Tremendous Bowl success for NTSFL Girls in Gaynor Cup
The North Tipperary Schoolchildren’s Football League (NTSFL) Under 14 Girls squad enjoyed a massively successful week at the annual Gaynor Cup Tournament at UL last week, coming home as Bowl champions, finishing eighth overall out of the 30 leagues competing.
The team kicked off their campaign against Limerick Desmond on day one. Right from the kick-off, NTSFL played some super football and worked extremely hard in the sweltering conditions and put their opponents under pressure.
Their endeavours were rewarded early on when a surging run and cross from Olivia Looby was finished to the net by Mioda O'Shea. The girls doubled their lead just after the water break when Molly Kirwan converted a penalty. They continued to dominate, and Sinead Maxwell grabbed the third with a powerful finish coming up to the halftime break.
They continued to dominate in the second half, limiting Desmond to long-range shots that were capably dealt with by keeper Ally Mulvihill. Midway through the half, the girls got a deserved fourth when Mioda O'Shea scored her second goal.
A super opening performance from the girls in demanding conditions where the use of the squad was critical to the intensity of the NTSFL game. Kaitlyn Delahunty was awarded player of the match.
Day 2 saw NTSFL up against Galway in the early game. With both teams having won their first-round encounters, this was always going to be a crucial match in deciding who topped the group and progressed to the Cup section knockout stages.
NTSFL played at a high tempo right from kick-off, putting Galway under pressure and not letting them settle on the ball. Winning possession, NTSFL played some super football, creating chances and preventing little in the attacking sense from Galway.
Midway through the first half, Mioda O’Shea was fouled in the penalty area, and Molly Kirwan dispatched the spot kick to give the girls the lead. Just before the break, Galway almost equalised when one of their attackers got free in the box and shot just wide.
The early exchanges in the second half favoured NTSFL and a Mioda O’Shea shot was handled in the area, and she herself dispatched the resulting penalty for a 2-nil lead.
As the second half wore on, Galway came more into the game, sending longer balls forward. Just before the water break, they pulled a goal back. Into the last ten minutes, the wind got up and favoured the Galway team, which added additional pressure. Galway were awarded a penalty, and they scored from it to leave the score 2-2 going into the final moments of a super match. There was heartbreak, though, for NTSFL when Galway, aided by the wind, scored direct from a corner to seal a 3-2 victory and top spot in the group. NTSFL’s Player of the match was Clara Coughlan.
The team had a short rest before taking to the field later in the afternoon to take on the Inishowen League from Donegal.
NTSFL made a great start with a goal in the first minute when Sasha O’Keeffe broke through the Inishowen backline and finished to the net. Unfortunately, the girls were unlucky not to build on this lead with some missed chances and a ball cleared off the line. Inishowen came into the game more as the half wore on and equalised. They could have doubled their lead but for a great save from keeper Ellen Meaney.
At half-time, some changes were made, and the girls played some super football to dominate proceeding. Three goals were added to their tally to leave them 4-1 winners, Mioda O’Shea, Molly Kirwan, and Kaitlyn Delahunty on target.
The result saw the girls finish as runners-up in the group. Player of the match v Inishowen was Molly Kirwan.
Day 3 saw the NTSFL meet Kildare in the quarter final of the Bowl competition. It proved a tough game in which the girl’s dominated possession for most of the match, but a dogged Kildare proved hard to break down.
In the first half, the girls created several chances that were scrambled clear with one coming back off the post. For all their efforts the match remained scoreless at the break.
The second half continued in the same vein with NTSFL dominating possession and creating chances, once again hitting the woodwork. Just when it looked like it would be one of those days, a great break down the wing and cross from Mioda O’Shea was finished clinically to the net by Sarah Maxwell for a deserved lead. The girls did not let up for the remainder of the match and saw things through to the end to book a place in the semi-final against Cork. Player of the match was Olivia Fitzpatrick.
Day 4 saw the NTSFL meet Cork in the Bowl semi-final. Coming off a hard-fought quarter final victory the girls were up for the task ahead and started the match superbly, imposing themselves on Cork. Their superb start was rewarded after ten minutes when they were awarded a penalty after a handball by a Cork defender. Reliable penalty-taker Molly Kirwan stepped up and coolly put it away. That was the way things stood at half time.
The second half was a tense affair with Cork playing with the wind and putting the North Tipp defence under pressure. To the girls credit they stood firm to everything that was thrown at them and laid a great foundation for the midfield and attack to create chances. There were no further scores and the girls saw out the remainder of the match to book their place the final. Player of the match was goalkeeper Ally Mulvihill.
The NTSFL squad completed their tournament adventure by taking on Waterford in the Bowl final for eighth and ninth place overall.
The first half was a tense affair with NTSFL winning most of the important battles. They created some chances and went close with a couple of corners but could not break the deadlock.
Then, just as it looked like the match would be scoreless at half-time, the NTSFL took the lead from a superb long-range shot from Lexi Wynne who has now scored a goal in successive Gaynor finals.
The second half saw the girls playing against a strong wind, but no matter what Waterford threw at them, they stood firm, but still creating chances as they tried to double the lead. A one goal lead was always going to be a nervous lead going into the final stages but a couple of super stops by keeper Ally Mulvihill helped NTSFL see it through to the final whistle to great celebrations.
All of the twenty squad members excelled throughout the week and gave everything in each match. They fully deserved to cap the week off with this final win.
Captain Clara Coughlan led the squad in accepting the Gaynor Bowl. Kaitlyn Delahunty was awarded player of the match by the SFAI while NTSFL’s player of the match was Lexi Wynne.
The NTSFL Player of the Tournament award went to Clara Coughlan while the Players Player of the Tournament was Mioda O'Shea, and the MVP award (or player who left absolutely nothing behind her on pitch) went to Clodagh Davis.
The support team was made up of Ursula Scully, Becky Barber, Hannah O’Brien, Roisin Dwan, John Pio Fitzpatrick, Kevin O’Riordan, Paul Hearty and Head Coach Brian Brooks who led the squad superbly through the week.
Squad: Olivia Fitzpatrick, Olivia Looby, Mioda O’Shea, Lexi Wynne (Ballymackey); Clodagh Davis, Ally Mulvihill (Borrisokane); Nicole Buckley, Sarah Jane Ormond (BT Harps); Abbe Challen, Sasha O’Keeffe, Lily Ryan (Holycross); Kayla Carney, Kaitlyn Delahunty, Kayleigh Delaney, Molly Kirwan, Lucy Nash (Killavilla United); Ellen Meaney (Knigh United); Ciara Coghlan, Abby Molloy (Lough Derg); Sinead Maxwell (Moneygall).