior Girls Cup title at the expense of Gorey Community School at Wayside Celtic FC on Monday.
Following up her hat-trick in a recent 7-1 semi-final win over Alexandra College, Donegan found the net in either half to ensure the Westmeath school came away with the provincial crown.
It could have been a lot more emphatic had it not been for the fact Gorey netminder Mollie Levingston made a number of fine saves over the course of the action, but Athlone generally controlled the tempo of the game in the Kilternan venue and were full value for their victory in the end.
While this showpiece affair was played on the all-weather surface in Wayside rather than the grass pitch, both teams nevertheless had to contend with a gale force wind that had also greeted the majority of sporting fixtures throughout Ireland last weekend.
Given the elements were in their favour for the opening period, Athlone were intent on flying out of the traps against their Slaneyside counterparts. They managed to do so in some style as Donegan superbly fired to the roof of the net from a right-hand angle with just over a minute gone on the clock.
This provided Athlone with the perfect platform to build on and with Gorey often struggling to get out of their own half, the Retreat Road outfit were able to dictate the terms of engagement.
After Alison Nugent fired a shot over from close-range, Ciara Walsh also had a couple of efforts on goal – the first one producing a fine save out of the aforementioned Levingston. The already-dangerous Donegan was offering a potent threat by constantly attempting to run in behind the Gorey rearguard and Tara O’Sullivan’s left-footed set-pieces were also keeping Gorey on their toes.
The Wexford school did have a brief sighting of the Athlone goal off a counter attack in the first quarter, but the eventual strike by Leah Gammell drifted tamely past the target.
Starting with a back-three of O’Sullivan, Bonnie Moylette and Rachel Rourke (which freed up Lara Deehan and Ciara Murphy to take up roles on either flank), Athlone were defensively sound and didn’t allow Gorey to gain an attacking foothold.
At the opposite end, Donegan narrowly missed getting her head on the end of a Walsh corner just shy of the half-hour mark and while she had the ball in the net for a second time on 37 minutes, Gorey had already earned a free-kick before she struck beyond the reach of Levingston.
However, Athlone had done enough to lead 1-0 at the end of the opening 40 minutes (that is the length of each half at this level) and were very much on course to get their hands on the Leinster Cup.
There was a sense that it might be trickier for Athlone on the resumption facing into such a stiff breeze, but any doubts their travelling supporters had were completely eliminated just two minutes into the second half. Having made an immediate impact at the beginning of the match, Donegan was hell-bent on doing so again after play resumed.
From the edge of the Gorey box, Donegan unleashed a powerful shot that rattled the underside of the crossbar and appeared to creep over the line. While there was some consultation between the match officials before the goal was officially awarded, it was deemed to have found its way home and Athlone were a step closer to the promised land as a result.
Despite their commanding cushion, Athlone continued to impose themselves in the final-third. Alison Nugent cut inside from the left to test the resolve of Levingston and Donegan fired agonisingly over the woodwork after sprinting past Gorey’s Sophie Moran in the 53rd minute.
In an effort to get themselves into the reckoning, the Gorey management made a triple substitution midway through the second period. Ruby Murdiff and Caoimhe Browne did their level best to inject life into their side’s challenge, but Athlone always seemed the more likely of the two teams to create chances.
There were quite a few occasions when Athlone broke through towards the goal, but to her credit, Levingston was fast over her line to snuff out any danger. The ball rebounded off Deehan after the Gorey custodian intervened from an attacking move on 73 minutes, but it was floated behind for a goal kick.
By this point, Athlone had introduced Aoife Minnock, who was joining earlier substitute Aoife Walsh on the field of play. Even though Ella Naughton had to pull off a save from Gammell amidst heavy rain in the closing stages of the proceedings, Athlone were not to be denied a convincing and memorable success.
ATHLONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Ella Naughton; Tara O’Sullivan, Bonnie Moylette, Rachel Rourke; Lara Deehan, Alison Nugent, Ciara Walsh, Keeley Sammon, Ciara Murphy; Hazel Donegan, Caitlin Gavin. Subs used: Aoife Walsh for Moylette (half-time), Aoife Minnock for Gavin (71 mins).
Rest of panel: Chloe Shanahan, Aiveen Curley, Charlotte Blackweir, Caoimhe Dolan, Juliet Shine, Rebecca Keenan, Roisin O’Brien.
GOREY COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Mollie Levingston; Eabha Martin (Chloe Ann Kenny 60), Jorja Hennell, Sophie Moran, Megan Bradshaw; Caoimhe Applby, Grace Beesley; Rebecca Keating (Millie Lawton 81), Yasmine Allian (Ruby Murdiff 60), Leah Gammell; Patricia Canovas (Caoimhe Browne 60). Subs used: Ruby Murdiff for Allian (60 mins), Caomhe Browne for Canovas (60), Chloe Ann Kenny for Martin (60), Millie Lawton for Keating (81).
Rest of panel: Anna Funge, Megan Keating, Zoe Hernandez.
In A Nutshell
Player of the Match
Hazel Donegan (Athlone CC). Coming into this game in red-hot form, Donegan further enhanced her credentials by grabbing a brace of superb goals for her school. Her overall play was also of the highest quality and with the likes of Alison Nugent and Ciara Walsh offering ample support, she was thorn in the side of Gorey throughout.
Key Moment
While they had a dream start in the form of Donegan’s second-minute goal, Athlone still had plenty to work to do heading into the second half. Gorey would have felt that the game remained very much up for grabs given the gale force wind potentially made it easier for them to break up the pitch, but Donegan’s second of the game straight after the restart proved to be too much of a hammer blow for the Slaneysiders.