Sligo/Leitrim girls retain U12 title
SLIGO/LEITRIM’S U12 Girls Emerging Talent squad were successful on Saturday in winning their Regional Qualification Tournament to qualify to play in the U12 Interleague Semi-Finals/ Finals in Limerick next month. This is the 2nd year in a row for Sligo/Leitrim to reach this level, finishing 3rd overall in Limerick last year, and now in the top 4 nationally again, with the squad looking forward immensely to the trip to Limerick at the prestigious Gaynor Cup (where Sligo-Leitrim’s u14 & u16 Girls will also be competing).The Regional tournament, (one of 4 nationally last weekend) was held in Carndonagh in north Donegal. The S/L Girls first faced the Mid-Western (Roscommon area) League side. S/L’s almost constant twin axis in midfield, Alice Lillie of Arrow Harps and Alannah O’Dowd of Boyle Celtic, scored two each and Manor Rangers’ Aine McLaughlin and Yeats United’s Jillian Monaghan supplied a goal apiece off both wings for a convincing 6-0 win. In their second group game S/L faced a very strong Donegal League side, who having lost their opener to locals Inishowen League fought all the way to the final whistle in this encounter, but Aine McLaughlin’s moment of total commitment in the 13th minute of the game won a ball against the odds to create and score the game’s only goal. A magnificent game from Keeva Flynn of Kilglass/Enniscrone, one of the squad’s younger players, both at centre forward and later on the wing, helped enormously in this tough encounter, and all 3 players at the back, Captain Cara King of Real Tubber, Lauren Devaney of Manor Rangers, and Vice Captain Anna Meade of Calry Bohs, along with Arrow Harps keeper Sarah Kiernan, saved the day on countless occasions. That gave S/L a maximum 6 points from their two games heading into their final group game against a well-fancied Mayo side who were going well in the competition. S/L started the game well with plenty of pressure and Rachel McGoldrick of St.John’s FC was unlucky not to score early on a good break. Anna Meade then produced a sizzler of an in-swinging left-footed corner which beat the Mayo keeper at the near post just 8 minutes into the game, and the game played out with that 1-0 win to S/L – with both Sligo/Leitrim and Mayo progressing to the final on that result. With only one place up for grabs in the U12 Interleague Cup semi-finals at the Gaynor Cup (to be joined by the winners of 3 other Regional Tournaments), the final between these 2 good footballing sides was tight all the way. Heroic efforts now being made by players tired from 3 tough games in a row, and playing in sublime but hot sunshine which drained them further. In a tight game with little opportunity to run changes to a well-performing side it played out to a scoreless draw – with chances at both ends snuffed out by relentless defending all over the pitch. That brought it to a penalty shootout to decide the matter. In the first 5 v 5 penalties it was 3 goals each (S/L hitting the bar twice, with both almost going in off the underside of the bar, and Mayo putting one wide and Sarah with a magnificent save on the 5th to keep S/L hopes alive). Those 3 scored by Keeva Flynn, Alice Lillie and Cara King. Sudden death then followed – a nerve-racking process for players, coaches & supporters alike. It ran to 11 penalties each, S/L scoring 6 sudden-death penalties in a row (Orlaith Scanlon, Sophie Quinn, Rachel McGoldrick, Eva White, Sarah Kiernan and Lauren Devaney with the nail-biting winner, Mayo having missed with their 11th effort – a tough way to lose for a team who had a great tournament). Player-of-the-Tournament plaudits, by mutual agreement of the coaching staff, went to Alice Lillie & Keeva Flynn. S/L now move into preparation for the Finals competition in Limerick on 23rd June. SLIGO/LEITRIM: Cara King (Capt) (Real Tubber). Anna Meade (V. Capt), Tess Longworth, Kelli Conway (Calry Bohs). Sarah Kiernan, Alice Lillie (Arrow Harps), Aine McLaughlin, Lauren Devaney (Manor Rangers). Jillian Monaghan, Orlaith Scanlon (Yeats Utd). Alannah O’Dowd (Boyle Celtic), Rachel McGoldrick (St. John’s), Keeva Flynn (Kilglass/Enniscrone), Eva White, Sophie Quinn, Anna McDaniel (Strand Celtic), Development Players: Hannah Hargadon, Sophia Calvey (Real Tubber), Vanessa Wochnik (Benbulben FC), Mairead McIntyre (Ballisodare Utd). Coaches: Brian Chambers, Laura McGuinn, Amy Hyndman, Yasmin Connolly.