Athenry claim victory in extra time

FAI Schools First Year Girls National Cup FINAL (Under 14, Large Schools)

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Pres Coll, Athenry 2-1 Holy Family Secondary School, Newbridge (AET)

Ciara Mullins (31, 51) Ella Donnellan (36)

ATHENRY’S Presentation College needed extra time to see off new kids on the block, Holy Family Secondary School of Newbridge in a highly contested Cup Final in Athlone Town this afternoon (Tuesday, November 22).

Ciara MULLINS was the match day hero having grabbed the opener six minutes into the second half.

However, the lead was short lived as Newbridge Captain Ella Donnellan rounded Lauren Kearney to slot home the equaliser five minutes later.

Mollie Noone did exceptionally well with her set pieces in the opening period of the game but the Newbridge defence stayed alert and voided all possible attempts on goal.

Full time saw the sides level with one goal apiece and it was only seconds into extra time when Mullins pounced again, a brilliant individual effort to give her side a vital advantage.

Holy Family fought hard for another equaliser but the Athenry girls were well coached to see the game out.

Bitter sweet for Presentation College having lost the Under-15 National Minor Girls Cup to St. Mary’s SS, Nenagh earlier this season at the same venue.

This was the first full season that Holy Family set up a schools team to compete in the Cup competitions. They secured two Leinster Cup Final appearances, losing out to kingpins Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny at the provincial final but held out against Presentation SS, Wexford in their First Year Cup contest, defeating them 3-1.

Teachers Eugene Beggy and Karl Mulvey should be praised for their Cup endeavours this season and no doubt the School will be contesting more provincial honours in the years to come.

Presentation College, Athenry add the First Year Girls National Cup crown to their roll of honour having shared the Tom TIcher Junior Cup with Salesian College, Celbridge in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

HOLY FAMILY SECONDARY SCHOOL, NEWBRIDGE | Shannon Carey, Leah Mae Ward, Kate Dunphy, Sarah Phelan, Chloe O’Brien, Faye Durney, Olivia Hyland, Kate McNulty, Ella Donnellan ©, Jessica McNulty, Ammiemae Dunne

SUBS ROLL ON/OFF | Alex Dowling, Ella Cashman, Caoimhe O’Connor, Aoibhinn Dennehy, Mia Finnegan

EXTENDED PANEL | Ruby Maher, Julia Bugayeva, Erin Kavanagh

TEACHER | Eugene Beggy & Karl Mulvey

PRESENTATION COLLEGE, ATHENRY | Lauren Kearney, Leah Mullins, Saoirse Counihan, Sarah Egan, Niamh Kilgannon ©, Mollie Noone ©, Sophie Hogan, Katyln Walshe, Aimira Bouhlel McNamara, Ciara Mullins, Katie Noone

SUBS ROLL ON/OFF | Kate Heaney, Lillian Walshe, Lauren Gannon, Chloe Keane, Aoibhe Corcoran

EXTENDED PANEL | Jessica McGlynn, Roisin Leahy, Abbie Donoghue, Anna Rohan, Stephany Martins, Marrissa Higgins, Madeline Heskin, Ciara O’Connor, Charlotte Mangan

TEACHERS | Dom Coll, Joe Finnerty, Emer Kilgannon, James McDonnell