​​​​​​​St. Mary’s fairytale comes to an end
St. Mary’s SS, Nenagh 2
Presentation SS, Kilkenny 3 (AET)
So near and yet so far is as good as any of the clichés to capture the end of St Mary’s journey on the soccer fields over the last five months as their magnificent run in the FAI Girls Junior Cup was ended at the semi-final stage by Presentation Secondary School Kilkenny, after extra time in Thurles last Thursday.
The North Tipperary girls dominated the early stages and went two goals but before the Kilkenny side fought back to force the game into extra time where they claimed victory.
The St Mary’s girls were the proverbial underdogs against a Kilkenny side backboned by a scatter of international players, a team regularly emerging with Leinster honours of late. But for an hour in Peake Villa, Thurles, a giant killing was a real possibility.
St. Mary’s can take huge pride from their ability to play at this level as well as their honesty of effort all through. In players such as Ellen Cuneen who sacrificed her own game to man mark the dangerous Ellen Molloy, Orlaith Clarke’s work rate in midfield, Fiona Pateman’s ability on the ball all through and the indomitable Rachel Shanaghan at full back who never shirks a challenge, there is tremendous optimism that St Mary’s can continue to challenge for provincial and national honours at this the highest level of Irish Schools’ Soccer.
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Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny: Cliodhna Murphy; Anna Purcell, Katie Ryan, Shauna Coady, Kirsten Hanney, Hannah Clifford (Capt), Freya De Mange, Cliodhna Donnelly, Niamh Phelan, Ellen Molloy, Melissa Walsh.
Subs: Sarah Barcoe for Walsh (33); Keara Ryan for Purcell (HT); Alicia Manogue for Clifford (67); Sarah O’Gorman for Freya De Mange (84).
St Mary's Secondary School, Nenagh: Meadhbh Ryan; Rachel Shanaghan, Fiona Kirwan (Capt), Aoibhinn Delaney, Bronnagh Kenneally, Orlaith Clarke, Áine Tuohy, Ellen Cuneen, Emma Keating, Fiona Pateman, Niamh Cuneen.
Subs: Aobhinn Slattery for Clarke (53); Grace Fleming for Tuohy (87).
Referee: Eimer O’Brien (North Tipperary)