Valiant Strand U16s

CREGMORE STRAND CELTIC 5 0 CREGMORE of Claregalway won the Connacht girls u16 title on Sunday last in Galway with a hard fought but ultimately comprehensive victory over Strand Celtic.

Cregmore are also in the national U16 girls semi final against Shelbourne.

The game was in the balance with ten minutes to go with the score at two nil when Saorise Reddy struck the crossbar for Strand after a period of Strand dominance.

Cregmore broke and scored a third with a superb solo goal from their Irish international and it was game over.

They put a gloss on the scoreline in the final give minutes as they added further goals.

Strand played against a strong wind in the first half and disaster struck in the first minute, a slip in the backline saw Cregmore’s Niamh Moran score to give the Galway girls the ideal start. After this Strand settled well and with O Shea, O Boyle, McGuinn and Gormley on top they restricted a lively Cregmore attack to shots from distance. These were comfortably dealt with by keeper Eimear McCallion. Indeed as the half wore on the seasiders started to get on top in midfield with Aoife Haran and the outstanding Robyn Kennedy dominating. One through ball from Kennedy put Saoirse Reddy through on the right.

Her deep cross was taken down by sister Eabha whose goalbound shot was cleared on the line by a Cregmore defender. Sarah Gillen then got into a one on and saw her shot fly narrowly over.

Disaster struck for the Sligo girls right on half time when a corner was deflected in to leave Cregmore two up at the break.

With the wind at their backs the Sligo girls dominated the early phases of the second half. Aoife Haran played a great one two with Sorcha Reddy but saw her piledriver hit the inside of the post and fly across the goal. Eacha Reddy has two shots blocked in the area while at the other end Cregmore also hit the bar with a ferocious drive.

Then with ten minutes left the game changed. Strand had a couple of efforts blocked before Sorcha Reddy’s shot struck the bar and almost immediately afterwards came the goal of the day. Cregmore’s Irish international Andrea Trill won the ball on the left and drove past two defenders to score an unstoppable effort and seal victory.

Cregmore rounded off the game with two further goals. It was a disappointing end for the seasiders as they turned in a fine display but came up against a more clinical Cregmore side.

Both teams played some fine football on an excellent surface on a beautiful sunny day in front if a large crowd at the Galway venue. Manager Aisling McGuinn was delighted with the Sligo side’s performance.

STRAND CELTIC: Eimear McCallion, Allie O Shea, Kelsey O Boyle, Laura McGuinn, Emma Gormley, Sorcha Reddy, Aoife Haran, Robyn Kennedy, Sarah Gillen, Aine Gorman, Eabha Reddy, Meabh Mooney, AMy Deering, Kate Nugent, Chloe McManus.