McCarthy goal secures a point
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
UCD WAVES………………………………..1
CORK CITY WFC…………………………..1
KATIE MCCARTHY’S 75th-minute goal rescued a point for Cork City WFC in a tense Women’s National League encounter at Jackson Park yesterday afternoon.
When Students’ striker Leanne Payne broke the deadlock just past the hour mark, the Leesiders faced the prospect of a fifth league defeat in 2018. However, with the returning Emma Farmer making a strong impact off the bench, City dug deep to secure a share of the spoils.
Farmer had a previous spell with the club in the early part of this decade, and re-joins the squad on the back of a highly-successful career with the Cork ladies footballers. Less than 24 hours on from her own inter-county debut against Kerry in the Munster final, Republic of Ireland international Saoirse Noonan was selected as the focal point of the City attack.
She caused a number of problems for the UCD defence and also linked up effectively with McCarthy and Eadaoin Lyons on a number of occasions. The latter raced onto a neat Noonan pass on the stroke of 20 minutes, but the energetic midfielder’s low drive was comfortably gathered by opposition netminder Erica Turner.
The hosts looked set to open the scoring on 24 minutes when Kerri Letmon jinked past City custodian Eva Badana – only see to her subsequent effort cleared off the line by the retreating City rearguard.
While this was a significant let-off for the visitors, the defensive organisation of skipper Ciara McNamara and Maggie Duncliffe ensured that UCD were kept at bay until the break. The introduction of Mary Barrett just after the restart led to a re-shuffle in the City back-four and Farmer later deputised for Danielle Burke in central midfield.
UCD were beginning to find pockets of space in the final-third, though, and the industrious Payne was on hand to fire beyond the reach of Badana on 61 minutes.
Though the south Dubliners were well placed to push forward in the final-quarter, the growing influence of Farmer and Noonan heralded a determined City fightback.
Noonan and Eadaoin Lyons combined to release McCarthy on goal and – after beating the offside trap – she coolly slotted to the bottom right-hand corner of the net. With March’s 2-0 home defeat to UCD still fresh in their minds, City sensed that maximum points were now up for grabs.
Following a fierce Duncliffe drive that rattled the crossbar, Noonan was denied a match-winner by the impressive Turner. With two minutes of stoppage-time already played, Noonan also delivered a pin-point cross into the path of McCarthy.
She volleyed over under intense pressure, which ensured that the sides were ultimately inseparable in the sun-drenched Kiltiernan venue.
UCD WAVES: Erica Turner; Aisling Dunbar, Roisin McGovern, Chelsee Snell, Keelin McEntee; Sinead Gaynor, Chloe Mustaki; Sophie O’Donoghue (Carla Moran 89), Dearbhaile Beirne, Kerri Letmon (Aisling Spillane 54); Leanne Payne.
CORK CITY WFC: Eve Badana; Amy McCormack (Mary Barrett 52), Maggie Duncliffe, Ciara McNamara, Nathalie O’Brien; Danielle Burke (Emma Farmer 59), Kate O’Donovan; Eadaoin Lyons, Katie McCarthy, Michelle O’Driscoll (Christina Dring 81); Saoirse Noonan.
Referee: Daniel Murphy.