Super-sub Kearney wins it for ’Clody
JASON GOODISON in Kilmuckridge BUNCLODY 1 CORACH RAMBLERS 0
SUBSTITUTE Laoise Kearney broke Corach Ramblers’ hearts as her 89th minute winner secured the Boland’s Carpets Cup for Bunclody in dramatic fashion on Sunday in Kilmuckridge.
The game looked destined for extra-time until Kearney popped up in the box and finally found a way past Val Redmond in the Corach net in a game which was very much in the balance all the way up the final-whistle.
There was no separating the sides in the opening exchanges. Corach were the first to test an opposition ‘keeper when Sarah Eustace regained the ball and let fly on Michaela Murphy’s goal, only for the Bunclody shot-stopper to began her stellar performance with a smart save.
Bunclody were soon threatening at the other end with Britney Conroy looking particularly dangerous – she shot one over the bar before excellently turning her marker in the box and being denied by Redmond at close range.
Niamh Miller kept Bunclody on their toes with two well hit efforts from distance and Ciara Roban fired into the side-netting just before the half-hour mark as both sides competed for the opening goal.
There were more opportunities for both before the break. Millar pulled another save from Murphy before Nicole Fortune flicked a header goalward only for Redmond to be equal to it again.
The second half continued in a very similar fashion with both sides creating ample opportunities to take control of the game.
Aoife White was the next Corach player to have a go and Roban almost had beaten the keeper at the other end only for the defence to recover and clear.
Ramblers’ final gilt-edge chance saw Ashling Waters race through on goal and half-volley wide with just the ‘keeper to beat.
After that, there was a notable switch in momentum in the final quarter. Corach’s attacking threat began to dissipate while Bunclody increasingly went in search of the winner. Chloe Moynihan’s deflected free-kick was emphatically saved before Conroy tested the Corach keeper once more.
Conroy fired another effort over the bar from Kayla Farrell’s cross in the 84th minute and just when extra-time appeared all but certain, Kearney became Bunclody’s hero.
The goal came from a dangerous Fortune free-kick. Whipped in with pace towards Redmond the keeper took no chances and cleared with her feet only for Keanrey to come alive in the box and slot past the recovering keeper at her near post, leaving Corach with no time to react and sending Bunclody home with the trophy. BUNCLODY: Michaela Murphy; Rebecca Kearney, Paulina Farynik, Zoe Kearney, Chloe Moynihan; Hayley Browne, Kayla Farrell, Nicole Fortune, Alma Morris; Britney Conroy, Ciara Roban. Subs: Laoise Kearney for Browne (66). Also, Abbey Roche, Jenny Whelan, Alena Moore, Lauren Finn.
CORACH RAMBLERS: Val Redmond; Roisin Murphy, Sinead O’Connor, Tracy Sinnott, Leanne McGrath; Shannon McDonagh, Triona Sinnott, Amy Eustace; Sarah Eustace, Niamh Miller, Aoife White. Subs: Ashling Water for White (56), Christina Casey for Murphy (64), Geraldine Curtis for Sarah Eustace (90). Also, Claire Eustace, Nicole Culleton.
REFEREE: Phillip McGrath.