F.C.J. fall short after fine effort
Dreams shattered by a sensational Cashel comeback
CASHEL C.S. 3-8 F.C.J. BUNCLODY 3-6
F.C.J. BUNCLODY dreams were shattered by a sensational Cashel Community School fightback in the Lidl ladies’ football All-Ireland Post Primary School Junior ‘C’ final in St. Molleran’s, Carrick-on-Suir, on Saturday.
The Wexford school were the better side in the first-half and were able to build a 3-2 to 0-1 lead after 23 minutes.
However, the longer the game went on, the more that effort to build a lead seemed to leak into the legs and Cashel got on top.
Over the course of the 60 minutes this gallant F.C.J. side can have no complaints. They have battled through to win Leinster, fought their way to a national decider, but unfortunately came up against a side which was, overall, just a little better.
It’s that age-old question of how hard to you go in the first-half to be able to manage the full 60 minutes. Bunclody went full bore from the first whistle and did a solid job of building a lead.
However, unlike their semi-final success against Ursuline Sligo, when F.C.J. were able to win without a long scoring hiatus, Cashel had the class to throw a barrage of scores at their goal in a 15-minute spell in the second-half that turned the game on its head.
Things were working well at both ends of the field in the early stages. Lauren Roban kicked Bunclody ahead after 14 seconds, and they won a penalty one minute later when the ever-dangerous Caoimhe Jordan was fouled close to goal.
Aoife Mahon stepped up to the spot-kick and the power she produced was too much for Caoilinn Casey to handle, despite the fact the Cashel ‘keeper dived the right way and got a hand on the shot.
As the dramatic opening continued, Amy Tobin-Cosgrave blocked down a goalbound Alessia Mazzola shot but soon the Tipperary school won a penalty for a foul on Anna Fahie.
Aoife Dunne saved Mazzola’s initial effort but the referee ordered a re-take for encroachment, with Dunne saving the second too before her side cleared. Things settled a little but Bunclody still looked like netting in every penetrative attack.
Jordan slotted home her side’s second goal in the eighth minute. She later had another shot saved by Casey, while Katie Bates cracked the crossbar and Mahon missed the target from the rebound.
Emer McCarthy did pull a point back for Cashel but Mahon responded, and her side moved further in front when Jordan, Eilish O’Rourke and Orlagh Kehoe all combined to release Bates for another major (3-2 to 0-1).
Mizzola, a constant thorn for the Bunclody defence, slalomed through to net a minute later and, after Leah Baskin and Lauren Roban exchanged points, there was still seven between the sides at the interval (3-3 to 1-2).
Despite conceding to a cracking strike by Mazzola, Bunclody still looked in good shape after points from Roban and Mahon left them 3-5 to 2-2 up after 36 minutes.
However, Cashel scored 1-6 unanswered in a 15-minute spell to take control.
McCarthy, Anna Fahie and Mazzola were all on target as the F.C.J. lead collapsed to one point. There was an inevitability about the Fahie goal when it came, in the 49th minute, and suddenly Bunclody were left playing catch-up.
Fahie made it 3-8 to 3-5 with a free, but a fantastic run from midfield and point by Orlagh Kehoe cancelled out that score. Having collected fewer ticks all game, it was surprising that Cashel lost two players to yellow cards within 60 seconds of one another.
The timing meant Lucy Fogarty and Katelyn Downey were done for the game, but Bunclody were out on their feet and never got close to capitalising on their numerical advantage.
After a generous four minutes of added-time, the dream ended for a talented F.C.J. side which will surely be in the reckoning for titles again as they move into the Senior ranks.
F.C.J. Bunclody: Aoife Dunne; Amy Tobin-Cosgrave, Edana Mimnagh, Aimee Dreelan; Kayla Nolan, Shauna Nolan, Yvonne Kelly; Katie Breen-Sherlock, Elisih O’Rourke; Lisa Kelly (capt.), Lauren Roban (0-3, 1 free), Orlagh Kehoe (0-1); Katie Bates (1-0), Aoife Mahon (1-2, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free), Caoimhe Jordan (1-0). Subs. - Laura Conroy for Nolan (48), Emer Fitzgerald for Dreelan (49), also Leah Kidd, Joan Maher, Muireann Doyle, Rachel Kavanagh, Michelle Kearns, Aoibhe MacSweeney, Amy Murphy, Zoe Tobin-Cosgrave, Cáit Byrne, Amy Kehoe, Norah McGinty, Ciara McCabe, Eimear Doyle.
Cashel C.S.: Caoilinn Casey; Ella O’Dwyer, Leah Kavanagh, Fiona McEniry; Lucy Fogarty, Katelyn Downey, Grace Moloney; Aoibhe Gayson-Molloy, Emer McCarthy (0-3); Rebecca Farrell, Leah Baskin (capt., 0-1), Alessia Mazzola (2-1); Anna Fahie (1-3, 0-3 frees), Fiona Tuohy, Lily Fahie. Sub. - Lisa O’Connor for McEniry (32).
Referee: Eamonn Moran (Kerry).