Sligo-Leitrim teenagers win SFAI Shield in Limerick
THE Sligo-Leitrim Schoolboys and Schoolgirls won another SFAI inter-league title last Saturday. The Sligo-Leitrim Girls U-16 team beat Clare 4-0 in the SFAI Girls U-16 InterLeague Championship Shield final, a game that was held on one of the all-weather pitches at University of Limerick.
Sligo-Leitrim’s goalscorers in Limerick were Shauna McGrath (Boyle Celtic), Annie O’Connor (Boyle Celtic), Ceola Vogt (Yeats United) and Arlin Barrett (Real Tubber).
The winners, who led 1-0 at the break, netted three times in the second-half to wrap up a fine result. There was a second celebration as one of the team’s goalscorers, Shauna McGrath, was chosen as Player of the Match.
For manager Aaron O’Connor this was a fitting end to a season where Sligo-Leitrim competed well in the group stage but ended up in the third tier final. The campaign also saw an enforced squad reshuffle as several players moved to the Sligo Rovers Academy.
He said: “It went well for us, thankfully. We were the better side and it was probably our best performance of the season – it is lovely when that happens, especially in a final.
“Still, it was a tighter affair than the 4-0 scoreline suggests. Clare were a threat, they were a physical side, but our defence were excellent. Goalkeeper Kate Golden had an outstanding game and the centre-backs were also very good – team captain Eibhlin Guckian and Ciara Murphy.”
O’Connor mentioned how Annie O’Connor’s goal from a long-range free-kick settled the team and that Shauna McGrath’s exceptional first-half finish had got the ball rolling.
“Our third goal [from Ceola Vogt] didn’t come until about 15 minutes to go [each half was 40 minutes in length] and then we were able to bring on more subs.”
The manager made what turned out to be a good call when using Player of the Match Shauna McGrath, normally an attacker, in a midfield role. “She has great mobility and work-rate, she’s really dynamic and kept us in the game an awful lot. But that [Player of the Match] award could have gone to any one of five or six of our players.”
He added: “It was a really good team performance, everybody played well.”
Meanwhile, the Sligo-Leitrim Boys U-13 team are scheduled to face Wicklow away this coming (Bank Holiday) Monday, March 18, in an SFAI Boys U-13 Inter-League Championship Trophy knockout fixture. Sligo-Leitrim were 4-0 winners over Carlow last Saturday.
Chantelle Kielty, Tara Howard (Ballymote Celtic); Shauna McGrath, Anna Carty, Annie O’Connor, Amy O’Donohoe (Boyle Celtic); Niamh Murphy, Tara Flynn, Ciara Murphy (Calry Bohs); Lucie Maye, Eibhlin Guckian (Carrick Town); Maebh Murray, Tara Arthur (KilglassEnniscrone United); Sarah Mulvaney Kelly (Manor Rangers); Arlin Barrett (Real Tubber); Kate Golden (Strand Celtic); Emma Carty, Ceola Vogt, Ciara Ní Bhroin (Yeats United)
Management: Aaron O’Connor (manager), Kassie Irwin, Mark Reilly