Leinster disappointment for Newtown Juniors after defeat to Shels
NEWTOWN JUNIORS suffered U-18 Leinster Women’s Football Council heartbreak as Shelbourne inflicted defeat on them in extra time.
After no goals in normal time, the Dublin giants and the Co. Wicklow girls dug deep for extra time, during which Shels pinched the lead before adding a second as Newtown were pushing for an equaliser.
The match between the old foes was played in gale force winds in the Oscar Traynor Grounds in Coolock, with Newtown playing into the wind in the first half.
They defended well and relied on the odd counter attack to try and score. Amy Murphy had their best chance but her effort from 20 yards just cleared the crossbar.
Shels probably created more chances but the defence of Nicola Batten, Chelsee Snell, Becky Cassin and Sinead Horgan, with the help of goalkeeper Lucie Ashmore, stood firm.
In the second period, Newtown managed to get forward more as the conditions allowed them but it was a half littered by nothing more than half chances.
The Garden County girls had a shout for a penalty 10 minutes from time after Amy Murphy seemed to be impeded inside the box but the referee Deirdre Nolan waved away the appeals.
Normal time ended and it was late in the first period of extra time that the deadlock was broken. Newtown lost possession in midfield and Shels’ central midfielder advanced forward to the edge of the box to score with a rising shot.
In the second period, the Juniors had no choice but to push extra players forward to try and restore parity but right at the death, Shelbourne broke to score and make it 2-0.
The final whistle went and the final scoreline probably was a little unfair on Newtown in a game that looked to have penalties written all over it.
Among the players who starred for Newtown on the day were the aforementioned back five, Georgina Canavan and Amy Murphy.
Commiserations to Newtown Juniors but they still have the league to play for and it’s all in their own hands as they head into the last four games.
Newtown Juniors would like to express their gratitude to all the supporters who made the trip to support the team.
Newtown Juniors: 1. Lucie Ashmore, 2. Nicola Batten, 3. Sinead Horgan, 4. Becky Cassin, 5. Chelsee Snell, 6. Olivia Flanagan, 7. Orlaith Whelan, 8. Georgina Canavan, 9. Una Grogan, 10. Cliona Crammond, 11. Amy Murphy.
SUBS: Katie Miley for Whelan (55); Sarah Gleeson for Horgan (60); Juliette Fortune for Grogan (70); Niamh O’Brien for Crammond (80). Not used: Orla Devlin, Clarisse Broughton, Lauren Nolan, Laura Drew, Aisling McDonald, Lydia Sinnott-Elliott.