Coláiste Bríde storm into Leinster final with big win
COLAISTE BRIDE stormed into the final of the Bank of Ireland Leinster ‘A’ Senior Cup with a superb performance in a chilly Ferrycarrig Park on Friday.
The Enniscorthy girls held a 2-0 advantage at the interval, and with Presentation pushing forward to try to find a route back into the game they pounced for two late goals to kill off the tie.
The Wexford town side did enjoy a purple patch midway through the second-half and had they scored then it may have set up a nervy finish, but in the end Coláiste Bríde ran out fully-merited winners.
They couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Aoife Devereux firing them in front with just six minutes on the clock following some free-flowing play.
Louise Butler started the move when she found Anais Curran on the left wing. Curran then linked up with Sarah Figgis, who squared for Devereux to calmly slot the ball past goalkeeper Niamh Kehoe.
Presentation came close to the perfect response in the 15th minute when Ailis Neville menacingly burst through the Coláiste Bríde defence, but Gráinne McCabe was bravely off her line to smother the danger.
The goalkeeper was then called into action at the other end, with Niamh Kehoe gathering at the second attempt after Anais Curran’s shot slipped through her fingers.
Coláiste Bríde continued to push forward in droves, and Aoife Devereux twice warmed the gloves of Kehoe, before Sarah Figgis wriggled free but was thwarted by the alert netminder.
Amy Long really caught the eye for Coláiste Bríde, as time and time again she came away with the ball, as the Enniscorthy girls continued to keep Presentation at arm’s length.
They did threaten in the 32nd when Siobhán Doolan played a perfectly-weighted through ball to Eleanor Hammel, but her touch was a tad too heavy and it gave McCabe time to gather.
Aideen Byrne and Anais Curran tried their luck from distance for Coláiste Bríde, and the pressure told a minute before the interval when they grabbed their second.
Laura Butler tried to pick out the inrushing Aoife Devereux and an attempted clearance ricocheted off a Presentation defender and into her own net.
Coláiste Bríde went close to putting the game to bed after the change of ends, with Sarah Figgis shooting straight at Kehoe, then seeing her effort tipped round the post by the netminder, and Leah Furlong heading Laura Butler’s corner over the bar.
However, Presentation began to up the pressure as the half wore on and the lively Ailis Neville almost grabbed a lifeline for her side with twelve minutes remaining as she squirmed past defenders and the goalkeeper but her shot trickled into the side-netting.
With time running out, Presentation’s Fiona Kinsella flashed an effort across the face of goal, and their race was run with three minutes remaining as Aoife Devereux met Laura Butler’s cross with a controlled volley from the edge of the area and found the back of the net.
Substitute Amy Mitten then put the icing on the cake in injury time, when she raced clear and applied a clinical finish.
Coláiste Bríde now face either Scoil Críost Rí from Portlaoise or St. Laurence College, Loughlinstown, in the Leinster final.
Coláiste Bríde: Gráinne McCabe (capt.), Amy Long, Aoife Codd, Loren Doyle, Leah Furlong, Anais Curran, Louise Butler, Laura Butler, Sarah Figgis, Aoife Devereux, Aideen Byrne. Sub. - Amy Mitten for Byrne.
Presentation: Niamh Kehoe, Abi Devereux, Aoife Burke, Ciara Bridges, Jamie Devereux, Lauren McLouglin, Niamh Tormey, Siobhán Doolan, Lauren McLoughlin, Fiona Kinsella, Ailis Neville. Subs. - Aisling O’Sullivan for McLoughlin, Tara Murphy for O’Sullivan, Sarah Murphy for J. Devereux, Jodie Walsh for Hammel, Emma McMahon for Neville, Rachael Crosbie for Kinsella.
Referee: Matt Colfer.